Things are really starting to look grim at PIT...The airmall can no longer be accessed by non-ticketed passengers, which is causing a huge loss in revenue and US Airways is in severe danger of bankruptcy. If US Airways does shutdown, what do you think will happen at PIT? You will have a huge major airport basically bare. Would you expect another airline to eventually move in and establish a hub there? I would certainly hope so, because with US Airways, PIT has about as much service from other airlines as a city like DSM or COS has.

Any thoughts?

AirTran??

Everyone is wondering the same thing here in Charlotte. It's just a waiting game right now.

How many Pittsburghers actually went all the way to the airport, rode out on the subway, and shopped at the mall there when there are larger malls downtown?

Wasn't this mall really just for the connecting passengers?

Oh yes, I forgot about CLT. You guys are definetely in same boat.

 

Actually, when I lived in Pittsburgh, quite a few people shopped the airmall. Probably because there were a lot of novelty shops that did not have regular stores in the metro. There was an article in the Pittsburgh paper recently that talked about this very issue. I think there is still hope for the airmall though, as soon as airports get off the level 4 security measures, we will probably be able to get past checkpoints then (at least that is what the FAA guidelines say), but I have a feeling those security "levels" will probably be re-written.

How many Pittsburghers actually went all the way to the airport, rode out on the subway, and shopped at the mall there when there are larger malls downtown?

Yeah, with the Robinson Towne Center close by I don't see much rationale in people going just a bit further to the airport, paying for parking and then heading out to the AirMall admist the throng of travellers, to do their shopping.

Perhaps the loss in revenue has more to do with the ground stop and later the reduced schedules. Even if USAirways went belly-up, I think Pittsburgh offers a big enough market for other players to operate a significant schedule out of here.

Further the airport is one of the best in the country in terms of organization and aesthetics and would be a useful semi-hub for an airline consolidating on the Northeast. I don't think PIT will just wither and die.

If USAirways were to wither away, other carriers would ramp up operations. Maybe not necessarily a hub right off the bat, but significantly for departures to hub cities and bigger aircraft. PIT has a good amount of traffic that originates/terminates there and those people are still going to need to get to other places. Right now USAirways is just so dominate, that other carriers don't need more capacity.

When I moved to Charlotte from Raleigh about a month ago, RDU was at an all time high for traffic and passengers. I feel sorry for that area because it has already lost Midway which offered the most service from there. I doubt the same level of service there will return for a long time since all airlines are in trouble right now. The airport is already reporting a catastrophic reduction of passengers. It's got to be a nasty blow to American also which owned all of the gates it leased out to Midway(something like 23 gates). It's not like they will be leasing them out any time soon, or using them for themselves. I am just wondering if RDU is setting an example of what's to come all over the country. I hope not, but for some areas it's begining to look that way

When are the airlines going to release their new flight schedules? I am traveling Oct. 3rd and I would like to know if I have to change my flights or not. Right now its kind of a guessing game as to which flights are running on a daily basis.

Why not put security checkpoints in each of the four "arms" of the Airside? It would make connections go thru again if the connecting gate were in a different concourse, but it would allow shoppers and families of travelers to hit the stores...

I doubt that the security checkpoints in each arm would ever be put in because that would be a major inconvenience to all connecting traffic. Imagine having 15 minutes to go from the end of the A concource to the B concource and now security is thrown in. I have never been to MCI, but I think something similar is in effect there and everyone complains about it who must connect through there.

As for the airmall, I go there a few times a year to shop and eat just for the fun of it. A few more times to meet and eat with family and friends who are departing or arriving. However, I am now restricted to ONLY going there the handfull of times that I actually get on an airplane. I think that the shops will lose AT LEAST 1/4 of there revenue because of this, but I personally think it will be a much higher amount than that. I hope this new setup is not permanent because it will have very bad effects on the AIRMALL.

If US Airways moves out, I think it will be very desolate at the airport for at least a while. However, someone would have to take over this state of the art uncongested terminal. Plus its location is almost ideal for all connecting airtraffic in the East Coast. Of course AirTran would be a possibilty to take over. Maybe if Continental gets too ticked off at CLE they might move down south to the awesome PIT terminal. I also for some reason see American as a prospect for moving into PIT because of their lack of a really strong and convenient east coast connecting hub. One thing is for certain, this state of the art terminal will not be let go to waste.

pgh234

US Airways is not out of the picture yet.

If the worst was to happen (and only speculation about future), I do not see another carrier using PIT as a hub, if you can not fill your seats with a 20% reduction in scheduled flying then why a new hub?

The best thing individuals can do right now, take a business trip, visit friends and family via your favorite airline. Buy an airline ticket. Please Fly!

I wouldn't count AirTran for ramping up PIT ops if US Airways goes under. AirTran like the rest of the industry is in the same boat. And they're one of the airlines several analysts have put on an 'endangered list'.

All of my assumptions are of course for when the economy improves, in which in undoubtedly and eventually will. Airlines will once again in the future be successful and need hubs to grow in.

pgh234