Pittsburgh Weighed As Hub For Mesa

[ClueByFour]

Even as US Airways plans to strip Pittsburgh of its "hub" status, commuter carrier Mesa Air is studying a move that could lessen the impact. The Phoenix-based airline said yesterday that it was looking at the possibility of operating its own hub from Pittsburgh International Airport.

"Pittsburgh is an opportunity we are taking a very close look at," said Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa's chief executive officer. "We believe Pittsburgh could operate profitably in a hub structure with the right cost model."

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04132/314343.stm

 

[ClueByFour]

I make no comment on this one way or the other (at this time), simply posting it as a data point.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Clue,

It does make one ponder a few unanswered questions, doesn't it.

Jim

 

[RowUnderDCA]

The new PSA?

Pittsburgh-Southern Airways?

PIT as the Canadair RJ hub, with embraers in point to point and CLT/PHL?

But what about those airport costs? I bet they are betting they'll go down for Mesa. It's a hard argument for the ACAA to make that it's only going to lower airport costs for certain carriers.

 

[Prince of PAWOBs]

PIT agents have been talking about this one for a year now. Ornstein is a genius when it comes to taking a pile of garbage and making it into highly collectible artwork.

At this point, maybe the ACAA should just invite everyone to fly out of PIT and force US to start dealing with the realities of competition.

 

[SoldWholeSale]

700UW,

I told you so..... I didn't say it was a good thing, but I said it would happen. Everyone including Mesa thinks USAir will fail and they are setting up shop to be able to pick up the pieces and run if it happens.

 

[Rage4Order]

Maybe someone who works for Express ramp/fleet service in PIT could answer this for me.

Are you all employed by PSA? Or does Mesa, Allegheny, etc. employ people separately. I was under the impression that PSA was the actual employer.

So let's say, just for the heck of it, that Mesa does set up a substantial hub/large operation at PIT, would Express rampers have some type of automatic hire, or would they be hiring everyone right off the street, so to speak?

 

[RWerksman]

Wow, this is exremely interesting. Hopefully this will come to fruition -- I cant wait to see this @ PIT:

🙄

 

[orville]

All express rampers at PIT are PSA, along with gate agents. As far as direct hire or off the street at our wages.....it really doesn't make a huge difference, but I'm sure very senior agents(yes we have some 10 yr express agents for some reason)
would want direct hire to keep their seniority

 

[Rage4Order]

Thanks for the information Orville. It would be interesting to see if any of this actually could happen.

I guess if anyone would even consider having a "hub" situation at PIT, it would be a regional type carrier, moreso than any mainline type.

 

[Reservation Agent]

Yes... I believe Mesa made "alot" of money by flying USAIRWAYS passengers that they could have used for Usairways...

In fact, according to the newspaper in Phoenix, Mesa Airlines awarded a new car to an employee recently, for perfect attendance for about 3 months...

 

[p.o.-ed w.o.-ed]

You guys are so smart! You treated the wholly owneds as the enemy (saved you lots of jobs didn't it) and helped build up Mesa. Now that they are looking at PIT and at 737s, which they say they can fly for less than JetBlue, how many more jobs have you saved?

 

[BoeingBoy]

p.o.-ed w.o.-ed,

We may be in the minority, but there's some mainline pilots that agree with you.

Jim

 

[Capecod]

In fact, according to the newspaper in Phoenix, Mesa Airlines awarded a new car to an employee recently, for perfect attendance for about 3 months...

This has nothing to really do with anything, but the PHL CRJ FO that won the car was a furloughed US Airways pilot. Nice guy. -Cape

 

[Light Years]

Was it really for going to work on time for 3 months? :unsure: