A meeting Monday between county and airline officials at the carrier's Virginia headquarters appears to have pushed the proposal onto the front burner and propelled plans for additional meetings in the coming month.
The project is deemed crucial to retaining nearly 5,000 maintenance jobs in Pittsburgh.
'We don't have a definite answer yet, but we're going to continue our discussions,' county Executive Jim Roddey said. 'Hopefully, within a month or so, we can make an announcement that would be very positive.'
Roddey briefed reporters upon his arrival at Pittsburgh International Airport. County Airport Authority Director Kent George and Authority Chairman Glenn Mahone traveled with Roddey.
The airline has said it will need to build a maintenance center to accommodate new Airbus jets, which do not fit into existing hangars. Charlotte, N.C., also has been named as a contender for the project and, according to Roddey, is not out of the picture.
'I think Charlotte is going to have a continued presence, just as we are,' he said. Charlotte airport officials did not return messages seeking comment.
The talks come less than two weeks after the airline announced its intent to slash its annual budget by $439 million, convert much of its fleet to smaller, regional jets and postpone a multibillion-dollar plan to buy Airbus aircrafts. Officials have said that, the purchase delay notwithstanding, the new hangar would still be needed.
The notice of cutbacks followed the airline's failed merger with United Airlines, which the U.S. Justice Department had opposed, saying it would 'reduce competition, raise fares and harm consumers.'
Roddey discussed the maintenance center, the airline and Pittsburgh International for about an hour yesterday morning with US Airways President and CEO Rakesh Gangwal and two vice presidents, Lawrence Nagan and Robert Hazel.
At the center of the discussion is how much the airline would pay toward the facility and how much financial assistance would come from the county and state, Roddey said. Neither Roddey nor US Airways officials would discuss the amounts being considered.
The head of the machinists union, however, said the county and state must increase the combined $60 million they already have pledged toward the plan to strike an agreement with the airline.
'We need the state and the county to dig in and find some more funds,' said Frank Schifano, president of Local 1976 of the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers. 'That $60 million isn't going to cut it.'
Roddey plans to meet with airline officials again soon and said he will form a team to look at the particulars of building a maintenance facility at the airport. The airline also said ongoing meetings were being planned with county officials.
'It was a productive meeting,' said David Castelveter, an airline spokesman. 'US Airways' future and our commitment to Pittsburgh were discussed.'
Roddey said he left the meeting with little doubt that Pittsburgh International not only would remain a cornerstone of the airline's system, but likely would see additional flights in the near future.
'I don't think there's any question it will remain a hub. I don't see anything in their strategy right now that would be detrimental to Pittsburgh.'
The airline is the region's largest private employer, with some 11,700 workers, and dominates traffic at Pittsburgh International, with about 500 daily departures.
Specifically, US Airways, through its subsidiary carriers, plans to add 11 smaller, regional jets to the 59 already in the air by the end of the year - a move that is expected to add daily flights and create a need for two additional gates at Pittsburgh International.
'That will mean an increased number of flights for Pittsburgh and an increased number of gates to US Airways in the future,' Roddey said.
Jim Ritchie can be reached at jritchie@tribweb.com or (412) 320-7933.
