Swa-pittsburgh

[KCFlyer]

Here's what's fixing to happen at PIT: All of the Legacy carriers will eventually pull out of there because of the increased LCC entrants like SWA, they simply won't be able to compete with that many LCC's in the market, especially because they don't have much market share even now. The local economy has already suffered and will continue to suffer as long as US continues to cutback there......that is the unfortunate part of this whole thing! Why couldn't the city help out a struggling carrier that employed at one point up to 12,000 employees who contributed to the local economy base and the Airline who contributed vastly to the local economy? Be careful of what you ask for! B)

Can I ask you what the difference is (save for the 14 or so seats that comprise the first class cabin) between a LCC and a "legacy" carrier? If the populace is offered several flights that are non-stop, or offer a connection thru a less busy airport, what are they losing if legacy carriers pull out. One thing I've noticed about Southwest is that they are pretty proactive when it comes to demand for travel out of a given city. When AA pulled out of the MCI-STL market, SWA didn't cut back flights and raise fares...they pretty much maintained hourly flights between the two cities.

But Kansas City is a perfect example of how wrong your line of thinking is. Southwest is the largest carrier out of our city, but we also have service from American, United, USAirways, Northwest, Delta, Continental, Midwest Express, Airtran, America West, Frontier and Air Canada. If what you say is correct, legacy airlines in a "small" market would pull up stakes, yet that hasn't happened in Kansas City. Yes...along with the LCC of Southwest, we also have the "other" LCC's - Frontier, America West, and Airtran - serving our city. But every "legacy" airline also has a presence here. We also happen to have a maintenance base for American (used to be TWA's) up here. So while there were some job losses after AA bought TWA, there is still a maintenance presence here (albeit for how long nobody really knows).

 

[mweiss]

The city of Pittsburgh has been whining for years and years to get SWA to fly out of their Airport.

OK, so if I understand you correctly, you're saying that the breaks you want US to get that WN is getting is to start badmouthing WN and whine about keeping US. Um...OK.

Or were there other breaks that WN got? List them here; we'd all love to know about them.

Here's what's fixing to happen at PIT: (blah, blah, blah)

[post="244345"][/post]​

The classic Internet board tactic of changing the subject when you've been proven wrong. <_<

 

[Twicebaked]

One of many things that is great about Pittsburgh is that ANY gate is a good gate. The airport is a great set-up. So, don't get too excited SWA employees. You haven't thrown a punch at us just yet.

 

[ClueByFour]

To the best of my knowledge Allegheny County et al is not providing any sort of incentives to Southwest Airlines Co for inaugurating service to their fair city...ither than a shot at some pretty good gate and counter space.

[post="244305"][/post]​

That has been confirmed by both Southwest and the ACAA. No financial incentives.

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05006/437919.stm

http://pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review...l/s_290273.html

As for the gates, they are comitting to 18 year leases. They should get whichever gates they want.

 

[wnbubbleboy]

Here's what's fixing to happen at PIT: All of the Legacy carriers will eventually pull out of there because of the increased LCC entrants like SWA, they simply won't be able to compete with that many LCC's in the market, especially because they don't have much market share even now. The local economy has already suffered and will continue to suffer as long as US continues to cutback there......that is the unfortunate part of this whole thing! Why couldn't the city help out a struggling carrier that employed at one point up to 12,000 employees who contributed to the local economy base and the Airline who contributed vastly to the local economy? Be careful of what you ask for! B)

[post="244345"][/post]​

[/quote]

U has held that carrot of 12,000 jobs over the city for long enough. Change is hard tor the ones who lose their jobs. Life goes on though. It's not the city or county's fault those bas***ds in Crystal city can't figure out how to mangage an airline. The county's responsiblity is to the million plus in the regoinal area for jet service to the rest of the country. After all they pay taxes too. Getting Southwest to fly in to PIT is a real credit to Onaroto(sp?) the county exec. STOP with careful what you ask for BS. They got a new hometown airline. Live with it.

 

[pitflyer]

In the PG they mentioned that Southwest CEO would be in PIT on February 17th to announce the initial flights and destinations.

 

[trvlr64]

Excuse me?

To the best of my knowledge Allegheny County et al is not providing any sort of incentives to Southwest Airlines Co for inaugurating service to their fair city...ither than a shot at some pretty good gate and counter space.

If you want to talk about greed....and if you are associated with USAirways Group and/or its management I don't think you want to go down that road.......let's talk about an airline that has a hub airport constructed by the taxpayers to their rather exacting specifications and then they reject all of the leases during a bankruptcy brought about by their own mismanagement.

Here's what is fixing to happen: Southwest is going to go into Pittsburgh.`O&D Traffic is going to look a lot better a year from now. Southwest will add flights quickly but prudently and in 3 yrs or so, you will have a station about the size of Nashville....maybe bigger.
Sounding a little defensive there. The city of Pittsburgh has been whining for years and years to get SWA to fly out of their Airport. They have publically denounced USAirways for as long as I can remember, even the Mayor of Pittsburgh a couple of years back was quoted on the local Pittsburgh news stating that he drives over 2 hors to Cleveland to fly SWA instead of flying out of Pittsburgh on USAirways. SWA for years has said they had no intention of flying into PIT, but now they see it as to go after the WEAK Airline.

Here's what's fixing to happen at PIT: All of the Legacy carriers will eventually pull out of there because of the increased LCC entrants like SWA, they simply won't be able to compete with that many LCC's in the market, especially because they don't have much market share even now. The local economy has already suffered and will continue to suffer as long as US continues to cutback there......that is the unfortunate part of this whole thing! Why couldn't the city help out a struggling carrier that employed at one point up to 12,000 employees who contributed to the local economy base and the Airline who contributed vastly to the local economy? Be careful of what you ask for! B)

[post="244345"][/post]​

As a PIT resident, the reason the mayor flew SWA was because US has taken advantage of the customers of PIT for too long with outrageously high fares. I've been flying US "weekly" for 8 years. You have no idea how much money has been spent on flying US by my company and myself.

As for the city of PIT not helping US. They gave US every advantage to stay in PIT. It was the decision of US management to reduce itself here. PIT tried to keep US but US didn't want PIT. And that came from someone I know who works for US. US's focus is purely on PHL and the caribbean now.

I won't be surprised to see SWA in CLT by next year.


Good luck to SWA in PIT. You don't fly to where I need to go most of the time but I'll give you a flight or 2 when I"m going to work in 1 of your cities.