Airlines' future uncertain, departing Roddey cautions
Negotiating pact with US Airways called pointless
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
By Jeffrey Cohan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Departing Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey has one word of advice for his successor on how to negotiate with US Airways.
Don't.
Roddey, in an interview yesterday, recommended that the county stop negotiating with the airline, describing the on-again/off-again talks as pointless.
"I don't know how [Chief Executive-elect] Dan Onorato feels about it, but I don't see why we bother meeting with them," Roddey said.
Onorato, who could not be reached for comment, has expressed his intention to continue the negotiations, which are focusing on lowering the airline's operating costs at Pittsburgh International Airport.
But US Airways' uncertain future makes the airline an unreliable negotiator, Roddey maintained. He predicted that US Airways would do one of two things in 2004: go back into bankruptcy or merge with another carrier.
"I don't think US Airways can continue to operate as they're operating now," Roddey said.
"Whatever they promise doesn't mean anything," he added. "They're going to try to do whatever it is that keeps them viable, regardless of what they say [in negotiations]."
Negotiating pact with US Airways called pointless
Wednesday, December 24, 2003
By Jeffrey Cohan, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Departing Allegheny County Chief Executive Jim Roddey has one word of advice for his successor on how to negotiate with US Airways.
Don't.
Roddey, in an interview yesterday, recommended that the county stop negotiating with the airline, describing the on-again/off-again talks as pointless.
"I don't know how [Chief Executive-elect] Dan Onorato feels about it, but I don't see why we bother meeting with them," Roddey said.
Onorato, who could not be reached for comment, has expressed his intention to continue the negotiations, which are focusing on lowering the airline's operating costs at Pittsburgh International Airport.
But US Airways' uncertain future makes the airline an unreliable negotiator, Roddey maintained. He predicted that US Airways would do one of two things in 2004: go back into bankruptcy or merge with another carrier.
"I don't think US Airways can continue to operate as they're operating now," Roddey said.
"Whatever they promise doesn't mean anything," he added. "They're going to try to do whatever it is that keeps them viable, regardless of what they say [in negotiations]."
