One more reason to hate the big airlines, from Airports Crack Down On Gamesmanship Over Gates:
In Los Angeles, United is still using the same 26 gates it had when it was a much bigger carrier, even though its passenger count has fallen 41% since 2000. By comparison, Southwest Airlines uses just 12 gates for more daily flights than United — and is dying for more space.Consumers pay a price. Gate gamesmanship is a longstanding but rarely noticed element in airline competition, a sneaky way for airlines to block new entrants over the years. It can be cost-effective for airlines: The price of the gate is much cheaper than slashing prices to compete. And so when one airline prevents another’s growth by hanging on to little-used gates, travelers have fewer flights and ultimately higher fares.