It's very clear that AA doesn't give a shit about PIT. Maybe lingering bad feelings? I'm hoping that tech keeps bouncing back and UA steps up to fill the void as they drastically grow the next few years. Even better would be for their P2P experiments to go well and for them to lean into that kind of thing a bit more. Maybe with some business destinations as that comes back.

As someone who begrudgingly aligned myself with them just because of their hubs/nonstops/global connections, I have to say they have really stepped up their game over the last few years. I started with them when they were at their absolute low point post-merger. And their fleet improvements are finally giving Delta a run for their money. So I'm interested to see where this goes over the next few years. Oscar and then Scott Kirby have done wonders for the company.

If Breeze can get to it's A220 phase successfully that could be another good shot for PIT. AA feels so overextended right now (nevermind even having the worst product), I'm fine with them passing us up. Just hope someone else steps into the space.

PITfall wrote:

https://blueskypit.com/2021/07/02/pit-cargo-adds-another-connection-to-asia/

40 flights, 2x weekly from Vietnam. That is the same exact footprint that Cathay was to pick up for Unique logistics so it makes me wonder if this is simply a new provider of that lift or if this is something additional. Either way pretty cool to see SpiceJet at PIT!

Here is a P-G article:
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/d ... 2107020146

flyPIT wrote:

It's amazing sometimes what airlines include in a press release. AA is upgauging one PIT-MIA flight (yet again) from E145 to E175 . Meanwhile at CLE they are adding one more frequency (mainline no less); that's on top of NK's new flight which will be an A321, and that's on top of WN also adding the route.


A/C has delayed YYZ-PIT until Aug now; it has already resumed YYZ-CMH.

CLE has had 400,000 more passengers through April 2021 than PIT so they will see more upgrades.

breeze began PIT this week and the first spicejet branded a340 landed https://twitter.com/PITairport/status/1 ... 48225?s=20

flyPIT wrote:

PITfall wrote:

https://blueskypit.com/2021/07/02/pit-cargo-adds-another-connection-to-asia/

40 flights, 2x weekly from Vietnam. That is the same exact footprint that Cathay was to pick up for Unique logistics so it makes me wonder if this is simply a new provider of that lift or if this is something additional. Either way pretty cool to see SpiceJet at PIT!

Here is a P-G article:
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/d ... 2107020146

This is in addition to, not a replacement for. Already at 4X per week . CX resumes the first week of August and there is talk of QR going to 3X per week. By September PIT could be seeing north of 10 widebody cargo flights per week.

More positive news for the Pittsburgh finance industry

https://www.post-gazette.com/business/p ... 2107130125

Here are the number of passengers, number of seats, and load factors for WN flights out of PIT in April 2021:
ATL-PIT - 7839 passengers, 9651 seats, 81.22% load factor
BNA-PIT - 13029 passengers, 15356 seats, 84.85% load factor
BWI-PIT - 15628 passengers, 19560 seats, 79.90% load factor
DEN-PIT - 11801 passengers, 15228 seats, 77.50% load factor
FLL-PIT - 8880 passengers, 10573 seats, 83.99% load factor
HOU-PIT - 2043 passengers, 2574 seats, 79.37% load factor
LAS-PIT - 8878 passengers, 9604 seats, 92.44% load factor
MCO-PIT - 18981 passengers, 21287 seats, 89.17% load factor
MDW-PIT - 13687 passengers, 17838 seats, 76.73% load factor
PHX-PIT - 8390 passengers, 9188 seats, 91.31% load factor
PIT-RSW - 15614 passengers, 18760 seats, 83.23% load factor
PIT-SRQ - 1091 passengers, 1144 seats, 95.37% load factor
PIT-TPA - 13169 passengers, 15450 seats, 85.24% load factor

Any intel on how Breeze has been doing at PIT relative to the rest of their network?

jplatts wrote:

PIT-SRQ - 1091 passengers, 1144 seats, 95.37% load factor

This was a great addition. I recently flew both Southwest and Allegiant on the route and both flights were more/less full.

SpiceXpress operated CGK-MAA-HEL-PIT on their last flight.... curious as to where they actually picked up cargo.

18-Jul-2021 A343 Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL / EFHK) Pittsburgh Intl (KPIT) 06:00PM EEST 07:38PM EDT 8:38
17-Jul-2021 A343 Chennai Int'l (MAA / VOMM) Helsinki-Vantaa (HEL / EFHK) 08:32PM IST 02:48AM EEST (+1) 8:46
17-Jul-2021 A343 Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta Int'l (CGK / WIII) Chennai Int'l (MAA / VOMM) 03:08PM WIB 06:07PM IST 4:29
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/HFM ... /EFHK/KPIT

Air Canada restarts Toronto-Pittsburgh with 7 weekly frequencies August 1.

Source https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2021-07-19-Air-Canada-Ready-to-Reconnect-Canada-and-U-S-Travel-With-Up-to-220-Daily-Flights-Between-the-Two-Countries

Just curious how they are going to do that if the border isn't opening until August 9.......or is that date only for driving over the border?

worldtraveler2 wrote:

Air Canada restarts Toronto-Pittsburgh with 7 weekly frequencies August 1.

Source https://aircanada.mediaroom.com/2021-07-19-Air-Canada-Ready-to-Reconnect-Canada-and-U-S-Travel-With-Up-to-220-Daily-Flights-Between-the-Two-Countries

It seems aimed more at vaccinated Americans coming to Canada as well as transiting onto their TATL routes. I'm guessing they are shooting to capture as much of the end of summer leisure pie as they can scrape up last minute.

I did some price checks and AC international routings are coming up as the cheapest right now.

"American Airlines signs new long-term lease for aircraft maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport"
https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ ... e-pit.html

Great news for the airport and region.



According to the article JST seems to be doing OK with their switch to Skywest CRJ service to ORD and IAD.
https://news.yahoo.com/johnstown-jet-so ... 00262.html
In reality though, 15-30 passengers during the weekday flights is weak.



Breeze is cutting flights on both of their unsubsidized PIT routes in half.

Delta will be operating all A321s to ATL later in the year, then offering all 757 service on the route.

flyPIT wrote:

"American Airlines signs new long-term lease for aircraft maintenance base at Pittsburgh International Airport"
https://www.bizjournals.com/pittsburgh/ ... e-pit.html

Great news for the airport and region.



According to the article JST seems to be doing OK with their switch to Skywest CRJ service to ORD and IAD.
https://news.yahoo.com/johnstown-jet-so ... 00262.html
In reality though, 15-30 passengers during the weekday flights is weak.



Breeze is cutting flights on both of their unsubsidized PIT routes in half.

Delta will be operating all A321s to ATL later in the year, then offering all 757 service on the route.

The 757s are placeholders till they finalize the schedule.

May comparisons:

Unemployment rates:
Pittsburgh 5.8%
Cleveland 5.1%
Columbus 4.7%
Cincinnati 4.3%
Indianapolis 4.3%

May Airport stats:
CLE 623,305
IND 620,997
PIT 551,046
CVG 547,389
CMH 492,089

May airport comparisons:
CLE 13.1% busier
IND 12.7% busier

As we can see from last month's comparisons (reply #327) the Pittsburgh region's unemployment rate - while still unacceptably high - has decreased the gap with each peer city as the state's draconian COVID restrictions were coming to an end and more folks have come off the excessive government dole. So looking at the airport numbers... low and behold PIT has regained some of its relative strength, and overtook CVG by a slight margin as well. What a concept! A direct correlation between the local economy and people traveling, as I've been saying for months now. No conspiracy, no local over-reliance on the tech sector, etc. It's not rocket surgery; just simple data confirming what has been happening.

As far as why the Pittsburgh region's economy has suffered so much more than similar cities during COVID, it has even now been reported by the left leaning Post-Gazette that the State's excessive COVID restrictions were a prime issue. Again as I've said many times.

"Southwestern Pennsylvania experienced a decline in the labor force that outpaced the rest of the nation, according to a report released Monday from the Pennsylvania Economy League of Greater Pittsburgh, an affiliate of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development........

...Ms. Riegel said additional COVID-19 restrictions in Pittsburgh also resulted in an increased impact on the labor force.......

.....Jim Futrell, vice president of market research and analysis at the Allegheny Conference, said the gap in local and national rates is because the region experienced a sharper drop in employment and has been recovering more slowly.

“This is a combination of stricter operational restrictions at various points in the pandemic combined with the slower population growth in the region,” Mr. Futrell said."
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/c ... 2106140101



"There’s no question that the Pittsburgh area economy took a harder hit from the pandemic than the U.S. economy as a whole. (I’m referring to the Pittsburgh metropolitan statistical area as defined by the Census Bureau: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Washington and Westmoreland counties.)

Between February 2020, before the pandemic’s economic impact, and April 2020, when job losses were at their worst, employment fell in the Pittsburgh area by 19%, while it was down 15% nationally. This wasn’t due primarily to Pittsburgh’s economic structure — the share of local employment in industries most exposed to the pandemic, like travel and tourism, was actually slightly below the pre-pandemic national average. Instead, restrictions on economic activity were tighter in Pennsylvania than they were in many other parts of the country, and it could also be that Pittsburgh-area residents were more cautious about venturing out.

This is not to say that the commonwealth’s actions were too much or too little — that’s not my call to make. But it is true that those actions did lead to larger-than-average local job losses."
https://www.post-gazette.com/business/c ... 2107180054

I am glad the restrictions have more/less come to an end. We traveled a lot domestically and internationally during the pandemic and it was great. Especially having a little one with you. Empty airports, short security lines, empty flights... Not to mention going to normally packed destinations and finding entirely empty beaches, restaurants, etc. We made our first trip for 2021 a little while ago it and was just like the old times sadly. Packed flights, tons of people everywhere. While I am glad life is returning to normal, it is also sad that we will never experience the intimate and private travel experience we had in 2020.

On a side note, it is comical how airlines deal with the "mask" policy. Southwest made a very long speech pre-flight about the importance of mask wearing, and even pointed out that you must leave your mask on while ordering a beverage. You can either shout your order, point to the item on a card, or use your fingers to reference what number.... However, once said drink/snack is in your hand, feel free to leave your mask off for however long you'd like. The illogical thought process behind masking is so dumb.... Whether in restaurants or on a plane... Why wear them to begin with? Imagine being a real Virologist and working in a lab with coronaviruses each day (remember, they don't wear paper masks, but entire body suits and respirators), and half way through their experiment, they stop and take off said body suit to eat and drink and talk with colleagues, then put them back on to complete their experiment...

I heard an Allegiant FA mention the mask policy would go away mid September. Is there any truth to this?

USAir707 wrote:

I heard an Allegiant FA mention the mask policy would go away mid September. Is there any truth to this?

That is when it currently is scheduled to end. That could change.

June numbers are now out as well. Total passengers were 624,366, up 219%.
Cargo registered an impressive 31.3% increase and mail an even more impressive 42.5% increase.
https://flypittsburgh.com/wp-content/up ... Report.pdf

flyPIT wrote:

June numbers are now out as well. Total passengers were 624,366, up 219%.
Cargo registered an impressive 31.3% increase and mail an even more impressive 42.5% increase.
https://flypittsburgh.com/wp-content/up ... Report.pdf

It is frustrating that the passenger results do not compare vs 2019.

On another note, Waymo is opening an office in Pittsburgh, adding to the self driving car companies in the city.

Starting small with 20 employees, a small win, but small wins add up.

https://www.post-gazette.com/business/t ... 2107210134

Breeze suspends ORF until next week and drops ORF CHS to 2 weekly https://twitter.com/thepointsguy/status ... 57987?s=20

Still utterly perplexed by the complete lack of advertising by Breeze as well as the ACAA hardly promoting MX's destinations. They used to be on top of these things a few years ago.

PITfall wrote:

flyPIT wrote:

June numbers are now out as well. Total passengers were 624,366, up 219%.
Cargo registered an impressive 31.3% increase and mail an even more impressive 42.5% increase.
https://flypittsburgh.com/wp-content/up ... Report.pdf

It is frustrating that the passenger results do not compare vs 2019.

On another note, Waymo is opening an office in Pittsburgh, adding to the self driving car companies in the city.

Starting small with 20 employees, a small win, but small wins add up.

https://www.post-gazette.com/business/t ... 2107210134

I wouldn't expect the passenger numbers to match 2019 at this point; the frustrating issue is PIT lost so much ground relative to other cities and that in turn is a barometer of the region's health.

PITFlyer330 wrote:

Breeze suspends ORF until next week and drops ORF CHS to 2 weekly https://twitter.com/thepointsguy/status ... 57987?s=20

Wished that they started service to other cities that aren’t served by other carriers with a established market brand

I do not know if it has been mentioned or not previously but Amazon is adding a daily flight from LAL to PIT starting August 5th. That means Amazon will have two daily cargo flights at PIT (AFW and LAL).

flyPIT wrote:

Still utterly perplexed by the complete lack of advertising by Breeze as well as the ACAA hardly promoting MX's destinations. They used to be on top of these things a few years ago.

I absolutely agree. I have not seen a single advertisement, billboard, or commercial about Breeze. Heck, I read this forum daily as well as all local papers/news stations and never saw a single thing mentioned about Breeze. How are people supposed to book something they don't even know exists?

AaronPGH wrote:

We really need a legacy carrier on LAX with a first-class cabin, not a second ULCC. It's a complaint that comes up regularly in press interviews with film producers working on projects in PGH.

I think the airport authority should figure out how to set up some sort of corporate backed travel bank for PIT-LAX. Get all of the key players together, guarantee that all the first class seats will go out full, and a guaranteed amount down the back and it should not be too terribly hard to entice one of DL/UA/AA/AS onto the route. I don't think that fixing the PIT-LAX service problems are neurosurgery. We're probably not even talking about needing that much money anyways.

Nice to see them land WN on PIT-AUS. That was getting to be a glaring omission as well. Hopefully it sticks.

GSP psgr wrote:

AaronPGH wrote:

We really need a legacy carrier on LAX with a first-class cabin, not a second ULCC. It's a complaint that comes up regularly in press interviews with film producers working on projects in PGH.

I think the airport authority should figure out how to set up some sort of corporate backed travel bank for PIT-LAX. Get all of the key players together, guarantee that all the first class seats will go out full, and a guaranteed amount down the back and it should not be too terribly hard to entice one of DL/UA/AA/AS onto the route. I don't think that fixing the PIT-LAX service problems are neurosurgery. We're probably not even talking about needing that much money anyways.

Nice to see them land WN on PIT-AUS. That was getting to be a glaring omission as well. Hopefully it sticks.

As an outsider is has always perplexed me on how well PIT can land Europe flights but not west coast. Seems backwards.

Jshank83 wrote:

GSP psgr wrote:

AaronPGH wrote:

We really need a legacy carrier on LAX with a first-class cabin, not a second ULCC. It's a complaint that comes up regularly in press interviews with film producers working on projects in PGH.

I think the airport authority should figure out how to set up some sort of corporate backed travel bank for PIT-LAX. Get all of the key players together, guarantee that all the first class seats will go out full, and a guaranteed amount down the back and it should not be too terribly hard to entice one of DL/UA/AA/AS onto the route. I don't think that fixing the PIT-LAX service problems are neurosurgery. We're probably not even talking about needing that much money anyways.

Nice to see them land WN on PIT-AUS. That was getting to be a glaring omission as well. Hopefully it sticks.

As an outsider is has always perplexed me on how well PIT can land Europe flights but not west coast. Seems backwards.

Don't worry. It perplexes those of us with local ties as well.

GSP psgr wrote:

Nice to see them land WN on PIT-AUS. That was getting to be a glaring omission as well. Hopefully it sticks.

It still is a glaring omission and I would hardly consider PIT-AUS an added route. It is not a full time route. It is not a seasonal route. WN "adding" PIT-AUS is akin to an airline adding a few flights for an event, such as the Superbowl or the CES in Las Vegas. In this case the event is Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

So with WN having literally no more than a handful of scheduled flights and G4 serving the route 2x weekly for only 2 1/2 months technically it is not an unserved route but as far as I am concerned and practicality is concerned it is an unserved route and remains one of the largest holes in our network.

USAir707 wrote:

flyPIT wrote:

Still utterly perplexed by the complete lack of advertising by Breeze as well as the ACAA hardly promoting MX's destinations. They used to be on top of these things a few years ago.

I absolutely agree. I have not seen a single advertisement, billboard, or commercial about Breeze. Heck, I read this forum daily as well as all local papers/news stations and never saw a single thing mentioned about Breeze. How are people supposed to book something they don't even know exists?

Could be that they are being smart / cautious. Reading the Breeze thread, lots of complaints, lots of ongoing schedule readjustments; seems like they are still very much in a startup and shakedown phase. Maybe they decided to not spend on marketing here, just take what falls off the tree, and focus the money on getting the operation running more smoothly in the larger markets first.

Having said that, I do have to agree that it seems odd to hear nothing at all, not even a billboard somewhere.

PITingres wrote:

USAir707 wrote:

flyPIT wrote:

Still utterly perplexed by the complete lack of advertising by Breeze as well as the ACAA hardly promoting MX's destinations. They used to be on top of these things a few years ago.

I absolutely agree. I have not seen a single advertisement, billboard, or commercial about Breeze. Heck, I read this forum daily as well as all local papers/news stations and never saw a single thing mentioned about Breeze. How are people supposed to book something they don't even know exists?

Could be that they are being smart / cautious. Reading the Breeze thread, lots of complaints, lots of ongoing schedule readjustments; seems like they are still very much in a startup and shakedown phase. Maybe they decided to not spend on marketing here, just take what falls off the tree, and focus the money on getting the operation running more smoothly in the larger markets first.

Having said that, I do have to agree that it seems odd to hear nothing at all, not even a billboard somewhere.

Breeze is not spending on marketing at all. Any marketing seen has been provided for by the airports. Advertising is mostly driven by social media as well as online searches such as google flights.

flyPIT wrote:

GSP psgr wrote:

Nice to see them land WN on PIT-AUS. That was getting to be a glaring omission as well. Hopefully it sticks.

It still is a glaring omission and I would hardly consider PIT-AUS an added route. It is not a full time route. It is not a seasonal route. WN "adding" PIT-AUS is akin to an airline adding a few flights for an event, such as the Superbowl or the CES in Las Vegas. In this case the event is Thanksgiving and then Christmas.

So with WN having literally no more than a handful of scheduled flights and G4 serving the route 2x weekly for only 2 1/2 months technically it is not an unserved route but as far as I am concerned and practicality is concerned it is an unserved route and remains one of the largest holes in our network.

You are so demanding!

But seriously, it's a start. If the demand is there, I'm sure we could see more frequencies being added or a longer run. WN has been experimenting quite a bit lately, starting routes as weekend only, and then expanding from there.

flightsimer wrote:

Breeze is not spending on marketing at all. Any marketing seen has been provided for by the airports. Advertising is mostly driven by social media as well as online searches such as google flights.

I've been regularly getting a pop-up advertising Breeze on Crain's Cleveland Business; but, as you say, it may have been sponsored by Akron/Canton Airport. not Breeze

dabpit wrote:

I do not know if it has been mentioned or not previously but Amazon is adding a daily flight from LAL to PIT starting August 5th. That means Amazon will have two daily cargo flights at PIT (AFW and LAL).

Any word on who will be providing the lift?

BangersAndMash wrote:

You are so demanding!

But seriously, it's a start. If the demand is there, I'm sure we could see more frequencies being added or a longer run. WN has been experimenting quite a bit lately, starting routes as weekend only, and then expanding from there.

Well I'm not gonna argue that! It is just frustrating to see this region and therefore its airport not reach its full potential due to artificial barriers put in place by the elected idiots while other regions thrive. And you are right, the WN flights to AUS and MIA will grow over time. Or... they will disappear like PBI, MSY, and LAX did. PIT and WN have a checkered past in this regard.

Greetings from your northwest up in Youngstown. Local studies/surveys have shown with YNG’s lack of pax service and the relative close proximity to the southern Youngstown suburbs to PIT, our area contributes a healthy number of passengers to PIT’s numbers each year. In fact the %’s I can recall had PIT outpacing CLE and CAK combined almost two to one. My question is does anyone have access to the databases the airlines and airports have to quantify what that amount may in fact be?

Some good news from the Ohio thread I thought was worthwhile republishing here.

AS seems to achieve stronger pricing to SEA in PIT than other Midwestern markets. Bodes well for a second daily.

a320flyer wrote:

One-way Lowest Fares:
CVG-SEA: $109 (2x DL/AS)
IND-SEA: $139 (1x AS)
STL-SEA: $139 (3x AS/WN)
CMH-SEA: $149 (1x AS)
RDU-SEA: $149 (3x AS/DL)
MKE-SEA: $159 (1x AS)
PIT-SEA: $199 (1x AS)

flyPIT wrote:

dabpit wrote:

I do not know if it has been mentioned or not previously but Amazon is adding a daily flight from LAL to PIT starting August 5th. That means Amazon will have two daily cargo flights at PIT (AFW and LAL).

Any word on who will be providing the lift?

Most likely Sun County with their 737F.

One person's take on the Breeze schedule reductions.
https://onemileatatime.com/news/breeze- ... le-change/

Contour is starting PIT-IND/MKE in October.

https://www.wpxi.com/news/business/pittsburgh-international-airport-lands-new-nonstop-service-routes-contour-airlines/XVSWYMSENNACNAG55ACXOR2U4Y/

Delta28L wrote:

flyPIT wrote:

dabpit wrote:

I do not know if it has been mentioned or not previously but Amazon is adding a daily flight from LAL to PIT starting August 5th. That means Amazon will have two daily cargo flights at PIT (AFW and LAL).

Any word on who will be providing the lift?

Most likely Sun County with their 737F.

I'd take it as whomever operates the existing service. If memory serves me correct I think it is Sun Country.

Anyone know the story behind the Hi Fly Malta charters? Vaccine shipments maybe?

psumd80 wrote:

Anyone know the story behind the Hi Fly Malta charters? Vaccine shipments maybe?

They are operating for SpiceXpress of India carrying clothing from Vietnam via various tech stops. I never did read who the shipper was but I assume Unique Logistics, the same company behind the Qatar Airways flights.

Cathay Pacific Cargo is resuming PIT today, 2x weekly on M and F. I believe these are also the same days QR comes in:
https://pennsylvanianewstoday.com/catha ... te/200131/

To summarize PIT's current int'l cargo offering:

Qatar Airways from Singapore (SIN) with tech stops at NGO
Cathay Pacific from Hanoi (HAN) with tech stops at HKG
SpiceXpress from Ho Chi Minh (SGN) with various tech stops (KIX, NRT, ANC have been used)

flyPIT wrote:

Cathay Pacific Cargo is resuming PIT today, 2x weekly on M and F. I believe these are also the same days QR comes in:
https://pennsylvanianewstoday.com/catha ... te/200131/

To summarize PIT's current int'l cargo offering:

Qatar Airways from Singapore (SIN) with tech stops at NGO
Cathay Pacific from Hanoi (HAN) with tech stops at HKG
SpiceXpress from Ho Chi Minh (SGN) with various tech stops (KIX, NRT, ANC have been used)

very good seeing all these unique flights lets hope for more!

Cathay HiFly and Qatar were on the ground this afternoon at the same time

BangersAndMash wrote:

Some good news from the Ohio thread I thought was worthwhile republishing here.

AS seems to achieve stronger pricing to SEA in PIT than other Midwestern markets. Bodes well for a second daily.

a320flyer wrote:

One-way Lowest Fares:
CVG-SEA: $109 (2x DL/AS)
IND-SEA: $139 (1x AS)
STL-SEA: $139 (3x AS/WN)
CMH-SEA: $149 (1x AS)
RDU-SEA: $149 (3x AS/DL)
MKE-SEA: $159 (1x AS)
PIT-SEA: $199 (1x AS)

Whoever made this table didn't seem to search very thoroughly

Lowest fares on PIT-SEA are actually $149 one-way (the CMH-SEA number is right, but RDU-SEA has fares from as low as $109 -- likely due to DL competition). PIT-SEA route is reduced to 6x weekly starting in September.

Speaking of SpiceXpress, they operated another CGK-MAA-HEL-PIT.

Makes me wonder if Jakarta is another origin for PIT bound cargo?

There is a Euro Atlantic Airways B772 flight from ICN, arriving today at noon. Anyone have any details about this flight? Cargo I assume.