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Old 04-03-2015, 04:44 AM
  #26  
Allegheny
"Yinzer an'at"
 
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Joined APC: Jun 2012
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PIT is one of the most expensive airports in the country. Just as airlines have a metric of "seat mile costs", so airports have "Cost per enplaned Passenger". PIT's current costs are over $15 a head. In contrast CLT is just over $1.

PIT is one of the only airports where both SWA and Jet Blue have reduced service. Because CLE and CMH are nearby people will drive to those airports for lower fares. A cost of $15 per head X 100 pax is $1500 per flight. That's a lot of money to pay PIT airport to operate there. Alligent is serving PIT via the Latrobe airport. They don't pay any landing fees or significant taxes. The station is part time. The fuel cost is equivalent.

Airport Costs are now just as significant as per mile seat costs for the airline. PIT and Allegheny County have done a terrible job of controlling costs. The Allegheny County Aviation budget for operating PIT and Allegheny Co. Airport, is greater than the entire budget of the State of Maryland. BWI has over 6 times the traffic of PIT yet operates at a fraction of the cost.

That is the reason it is unlikely that any airline will hub in PIT. It is simply too expensive to operate there.
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