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| Renke's World of S&A |
Well, if the federal government is finding it to be of limited use, and we have problems on Earth...
US Airways has decided to close its $32 million flight operations center in Moon and move the work to Dallas-Fort Worth, where the new American Airlines will be based.
The move will affect about 600 employees at the center, according to Matt Dinkel, press secretary for U.S. Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Forest Hills. Most of the employees will be offered the chance to transfer, said Todd Lehmacher, a spokesman for American Airlines. (P-G, Mark Belko)
Wait, what? Oh, this is the Airport, or related to it. That old thing. Circa 1992.
It was built at the height of the big airport mall craze, in fact it is an AIRMALL. In the Comet's own modest sample experience, the major airports of the world are not much into that these days. The major airports of the world are for running, being herded and examined, and fueling up. The major train stations of the world, now, there you will see some malls.
Plus, Pittsburgh International has a somewhat absurd people-mover, which is now integral to the system. It must have seemed like a good idea at the time.
So it was already in somewhat funky overbuilt shape when air travel profitability collapsed. Now it's allegedly getting shabby.
But let's look on the bright sides: At Pittsburgh International Airport, there is surely a lot of space available to make customs and security to flow sensibly. Because truthfully, a lot of airports in North America are confused about that. We can help you build a next generation international terminal from the ground up.
Additionally, we can exploit that airport investment with American-made, cleaner-burning natural petrochemical energy.
In a letter to operations center employees, Tim Campbell, senior vice president of air operations for American Airlines, said the transfer of employees won’t begin to happen for several months. (ibid)
Nice work. The Comet wonders what those waylaid employees think about… everything.
MORE: Trib, John G. Oravecz: Union president says workers are sad, feel as though they have done a good job. It would be hard to leave home. Null Space on airline bashing. Speaking of radio golf.
Tom F folly.
ReplyDeleteHow about the other two local airport plans too?
And another folly is getting mass transit there.
Whoops, 84x is perfect. I meant to say a light rail line there.
ReplyDeleteWhat other two airport plans? Ginny is the Rick Seback of stuff that never happened.
DeleteThey need to take the Robinson Loop back out of the 28X (as was briefly done in the period between the TDP and the state cutting PAT's funding). Eventually, I think it would make sense to complete the West Busway into Downtown (as originally planned), which would serve a lot of purposes but would also benefit the 28X. Other than that, I agree there is no pressing need for new transit infrastructure to the airport.
ReplyDeleteNor is there a need for the Southern Beltway, which was also planned in the era when the airport was expected to be the region's economic growth engine.
Why stop pouring good money after bad on that Southern beltway....to cancel a project because of large changes in the economic structure it was supposed to support makes sense...thus, it does not make sense in Allegheny County nor in the Commonwealth where politics dictate all.
DeletePut a bus stop in front of the AWC and use the beltway money to save the center. In political think, that would give the linkage to justify using transportation $$$ to save the AWC.
Delete