Fears that Pittsburgh might lose its status as a US Airways hub have come true. The airline now says it's a "focus city," with around 230 flights a day, down from about 540 at its peak. The cutbacks are costing Pittsburgh non-stop links to 37 destinations, including the city's only flights to Europe.
Pittsburgh custom-built its airport for US Airways in 1992, thinking that the hub-and-spoke route systems were here to stay. But competition from low-cost carriers has changed the rules. To adapt, Pittsburgh is taking aggressive steps to pay off airport debt, in hopes of attracting new service from other airlines. In October, the airport began charging a small fee per passenger to raise $195 million to help pay off its bonds. Another $150 million is expected to come from gambling revenues, thanks to a new law allowing slot machines in Pennsylvania.
Pittsburgh isn't alone. In September, Delta Airlines said it is shutting down its hub in Dallas. Delta now flies 254 non-stops a day out of Dallas, to 69 cities. Starting in late January, it will make only 21 flights a day from DFW, to three cities.
