Fri, Oct 05, 2007
US Airways To Reduce Ops, Cut Workforce In Pittsburgh
Citing a need to accept "economic realities," on Thursday US
Airways CEO Doug Parker said the airline will drastically cut back
its operations in Pittsburgh, PA -- a move that will both reduce
flights, and affect nearly 1,000 jobs.
The Arizona Republic reports the Tempe-based airline plans to
reduce the number of mainline flights from Pittsburgh International
from 31 to 22 -- a drop of almost 30 percent -- starting in
January. Regional operations under the US Airways Express banner
will shrink even more -- from 77 to about 46.
It isn't hard to see why US Airways is making the move to reduce
Pittsburgh's status. The carrier has lost $40 million over the past
year in the city.
"We need to acknowledge the economic realities of today and move
forward so that our Pittsburgh service provides a positive
contribution to our system as a whole," Parker told US Airways
workers in Pittsburgh Thursday morning.
Once a hub for the old US Airways, Pittsburgh saw its status
drastically reduced following the 2005 merger of US Airways and
America West. That move came after the city suffered through two US
Air bankruptcies, with the resulting schedule cuts and employee
layoffs.
The latest decision by US Airways to cut back operations at PIT
will eliminate 450 jobs in Pittsburgh. Parker said those workers
will be offered jobs elsewhere with the airline.
Closures of the airline's pilot and flight attendant bases in
the city will remove another 500 jobs from Pittsburgh. Those
workers will now have to commute to other cities on the East Coast
-- something the airline expects most of them will do.
Despite the reduction in Pittsburgh's "focus city" status at US
Airways, the carrier will remain the largest presence at
PIT. The city still houses a US Airways maintenance center, and was
recently selected over Phoenix for the site of a new US Airways
flight operations center.
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