In a pandemic, with few people flying, you might think it would be bad business to fly empty airplanes to squat on airport slots. But if that's what is required for airlines to keep access to key airports, they'll probably do it.
Greedy, greedy, greedy. Keeping the bidding to low-cost carriers would indeed inject some competition into airports where it is at times sorely lacking, as well as protect consumers that the U.S. Justice Department said it was looking out for in the American/US Air lawsuit.
Parker's argument that if the new American were required to divest slots at DCA, then it would divest slots serving small communities is nice spin, but that wouldn't fly with the DOJ.