Airport Development as Regional Economic Engine

Planning experts are meeting today and tomorrow with developers and municipalities to identify continued economic development opportunities around Pittsburgh International Airport, which Allegheny County, the Airport Authority and the Allegheny Conference on Community Development hope will result in a master plan for the area, which includes parts of Allegheny, Beaver and Washington Counties.

The catchword in national and international airport development these days is “aerotropolis”—a city built around an airport, according to University of North Carolina Professor John Kasarda. He says Pittsburgh is in the early stages of a decades-long effort to achieve a full-fledged aerotropolis. One challenge is trying to recover the passenger and cargo volume lost when US Airways stopped using Pittsburgh as a hub. Another is getting all the public and private entities to cooperate in a regional effort.

Kasarda says Pittsburgh’s competitive edge lies in low housing costs, the availability of all modes of transportation, and an aviation-oriented labor force and economy.

Pittsburgh International Flights to Cuba

Eight airports in the U.S., including Pittsburgh’s, have been added to the three that have been able to schedule charter flights to Cuba. The Helms-Burton Act of 1996 strengthened the U.S. embargo against Cuba that had been in place since 1960 after Fidel Castro’s rise to power.

State Senator Jim Ferlo says he is elated the Obama administration is easing some of those restrictions, as did the Clinton administration. Ferlo says he considers it unconstitutional that ordinary Americans are prohibited from traveling freely to Cuba. Cuba is the number one destination for Canadians, says Ferlo, and many Pittsburghers would love to go there, which would help fill some of the empty gates at Pittsburgh International Airport. He notes there are many people in Congress who are eager to open up trade with Cuba.

Airport Authority Reports on "State of Aviation"

The head of the Allegheny County Airport Authority gave an upbeat address to the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce this morning. Even though the airport is under-utilized since it was designed as a hub for US Airways and 32 million passengers a year, Executive Director/CEO Brad Penrod says the airport operates on a self-sufficient basis without taxpayer funds and will pay off its debt by May, 2018. As a result, its bond rating is better than it’s ever been.

Penrod says the airline industry today has moved toward point-to-point flights, with hubs only in major population centers, which Pittsburgh is not. Should that change, e.g., because of congestion in the East, the airport aggressively markets its availability to all airlines.

Penrod says passenger growth is above the national average and ticket prices below.

Pittsburgh is a strong “origin and destination” market, says Penrod, with 37 non-stop cities, and he encourages people to use the direct flights to Paris so Delta Airlines will continue the international service.

Marcellus Shale activity brings passengers into and out of the airport and may lead to revenue from drilling on the property since technology allows the equipment to remain well away from airport operations.

Onorato Wants FAA to Send Flight to PGH

As Airports in Philadelphia and New York ask the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to expand, officials at airports in places like Pittsburgh and Cleveland are staring at under utilized facilities and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato wants something done about that. Onorato says he has been lobbying the FAA for nearly two years now to change the way it allocates landing slots. Onorato made his comments while addressing a meeting of the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce in Coraopolis this morning.

Passengers originating or ending trips in Pittsburgh has grown in recent years but the total number of flights in and out of Pittsburgh has tumbled since USAirways pulled its hub from Pittsburgh International. Onorato says he, and members of the state’s congressional delegation, have asked the FAA to stop allowing expansions at airports along the congested East Coast and instead force those flights inland. “The FAA should, maybe not re-regulate, but intervene with the [slots] of how many planes can go into these airports. Before we spend billions of your money to expand these airports where there is no room, I would argue that for public safety reasons and national security reasons why not use facilities already built,” says Onorato.

Onorato says Pittsburgh is only 45 minutes from the East Coast where the FAA has just announced final approval for a $5 billion expansion at Philadelphia airport. A proposal to expand airports in New York has been floated as well. At the same time, the FAA says it is looking at ways to increase the number of planes that can be in the airspace around New York at any given time. “We’re saying, without spending a penny, use [Pittsburgh International],” says Onorato. He says, “it is a better move for the taxpayers. We’re not saying come to Pittsburgh and build something, we’re saying, use what you already built here.” Pittsburgh International was built to support USAirways’ hub.
Onorato is not the only person talking to the FAA about the plan to send more traffic away from the East Coast. Airports are lining up on both sides of the argument. Detractors say the airlines are struggling to pay their bills now and do not need the additional regulations.

Onorato: Airport Shale Drilling a Possibility

Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato says he will spend the next 12 months cleaning up and finishing out some of the things he wanted to get accomplished as county executive. Among those things is exploring the possibility of drilling for gas in the shale layer below the airport. “This would be private money coming in and it’s a real value… I think it would be irresponsible as County Executive or County Council, for us not to explore what that is,” says Onorato, “We can always say ‘no’ to it if the proposal is wrong or if it does not make sense for us we don’t have to accept it.”

Onorato says he would want to make sure the request for proposal is written well, “set some rules and guidelines in the RFP that we want to make sure it’s environmentally safe, that we do it in a way that makes sense for the residents that live close to the airport.” Onorato says simply dismissing it out of hand is irresponsible. Any drilling contract would have to be approved by the
Federal Aviation Administration. The county owns about 9,000 acres at the airport.

Onorato says his other top priority will be to continue to fight for a more fair property assessment system in the state. He says it is unfair that Allegheny County should have to go through” yet another reassessment” while other counties in the state have not reassessed properties for decades. “I came in fighting reassessments and it looks like I’m going out fighting reassessments,” says Onorato. He says there is something “inherently wrong” with Allegheny County having to do things other counties do not. Onorato plans to travel to Harrisburg in February to talk to lawmakers about several issues including efforts to get a statewide assessment system put in place. Onorato says Pennsylvania and Delaware are the only two states in the nation that do not have statewide assessment standards.

Air Survey to Help Businesses

The Allegheny Conference on Community Development and its partners has launched a survey to help shed light on which services Pittsburgh International needs to expand. The survey is aimed at improving routes that business people take from the city by asking local businesses about their flying preferences.
Ken Zapinski, Senior Vice President of the Conference, says robust air service is necessary to maintain Pittsburgh's ties to national and international markets. He says by understanding what air destinations are most important to businesses in the region, the Conference can know where to focus its efforts.

Zapinski says the survey is in its fourth year and has yielded a lot of information. "What's been interesting is that even with the cut backs in air service over the last 5 years, we still have non-stop service to the markets that account for about 75% of the business travel."

He says the survey asks what destinations that do not have nonstop service from Pittsburgh are important to your business; as well as, rating the quality of air service from Pittsburgh to various regions of the country.


Zapinski says the information they receive from the survey, which ends December 17, allows them to inform airlines on routes for which there may be a market.

Find the survey here

Airport Cuts Energy Usage for One Hour

The Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) took part in a regional energy conservation test program at the Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) today from 2 to 3 pm. The energy conservation project is called PJM Demand Response.
Airport Spokeswoman JoAnn Jenny says this is an effort to “lighten the load” on the electric grid in the Northeastern part of the country. She says lights, air conditioning, electric walkways, escalators and other devices will be switched off in some areas of the airport. Ultimately, they’d like to save about 2,000 kilowatts.
Jenny says this will not impact flights and will have minimal affect on passengers and employees. ACAA has implemented a customer service plan for the hour long power outage, such as having extra employees around to help people with disabilities. She says only one train will run to and from terminals, which may cause minor delays.
Jenny says, “It’s a project where if we do meet the amount of energy savings that we set as our goal, there is some financial incentive—we’ll get some type of reimbursement.”
Jenny says several companies are participating in the program in 13 states, with the goal of saving nearly 3,000 megawatts.

European Flight Delays Affecting Pittsburghers

Airports around Europe are struggling to come back to pace, after a volcanic ash cloud has impaired conditions for the past five days. It’s affecting fliers in Pittsburgh, too.
“Our research indicates that there are over 400 people daily [from Pittsburgh] that cross the Atlantic that fly into Europe and points beyond,” says JoAnn Jenny, an Allegheny County Airport Authority Spokeswoman.
Jenny says a flight from Paris to Pittsburgh has been canceled today, and a flight from Pittsburgh to Paris is still marked “on time”.
However, she advises those who have scheduled European flights to check their respective carrier’s web site in case of last minute delays and cancellations.
She adds that this may be far from over; while the clearing of one volcanic ash cloud has allowed for some planes to take flight in Europe, there is another ash cloud developing.

Johnstown Airport Receives Four Bids for Commuter Flights

The Johnstown Airport has seen an upswing in interest in providing service. Four airlines have put in bids to provide federally subsidized commuter service at the airport. The contract with Colgan Air expires June 30th. That airline is bidding to continue but Gulfstream International of Orlando, Charter Air Transport of Cleveland and Sovereign Air of North Dakota are also bidding under the Essential Air Service Subsidies Program.
Scott Voelker, Johnstown Airport Operations Director, says this is a process that is done biannually. It began with a request for proposal, and the bids that were received last week will be evaluated by the Department of Transportation and the Johnstown Airport Authority.
The companies bid by offering a menu of flights and then suggest how large of a federal subsidy they require. The subsidy requests range from $1.1 million to $3.9 million.
The last time the airport had a request for proposal in 2008, only two air carriers applied. He says it’s good to have more competition. Voelker says there is a public comment period during which passengers can make suggestions to the Department of Transportation.

New Airport Security Measures Imposed

The nation's Transit Security Authority (TSA) announced new airline safety measures Saturday in reaction to Friday’s attempted bombing of a flight to Detroit.

Passengers will not be permitted to stand up or hold anything in their lap for the final hour of flight. A TSA spokesperson says these rules will only affect incoming international flyers, not domestic travelers. Additional bodily searches and bag checks can also be expected at the gate to each flight.

Spokesperson JoAnn Jenny of Pittsburgh International Airport says that will affect a few of the airport’s regular flights, including service from Canada and Latin America.

Jenny says given the new measures, passengers should arrive a bit earlier than they normally would. She says she doesn’t expect the new rules to affect how many people fly.

Commuter Airline Commits to Pittsburgh

A Florida based airline says it will begin offering service from Pittsburgh International to several cities within 400 miles some time in the first quarter of next year. Gulfstream International Airlines spokesperson Mickey Bowman says the exact routes and number of flights will be announced later this year. He says he cannot release the names of the cities they are targeting but some of them “are fairly obvious.” Bowman says, “Since 2003, important destinations within a 400-mile radius of Pittsburgh no longer have nonstop air service, among them the state capitol in Harrisburg.” The airline uses 19 passenger twin turbo prop aircraft. Bowman says the airline will not be running a discount fare operation. “We are talking about walk up fares of under $200 and advance purchase of less than $300 round trip,” says Bowman. He says they are targeting business travelers so they expect to serve each city with more than two flights a day.

Earlier this year the Federal Aviation Administration threatened to fine Gulfstream $1.3 million for improper maintenance and pilot scheduling. Gulfstream sent a letter to the FAA outlining how some of the violations stem from misunderstandings in the company’s record keeping systems. The company and the administration are currently engaged in a settlement process.

Inert Grenade at Airport

There was a security alert this morning around 6:30 at Pittsburgh International Airport. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) spokeswoman Ann Davis says the checkpoints and people mover train were shut down for about half an hour after what looked like a grenade was found in a passenger's carry-on bag. She says a bomb squad was called in and determined the grenade was inert. Davis says passengers have to make sure they don't have prohibited items...

"That you might ultimately have to surrender at the checkpoint or mail back to yourself. But more importantly, items that are either very dangerous or could be perceived as very dangerous. You need to give some consideration what an item might look like to a guard at a security monitor. Clearly a grenade, inert or not, has to be responded to the same way."

Davis says sometimes they would like to "get inside" passengers' heads to determine what they are thinking when they carry prohibited items with them. Davis refused to identify the passenger with the grenade, but said he was from Beaver Falls and after questioning was permitted to fly on to Philadelphia. Davis says after a review of the incident, TSA officials will consider whether to impose fines on the passenger.

Inert Grenade Found in Passenger's Carry-on Bag

Pittsburgh International Airport briefly closed its security checkpoints and the People Mover Trains after a hand grenade was found in a passenger's bag. Airport spokeswoman JoAnn Jenny says the shutdown lasted about a half an hour after what looked like a grenade was found in a departing passenger's carry-on bag. She says a bomb squad determined the grenade was inert at about 7:05 this morning and then re-opened the checkpoints and train.
Jenny says she doesn't know where the passenger was headed but he told security guards the grenade was inert. Police are questioning the passenger to determine why he was carrying the grenade.

Airport Changes Lightbulbs

About 1,500 lights at Pittsburgh International Airport parking facilities will be changed from their older, less efficient models to Light Emitting Diode (LED) bulbs, with help from an $800,000 state grant. Allegheny County Airport Authority spokeswoman Joanne Jenny says these new fixtures will cut down energy usage by 83%. Jenny says this translates to about $158,754 in annual savings, which she says will go toward matching the funds provided by the Pennsylvania Energy Department Developmental Authority. The Pennsylvania Office of the Governor reports that local firm Appalachian Lighting Systems will reap the benefits of 75 jobs to be created by the project.

White House Team to Tour G20 Sites

Local officials announced today the arrival of a White House advance team that will tour the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, the Pittsburgh International Airport, and other sites tomorrow in preparation for the September G20 Summit.

Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl and Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato say they will not accompany the team, but rather make their own tours of downtown and the airport corridor, respectively, on Thursday.

They say updates will be given weekly for the next two months to keep locals up to speed on the G20 developments.

G20 Partnership member Bill Flanagan, of the Allegheny Conference on Community Development, says a contingency plan will also be started next week, to help businesses deal with traffic and security issues during the summit.

Ravenstahl also proclaimed September “Pittsburgh G20 Month.”

Onorato Seeks to Sell Airport Parking

County Executive Dan Onorato announced his intent to privatize parking at the Pittsburgh International Airport. Onorato’s spokesman Kevin Evanto says the deal, estimated to be worth $500-700 million, would allow the airport to pay off its heavy $500 million debt and therefore make operating from the airport far less expensive. This in turn would lower ticket prices and most likely attract more airlines to Pittsburgh. Evanto says that his office has spoken with everyone who would be involved – the airport, the parking lot workers’ union, the company that manages the parking, and prospective buyers – with a “positive response” from all. The County Executive’s goal is to make Pittsburgh’s the least expensive airport in the country, says Evanto. Evanto adds that any written agreement would protect the cost of parking at the airport – to a degree. “You could structure it in different ways, but we would ensure that travelers wouldn’t be gouged, but at the same time make it possible for the company to increase rates over time so they could continue to make money,” says Evanto.

Pittsburgh International to Utilize Space

Pittsburgh International Airport is allotting approximately 440 acres for cargo warehousing and distribution. Allegheny County Airport Authority Spokesperson JoAnn Jenny says construction for the space is to begin in the fall. Jenny says it's located in a foreign trade zone, making the area desirable for such a process. She says Pittsburgh is a great place to have this because of its central location, having access to cities on the east coast and Canada. Also, unlike many airports in major cities, Pittsburgh has the capacity to expand. Jenny says transferred goods will be processed in a shorter amount of time, since airports like the ones in Miami and New York are busier.

Onorato Unveils Priorities for 2009

In a wide-ranging and optimistic address to the Airport Area Chamber of Commerce Allegheny County Executive Dan Onorato outlined the "state of the county" and some of his priorities for the coming year.
Onorato says now that he has been in office for 5 years it is getting harder to blame his predecessor for problems in the county, but it also allows him to toot his own horn a bit. Onorato points to progress made on turning old brownfields into shovel-ready sites and attracting businesses to them. He says he thinks experience gained in the 80’s as the steel industry faltered has made the region better able to deal with the current economic downturn. As he looks to the future… Onorato says he wants to work toward more city/county consolidation and he encourages other municipalities, fire companies and police departments to do the same. He says he is also looking to the federal government for help and has submitted 4 different stimulus package wish lists to be ready no matter what Congress passes.
Aiming to please his airport area audience Onorato also pointed out development around the airport and his efforts to position Pittsburgh as an alternative for airlines looking to avoid the congested east coast.

Onorato says he supports Governor Ed Rendell's idea of school district mergers but he is not sure if 100 is the right number. He says he thinks municipalities should do the same. He says of the 130 municipalities in the county 20-30 of them cannot support operations and should merge with others. He suggests it be done along school district lines. So instead of having 130 municipalities and 43 school districts in Allegheny County, he suggests having 43 municipalities, each with its own school district. He has also started a program to help defray one time costs associated with merging police and fire districts.

Onorato Defends Airport Art

A 78-foot steel sculpture might remain part of the passenger terminal at the Pittsburgh International Airport, thanks to the efforts of County Executive Dan Onorato. The piece, "Silver Grid Wall" by Peter Calaboyias, was in the process of being replaced by advertising when Onorato ordered the airport authority to stop. The County Executive says although he is supportive of advertising in general, he believes a compromise can be reached between the artist and the airport that would leave the piece intact and on display somewhere in the airport. Onorato says both he and Calaboyias believe there is space enough for the sculpture and the advertising, but the airport authority disagrees. The advertising would produce about $112,000 per year, according to the airport authority.

New Military and Family Courtesy Center Opens at Airport

The Pittsburgh International Airport today unveiled a new Military and Family Courtesy Center, a space specifically designed for families of those in the military to say goodbye to their loved ones before they embark on their tour of duty. At the suggestion of the Airport Ambassador program, a group of about 75 volunteers who help people navigate the airport, the Allegheny County Airport Authority transformed an old phone room into the new Courtesy Room. The room is now complete with furniture and patriotic artwork. Airport Authority spokesperson JoAnn Jenny says the room allows families an extra half-hour together and gives them a private place to say goodbye. The Courtesy Center was formally opened today with a grand ceremony and ribbon cutting by Brad Penrod, Airport Authority Executive Director with members of the military and local politicians in attendance, as well.