Supporters of the Wright Amendment compromise say they aren't concerned that emerging criticism of the deal from several airlines could jeopardize the agreement, which would eventually eliminate flight restrictions at Dallas Love Field. On Wednesday, the Air Carriers Association joined JetBlue Airways and Northwest Airlines in raising concerns that the deal could lock new airlines out of Love Field. And US Airways officials also said they want assurances that they could access the airport in the future.

"We are concerned when any number of carriers get together to decide how big an airport should be and who should operate at that airport," said Edward Faberman, the Air Carriers' executive director. "That's what, in some ways, has happened here."

The association represents discount airlines including AirTran Airways, Frontier Airlines and Spirit Airlines, as well as small airports.

But Dallas Mayor Laura Miller dismissed the concerns. "I think if the solution prevented other airlines from coming into the market, then we would have a significant problem," Miller told reporters during a lunch recess from her City Council meeting. "But that is not the case here."

Will Ris, senior vice president of government affairs at American Airlines, said the opposition isn't a "huge obstacle" to the agreement. "They've got an uphill fight," he said, referring to JetBlue and other airlines. "We think there's tremendous momentum here on the Wright Amendment compromise."

JetBlue Airways, which told the Star-Telegram on Tuesday that it plans to oppose the Wright agreement, reiterated that position Wednesday at a media breakfast sponsored by the Flight Safety Foundation. David Barker, the airline's president and chief operating officer, told reporters that the compromise would unfairly lock other airlines out of Love Field.

Officials with Northwest Airlines have also said they plan to oppose the deal. C.A. Howlett, senior vice president of public affairs at US Airways, said the deal raised questions about access. "We want assurances that if we want to fly to Love in the future we will be able to do that," he said. Howlett said Congress should consider lifting flight restrictions at Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., at the same time it considers the Wright compromise.

Southwest Airlines spokesman Ed Stewart said the objections to the Love Field agreement were "bewildering." "Any airline that wants to serve the Metroplex can go to D/FW today and fly anywhere they want," he said. "No one is being locked out of the market."

Southwest itself shunned numerous overtures in the past year to begin flights from Dallas/Fort Worth Airport and end its campaign to repeal the Wright Amendment, even in the face of financial incentives and a billboard campaign inviting them to D/FW. The Wright Amendment, a 1979 federal law, limits flights from Love Field to Texas and a handful of nearby states. In 2004, Southwest, which operates at Love, began lobbying to have the law repealed, calling it unfair and anti-consumer.

D/FW Airport officials and American Airlines, which operates a hub at D/FW, fought to keep the restrictions intact.

This month the two airlines came together and, along with D/FW and the cities of Fort Worth and Dallas, signed a compromise that would end the restrictions after eight years. It would also reduce terminal space at Love from 32 gates to 20, with Southwest keeping 16 and American and Continental Airlines having two each. Six gates at the old Legend Airlines terminal would be demolished, and six in the main terminal would be closed permanently.

Under the agreement, which requires approval by Congress, any new airlines that want to serve North Texas would be urged to fly from D/FW. But if they insisted on coming to Love, the airlines there could be forced to share some gate space. The Dallas City Council formally approved the agreement Wednesday night on a 10-1 vote.

Several other airlines said they did not yet have a position on the agreement.

A spokesman for Delta Air Lines said the company is reviewing the compromise and hasn't decided whether to fight it. Joe Hodas, a spokesman for discount carrier Frontier Airlines, said executives there haven't taken a strong position either way. "This doesn't affect our service or growth, because we choose to fly from D/FW," he said.

Spirit Airlines also declined to take a position. "Most Texans are smart, and we believe they should decide the future of this," spokeswoman Lynne Koreman said. Two members of the Texas congressional delegation on opposite sides of the Wright debate had different reactions to JetBlue's public statements.

"It doesn't really affect them," said Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, who represents Love Field and has emerged as the compromise's leading booster in the House. "I don't know if they're entitled to fly out of there if there's no room." She said she doubted the opposition could hurt the agreement's chances in Congress. "I do not see how they can overrule what two cities have agreed to," she said.

But Rep. Jeb Hensarling, R-Dallas, who has championed efforts to repeal the amendment, said "there are legitimate concerns to what this does to the flying public" that need to be heard. "There are other airlines that want to compete," said Hensarling, who said he has not taken a position on the agreement. "I've always been concerned with the federal government picking winners and losers." He said he would wait until the July 12 hearing by the House Transportation and Infrastructure's aviation subcommittee before making up his mind.

Miller pointed out that D/FW Airport has been trying to lure JetBlue for years. "In fact, I've been begging JetBlue to come to Dallas and serve us," she said. "We've offered them free rent and no landing fees and all kinds of incentives to come out to D/FW."

She said demolishing the gates is a crucial element to the overall compromise because it helps reduce the size of Love Field. The airport would also permanently close five gates in the north concourse that are being leased by Southwest for training purposes and one gate in the east concourse being used by American.

While in Washington lobbying lawmakers Tuesday, the mayors of Fort Worth and Dallas also nailed down the final details of the Wright Amendment agreement with airline and airport executives. Miller brought her colleagues up to speed during Wednesday's Dallas council meeting.

The only dissent in the Dallas council's vote backing the local compromise came from Maxine Thornton-Reese. She opposed the deal because the reduction in gates at Love Field would reduce the airport's potential to support jobs. Miller, who said she was surprised to hear Thornton-Reese's opposition, tried to sway her to the yes side during the session without success.

The D/FW Airport board is scheduled to vote on the proposed agreement this morning. The Fort Worth City Council, which is on a three-week break, plans to vote July 11.