"Low-cost carriers rule sky in Pittsburgh"

Saturday, October 8, 2005

Alternate service out of Pittsburgh heads skyward
By Thomas Olson
The Pittsburgh (PA) Tribune-Review


The number of passengers traveling on airlines other than US Airways from
Pittsburgh International Airport continues to soar -- jumping 35 percent in
August from the same month in 2004, according to figures released Friday. 

The increase in service by alternative carriers includes US Airways' merger
partner America West Airlines, which flew 12,506 passengers locally in
August, a nearly 40 percent jump from year-ago levels, figures from the
Allegheny County Airport Authority show. 

US Airways on Sept. 27 emerged from its second bankruptcy in three years and
merged with Phoenix-based America West. 

Discounter Southwest Airlines, which began Pittsburgh service last May, flew
65,985 passengers in and out of Pittsburgh International in August. While
lower than the 69,983 passengers the airline carried in July at the airport,
Southwest retained its second-place status behind leader US Airways. 

"Southwest continues to grow here, and smaller airlines, such as Midwest
Connect, Independence Air, USA3000 and AirTran, have become important
players," said authority Executive Director Kent George in a statement.
"August's report illustrates how competition affects traffic at the
airport." 

Midwest Connect, for example, saw passenger volume jump to 5,120 in August
from 1,844 the year earlier. The Milwaukee-based carrier and its affiliate
Midwest Airlines offer service to 51 U.S. cities including Pittsburgh and
will add Kansas City beginning Oct. 31. 

But overall traffic of 934,412 passengers in August was 25 percent below the
1,244,820 passengers at Pittsburgh International in August 2004, and about 8
percent fewer than the 1,019,364 in July. 

The year-over-year and one-month drop in traffic largely reflects the
decline in US Airways' service here. Its passenger volume dropped more than
43 percent to 542,424 in August from 954,857 in August 2004, the figures
show. 

Other year-over-year increases in passengers were logged by United,
American, Northwest and Continental airlines and Air Canada.


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