More Airline Cuts Ahead ? (Post Gazette 9/13)
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songbirdstew
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- Sep 10, 2003
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Airport officials look across the ocean
By Thomas Olson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Allegheny County officials are talking to three international carriers, including Virgin America, about starting nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and Europe, said Pittsburgh International Airport's chief on Wednesday.
Kent George, executive director of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said he and other county officials plan to pitch Pittsburgh to international airlines at an industry conference next month in Stockholm. It is hosting the 13th World Route Development Forum Sept. 23 to 25, in which airport officials worldwide compete to lure airlines to begin or expand service to their cities.
"This is a very difficult task," because it's not easy to demonstrate there's sufficient Pittsburgh demand to fill international flights year-round, George said. He declined to name the other two airlines to which he's talking.
Virgin America began operating Aug. 8, with San Francisco service to Los Angeles and New York. It plans to expand to Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., by early October.
Pittsburgh has been without nonstop service to Europe since November 2004, when US Airways ended nonstop flights to Frankfurt and London. But there's new impetus for restoring European service: The recently negotiated "open skies" treaty between Washington and the European Union will allow more flying across the Atlantic beginning in March.
The Pittsburgh market already has benefited from the domestic low-fare airlines that local officials have lured here since 2000, said a study released yesterday. In the past six years, Pittsburgh International's addition of discount carriers lowered average fares by 27 percent and brought jobs to the airport and tourism to the region.
Low-fare airlines such as Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran employ 429 people and contributed to the creation of another 189 jobs, according to the study by Wilbur Smith Associates, Cincinnati.
The study estimates that leisure travelers in the Pittsburgh area saved $64.4 million in air fare last year through discounter alternatives to major airlines. Local business travelers saved an estimated $109.8 million.
The study also found that low-fare carriers brought 110,600 visitors to Pittsburgh last year who spent about $43.3 million in this region.
"But we have to support those carriers," said George during a news conference. He noted that two discount carriers -- Vanguard and Independence Air -- entered then pulled out of Pittsburgh in recent years.
The airport authority hired Wilbur Smith Associates to analyze the economic impact of low-fare service here in June, one year since the arrival of JetBlue, the latest discounter to begin service. The authority has endeavored to lure discounters here since 2002, when US Airways filed for bankruptcy and began converting Pittsburgh from a hub operation with more than 500 daily flights to a base with 125.
US Airways' share of Pittsburgh flights has plunged to 51.5 percent from 86.8 percent in 2006, said the study. At the same time, discount carrier's share has jumped from 1.7 percent to 17.5 percent.
Separately, George said he has not formally accepted a similar position with the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood (Florida) International Airport. George, who has headed the airport authority for nine years, said the Florida contract has not been finalized but that he expects to make a decision next week.
Thomas Olson can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7854.
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By Thomas Olson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Allegheny County officials are talking to three international carriers, including Virgin America, about starting nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and Europe, said Pittsburgh International Airport's chief on Wednesday.
Kent George, executive director of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said he and other county officials plan to pitch Pittsburgh to international airlines at an industry conference next month in Stockholm. It is hosting the 13th World Route Development Forum Sept. 23 to 25, in which airport officials worldwide compete to lure airlines to begin or expand service to their cities.
"This is a very difficult task," because it's not easy to demonstrate there's sufficient Pittsburgh demand to fill international flights year-round, George said. He declined to name the other two airlines to which he's talking.
Virgin America began operating Aug. 8, with San Francisco service to Los Angeles and New York. It plans to expand to Las Vegas and Washington, D.C., by early October.
Pittsburgh has been without nonstop service to Europe since November 2004, when US Airways ended nonstop flights to Frankfurt and London. But there's new impetus for restoring European service: The recently negotiated "open skies" treaty between Washington and the European Union will allow more flying across the Atlantic beginning in March.
The Pittsburgh market already has benefited from the domestic low-fare airlines that local officials have lured here since 2000, said a study released yesterday. In the past six years, Pittsburgh International's addition of discount carriers lowered average fares by 27 percent and brought jobs to the airport and tourism to the region.
Low-fare airlines such as Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran employ 429 people and contributed to the creation of another 189 jobs, according to the study by Wilbur Smith Associates, Cincinnati.
The study estimates that leisure travelers in the Pittsburgh area saved $64.4 million in air fare last year through discounter alternatives to major airlines. Local business travelers saved an estimated $109.8 million.
The study also found that low-fare carriers brought 110,600 visitors to Pittsburgh last year who spent about $43.3 million in this region.
"But we have to support those carriers," said George during a news conference. He noted that two discount carriers -- Vanguard and Independence Air -- entered then pulled out of Pittsburgh in recent years.
The airport authority hired Wilbur Smith Associates to analyze the economic impact of low-fare service here in June, one year since the arrival of JetBlue, the latest discounter to begin service. The authority has endeavored to lure discounters here since 2002, when US Airways filed for bankruptcy and began converting Pittsburgh from a hub operation with more than 500 daily flights to a base with 125.
US Airways' share of Pittsburgh flights has plunged to 51.5 percent from 86.8 percent in 2006, said the study. At the same time, discount carrier's share has jumped from 1.7 percent to 17.5 percent.
Separately, George said he has not formally accepted a similar position with the Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood (Florida) International Airport. George, who has headed the airport authority for nine years, said the Florida contract has not been finalized but that he expects to make a decision next week.
Thomas Olson can be reached at [email protected] or (412) 320-7854.
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AstroLounge
Veteran
- Oct 10, 2005
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Very well stated. Tempe has shown they have no regard for VALUED Customers, and they have no idea in cultivating the business clientele and/or keeping them.
Don't confuse with logic, please. PIT can most certainly sustain a major hub. USAirways' pull out is strictly personal and political.
:mf_boff:
The Passenger Service Group for mainline has one contract for the whole operation we can transfer any were we want were there is a opening with DOH…….That is hilarious! And for whoever commented on coming to the West to take our jobs?? There is something called seperate contracts, and a "no flush" out system in place. Not going to happen. If anyone is lucky, it will be PSA seniorita's moving into PHX, and we are ready. IF they keep our trip pairings as bad as they have been, your commute to do International will still look way better!
The company loves to whipsaw the two union groups. The unions are sensitive to keeping jobs and the company loves cheap express labor. This is the problem with express being union the work goes to express and the unions are happy
Whatnow?
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- Nov 4, 2003
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Coffee_Tea_Or_Me
Senior
I thought I read somewhere that they were interested in serving resort destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, but I could be mistaken. In that sense, they would be an international carrier, but certainly not what PIT officials have in mind. I don't mean to sound rude or sarcastic, but I would think the chances of PIT getting any European service are slim to none. I cannot imagine the O&D would be there to support it. It worked well and had good loads when US had the major hub there -- a lot of connections.
Whatnow?
Veteran
- Nov 4, 2003
- 862
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I know that Allegheny County officials have tried this before, none of the Int'l carriers were interested in the past, not sure what has changed to make a difference. Although stranger things have happened! :blink:
