11 Gates Reopened At B Concourse In Pit

[ClueByFour]

Interesting. I never knew that "ghost towns" required additional security access due to the influx of local traffic.

Hmmmmm.

 

[trvlr64]

Last November was a hell of alot of flights, it is going to be a ghost town at Pitt.

George

[post="281638"][/post]​

Not likely. After the last round of cuts PIT did suffer but it only suffered on the US side. Every other airline increased their passenger load. US is just giving PIT customers over to the other airlines that's all.

It's actually been interesting to see new businesses open up. Two new SPA Xpress shops have opened, a new cafe is opening in the landside terminal and Lands End replaced Timberland. PIT is thriving once again. Much to the dismay of US management I bet.

 

[totobird]

The only reason for the additional security checkpoints is to handle the passengers during the peak periods. The majority of the time you can walk right up and thru security. No waiting.

 

[orville]

Last time I non reved on them out of PIT it was Continental Express handling everything for them.

[post="281405"][/post]​

Nope...it's now American who took over in April....they were very unhappy with the Continental operation.

 

[barbeetantrums]

Last time I non reved on them out of PIT it was Continental Express handling everything for them.

[post="281405"][/post]​

Not anymore. American now. Doing a much better job than CO, I might add.

 

[USA320Pilot]

ClueByFour:

ClueByFour said: "Interesting. I never knew that "ghost towns" required additional security access due to the influx of local traffic. Hmmmmm."

USA320Pilot comments: Pittsburgh International Airport’s passenger security screening system was designed pre-September 11 for a hub and spoke airport. The system has one checkpoint and initially had only five screening positions. The ACAA has expanded the screeners to seven positions, but with new DHS procedures the lay out is outdated.

Not only is Pittsburgh travelers suffering from an inefficient design, other airports are too.

See Story

Pittsburgh’s security bottle-neck has less to do with O&D traffic and more to do with an inefficient design and other problems listed in the column hyperlinked above.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[ClueByFour]

Pittsburgh’s security bottle-neck has less to do with O&D traffic and more to do with an inefficient design and other problems listed in the column hyperlinked above.

[post="282120"][/post]​

You are entitled to that opinion. However, it's worth noting that PIT is setting O&D records, and the checkpoint (which was expanded to it's current size shortly after the TSA took over) is only recently beginning to see these kinds of backups on a regular basis. In fact, the news media coverage of both the O&D increase and the security line problems dovetail with the US pulldown in PIT. (as a note, you read that prediction here first)

I realize that this goes against what CCY predicted (and you parroted) but it's a nice problem to have (for the airport). The existing legacies, new-ish entrant LCCs (including, ironically enough, America West and certainly Southwest, given their earnings release which indicated traffic is outperforming their expectations at PIT and called for an expanded schedule) are doing what US never did--capture and grow the valuable O&D traffic--in fact, it's likely US "monopoly hub" strategy that squelched the O&D numbers prior to 2003. (you also read that prediction would happen here first)

Keep trying to spin it, though. It's not like an increase in O&D traffic would cause both a need to expand the security checkpoint and reopening airside gates, would it?

 

[USA320Pilot]

ClueByFour:

I believe the re-opening of the 11 gates on the "B" concourse is due to more US Airways Pittsburgh downsizing and gate consolidation. The airport has relatively high passenger processing fess and some of the worst yields in the system. In comparison Charlotte has a passenger processing fee of about $1.50 per passenger and Pittsburgh is about $10 per passenger. Which airport do you believe is more profitable for US Airways?

US Airways will remove capacity out of the system in November, pull another 5 B737s from service, I understand Colgan commuter flying that is being moved from Pittsburgh to Dulles, and TSA RJ flying will probably be rejected.

In addition, according to Pittsburgh Chief Pilot Jim Corbusier the flight crew base will be further reduced on subsequent bids.

It appears US Airways could go from 14 mainline and 23 commuter gates (a total of 37) on the "A" and "B" concourse to 25 gates on the "B" concourse. This could result in a net loss of 12 gates that will not be utilized.

In regard to the security checkpoint, the system does not support an O&D airport and is inefficient, which is the major cause of passenger screening delays. Moreover, the article hyperlinked below indicates much of the problems that occur at Pittsburgh too.

Finally, Pittsburgh O&D records are due to low cost airline start up service such as Independence Air, ATA, USA3000, Southwest, AirTran and others, who are pricing their product at very low prices in an attempt to hurt US Airways. This increase in O&D traffic may be good in the short-term for travelers, but it erodes yield and is contributing to US Airways' pull back.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[corl737]

... Pittsburgh O&D records are due to low cost airline start up service such as Independence Air, ATA, USA3000, Southwest, AirTran and others, who are pricing their product at very low prices in an attempt to hurt US Airways.

[post="282125"][/post]​

Gotta interject here. These carriers aren't focused on hurting US Airways. Their CEO's simple goal is to generate earnings for the shareholders. They do that by identifying underserved/overpriced markets and going after them. It just so happens that US Airways management has historically been the master of creating these locations.

Those of us who are fortunate enough to work at well-run carriers are sad to see our fellow industry employees take it in the shorts. However, what we're growing really tired of is the "they're coming to kill us" rhetoric. Please get a grip on reality. No one is wasting their energy killing US Airways, especially since they're hell-bent on committing suicide. Perhaps with the merger US will finally get their own house in order to succeed in the new economic environment (that started in 1978!).

 

[trvlr64]

Pittsburgh’s security bottle-neck has less to do with O&D traffic and more to do with an inefficient design and other problems listed in the column hyperlinked above.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

[post="282120"][/post]​

Let me sing you a song I loved to dance to......YOU SPIN ME RIGHT ROUND BABY RIGHT ROUND.

That "efficient" design was fine when US controlled PIT. Now it's "inefficient". Amazing.

And corl737 is correct. US starting killing themselves slowly in PIT. The other carriers are just reaping the benefits of it's slow death march.

 

[Dog Wonder]

"I believe the re-opening of the 11 gates on the "B" concourse is due to more US Airways Pittsburgh downsizing and gate consolidation."

And I believe when the kids move out of the house you need more bedrooms.

 

[ClueByFour]

I believe the re-opening of the 11 gates on the "B" concourse is due to more US Airways Pittsburgh downsizing and gate consolidation. The airport has relatively high passenger processing fess and some of the worst yields in the system. In comparison Charlotte has a passenger processing fee of about $1.50 per passenger and Pittsburgh is about $10 per passenger. Which airport do you believe is more profitable for US Airways?

[post="282125"][/post]​

CLT has less O&D than PIT does. The pax fee is a red herring--US tacks it into the ticket cost in any case.

What you did not mention in your post is that US still prices CLT in the "monopoly hub" manner--gouging the CLT O&D flyer in order to support the hub. While that may be good for US bottom line today, it's just a matter of time until the LCCs come to CLT like they have PIT and PHL. The "run and hide to a hub where we can gouge the locals" routine is a proven failure. And yes, CLT will build facilities and gates to accomodate LCCs (since if they don't, the federal money will dry up and then it's goodbye to the $1.50/pax fee).

US tried it with PIT. The local and state government refused to cave to 11th hour demands in bankruptcy, and it looks like the airport will thrive regardless (oh, and the cost to PIT travelers goes down while their numbers go up).

It's a micro example of the "run and hide" strategy, which has proven to be a failure, time after time. Next you will see US and HP move more capacity into the islands and Mexico, trying to run to more "profitable" flying. How long do you suppose it is before B6 and Airtran expand in these areas?

In any event, the fact remains that PIT's O&D is climbing and it happened when US pulled back. The monopoly hub does not work, has not worked in the past, and won't work in the future--but apparently US will continue to try to make a failing strategy work on the east coast. Perhaps the HP folks have a better grasp on strategy.

 

[RowUnderDCA]

You are entitled to that opinion.  However, it's worth noting that PIT is setting O&D records, and the checkpoint (which was expanded to it's current size shortly after the TSA took over) is only recently beginning to see these kinds of backups on a regular basis.  In fact, the news media coverage of both the O&D increase and the security line problems dovetail with the US pulldown in PIT.  (as a note, you read that prediction here first)

I realize that this goes against what CCY predicted (and you parroted) but it's a nice problem to have (for the airport).  The existing legacies, new-ish entrant LCCs (including, ironically enough, America West and certainly Southwest, given their earnings release which indicated traffic is outperforming their expectations at PIT and called for an expanded schedule) are doing what US never did--capture and grow the valuable O&D traffic--in fact, it's likely US "monopoly hub" strategy that squelched the O&D numbers prior to 2003. (you also read that prediction would happen here first)

Keep trying to spin it, though.  It's not like an increase in O&D traffic would cause both a need to expand the security checkpoint and reopening airside gates, would it?

[post="282123"][/post]​

I don't understand your point or your glee. I'm pretty sure that folks at U might have guessed that lower fares at PIT would stimulate traffic. At least I hope they did. Is there any evidence that U's share of O and D v hub traffic is increasing? Yes, there are fewer U flights, so I'd suppose that it's not possible for U's O and D to go up, but, it's mix of connecting v O and D is likely down.

Running a hub at PIT is what U didn't want to do anymore. So they stopped, big deal.

 

[USA320Pilot]

RowUnderDCA:

Your point about PIT is well taken and accurate. Anybody can stimulate O&D traffic if the fares are low enough. The question is can you make money. PIT has a good facility and the airport was designed to be a hub.

However, the airport is a money loser and the security checkpoint is a choke point because it has only 7 metal detectors.

Regards,

USA320Pilot