Southwest Airlines to begin Pittsburgh service

[RamboLiberal]

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05005/437595.stm

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and county Airport Authority officials were making the formal announcement today that the airline would begin service at Pittsburgh International Airport in May.

The announcement will culminate years of work by Onorato, his predecessor Jim Roddey, Airport Authority Executive Director Kent George and authority board members to lure the industry's largest and most profitable discount carrier to Pittsburgh International.

The Airport Authority brought Southwest's top executives to Pittsburgh in the summer, and George has talked to them numerous times, including visiting Southwest headquarters in Dallas at least once.

Just where Southwest will be flying and the number of flights each day was not known. That the county, the airport and Southwest were close to a deal has been a closely guarded secret. State Rep. Tom Stevenson, R-Mt. Lebanon, an airport authority board member, said Southwest had been looking at 14 flights a day.

[fertilizeonarbusto]

1. YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSSSSSSSS!!!!!!!

:bounce:
Eat shit, Usair, evil to its employees and the community

[rkc3]

3. USAIR - another reason why cities and states shouldn't bankroll

development of a company's infrastructure.

How many times do American cities and states need to do this before they realize it never pays for itself in the long run?

[fertilizeonarbusto]

4. Amen!

n/t

[AlabamaYankee]

2. They're really going after USAir

Shortly after Southwest opened routes to Phillie I had to fly up for some family business. USAir had cut its rates to compete with SW, and I got an excellent deal for the round trip from Atlanta.

The only problem I had is that the Philadelphia Airport is absolutely the worst one I have ever flown into or out of.

[bleedingheart]

5. Onorato made a point to tell everyone that we didn't "pay" them to come

which should please many who are sick of bribing companies to stay or giving them a golden highway on which to drive over the taxpayers...

[Township75]

6. Is SWA unionized like USAIR?

?

[Patiod]

7. I don't welcome the demise of US Air

As a frequent business traveler, having Phila as a hub has worked out great - Philadelphians can fly almost anywhere in the US without making connections. I've got all my milage on one airline, which makes rewards and "status level" bonuses easier, rather than accumulating a few here and there between the major airlines. Plus USAir allows you to reserve a seat, instead of the Southwest free-for-all, which I think is designed for leisure travelers.

I actually really like Phila Int'l, and as for service, with the exception of cancelled or delayed flights every damned time I try to get the hell out of Detroit, I've been extraordinarily lucky with USAir. Then again, I don't travel over holidays or check my bag (EVER).

Granted, I've come off flights and seen scenes at the gates that looked like the evaculation of Saigon, so I can sympathize with those who hate the airport, but almost all of my flights have gone off smoothly.

Given everything that's going on, after 6 months off the road, I don't look forward to getting back in the air this month.