US Airways plans deep flight cuts at airport

Financially struggling US Airways said Tuesday that it will eliminate a third of its daily flights -- its most unprofitable routes -- at Pittsburgh International Airport by November as part of a cost-cutting plan that will end hub operations here.

US Airways had signaled that it would begin reducing service beginning in the fall -- remaking Pittsburgh as a "focus city" operation -- but the severity of the reductions surprised some experts.

"Those are some serious cuts,'' said economist Jake Haulk of the Allegheny Institute for Public Policy, a think tank.

Airline officials said they assured western Pennsylvania leaders that non-stop service to popular destinations for leisure and business travelers will continue.

"We plan to operate non-stop service in 28 of the top 30 markets served today from Pittsburgh and will remain the airport's largest carrier,'' said Christopher L. Chiames, US Airways' senior vice president of corporate affairs.

Ronnie Bryant, president of Pittsburgh Regional Alliance -- the region's top economic-development agency -- said that local business and political leaders have attempted to mitigate the impact of US Airways' anticipated cuts by recruiting alternative carriers to begin service at Pittsburgh International Airport.

Low-cost carriers USA 3000 and ATA already have begun flying from Pittsburgh International, and Independence Air is scheduled to launch service next month, Bryant said.

"We will continue to work with the airport authority and the county executive to ensure this region has reliable service to key markets identified by our business community,'' Bryant said. "That service can be provided by US Airways or someone else.''

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato said the announcement yesterday underscores the need to reduce the airport's $640 million debt and to make it more attractive to other carriers, which must help pay down the debt for use of the airport.

"It's time to make sure we move forward,'' he said.

US Airways is trying to eliminate unprofitable travel routes as part of its $1.5 billion restructuring to stave off bankruptcy. The restructuring includes wringing another $800 million in wage and benefits concessions from its unionized workers.

US Airways officials didn't indicate how many of its approximately 7,700 local employees will be affected by the cutbacks. Onorato said he will continue efforts to save as many local jobs as possible, including the 4,000 held by airline mechanics. In recent meetings with Pennsylvania's elected officials, US Airways executives indicated that a maintenance center here could be maintained after hub operations are phased out.

By Nov. 4 , US Airways said it will offer about 240 flights to at least 65 cities from the airport in Findlay. That compares with the 373 non-stop flights to 102 cities today, and more than 540 flights before the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Some of the affected routes to cities became known Monday, including the West Virginia towns of Huntington, Bluefield and Berkeley Springs, and to Evansville, Ind.; Charleston, S.C.; Toledo, Ohio; Reading, Pa.; and Memphis, Tenn.

Service will affect almost equally the routes serviced by large, or mainline, jets that are hard to fill and expensive to operate, as well as those served by more efficient regional jets, US Airways said.

By November, the airline will operate about 70 mainline departures, 80 regional-jet departures, 25 wholly owned turbo-prop departures and 65 affiliate turbo-prop departures at Pittsburgh International. That compares with the present mix of 107 mainline flights, 122 regional-jet flights, 53 wholly owned turbo-prop flights and 91 affiliate turbo-prop flights.

US Airways didn't rule out more cuts in the future.

"For the October-through-January period, Pittsburgh will still operate more or less like a traditional airline hub, but with less flying and fewer destinations,'' Chiames said. "We will continue to transition Pittsburgh in 2005, but we see our service being maintained to the top business and leisure market destinations so that travelers wanting to get to and from Pittsburgh will have convenient options.''

Kent George, director of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, said he believes the service reductions are not over.

"The adjustments being made are as we expected them to be, and we expect there will be further adjustments in the future,'' he said.

Union leaders said US Airways' announcement probably wouldn't have much impact on current concession negotiations.

"From the beginning, it's been smoke and mirrors and a gun to your head,'' said Chris Fox, president of Communications Workers of America Local 13302, which represents local ticket, gate and reservations agents. "It doesn't matter whether they're pressing it hard or soft.''

U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, a Penn Hills Republican, who was instrumental in getting US Airways to continue the present level of service at Pittsburgh International until Labor Day, is continuing to monitor the situation, said spokeswoman Christine Shott.

"The composition of US Airways flights out of Pittsburgh International Airport is an important issue, as it has the potential to affect many jobs in southwestern Pennsylvania,'' Shott said.

Additional Information:

US Airways flight cuts

By late this year, US Airways will have cut daily flights at Pittsburgh International Airport by more than half since 2001. Here are the number of daily departures by year: