Misplaced Pages

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71-529: The FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2021–2025 categorized it as a primary commercial service airport (more than 10,000 enplanements per year). The airport's runway cannot handle larger airplanes, but it has filed a request with the Federal Aviation Administration to lengthen the runway. The airport covers 494 acres (200 ha ) at an elevation of 1,244 feet (379 m) above sea level. Its single runway, 18/36,

142-417: A $ 40 million loss per year ($ 66.3 million present day dollars) operating its hub at Pittsburgh, while also paying roughly 80% of the new airport's $ 673 million debt ($ 1.11 billion present day dollars) stemming from its requested construction of the new terminals. Just before emerging from bankruptcy in 2003, US Air canceled its leases at Pittsburgh without any notice to airport and county officials,

213-412: A Los Angeles-Chicago-Pittsburgh loop in summer 1959. The 1956 diagram shows runway 10/28 7500 ft, 5/23 5766 ft and 14/32 5965 ft. The longest runway was still 7500 ft when jets started in 1959 but was soon extended to 8000 ft. The 10500-ft runway 10L was added by 1965. In 1959, the east dock was added to the terminal. On 1 July 1968, international airport status was obtained with

284-409: A ballroom and meeting facilities. As part of a pilot program, hotel guests were allowed access to the post-security shops and restaurants without an airline ticket as long as they could pass through security. In 2017, airport officials opened post-security access to all non-flying persons who could pass through security, including hotel guests. A Sunoco -branded gas station is also located onsite. Both

355-504: A complete end-to-end supply chain allowing products to be manufactured and finished in one place and then shipped around the world from the airport. The site is being developed as part of a partnership with the University of Pittsburgh and will have 1.4 million square feet of manufacturing and office space. A Hyatt Regency hotel is located onsite and is directly connected to the landside terminal via moving walkway. The hotel also has

426-437: A free lounge for active duty military and veterans in concourse C. There is an AirMall in the airside terminal, operated by Fraport , with numerous retail stores and restaurants. It was one of the first of its kind in an airport and paved the way for similar shopping experiences at other airports. Tenants in the airport are required to charge the same amount as they do at non-airport locations. Before 9/11, anyone could shop in

497-623: A link to Frankfurt in June 1990. The flight aboard Boeing 767s benefited the various West German companies that had offices in the city. On 1 October 1992, the new terminal opened, with operations having been transferred overnight from the old terminal. (The old terminal was kept until 1999 to house remaining operations offices.) The new terminal had numerous innovative features, including an AirMall, with more than 100 retailers and eateries. The air mall and underground tram were considered cutting-edge. The new landside/airside design construction eliminated

568-657: A move that former Allegheny County Airport Authority executive director said was "completely immoral and unethical" in a 2021 interview. US Air filed for bankruptcy again in September 2004. Two months later, the carrier ceased service to London-Gatwick and Frankfurt, leaving the airport without any flights to Europe. After failed negotiations to lower landing fees and debt obligations, the airline announced in December 2004 that it would be reducing operations at Pittsburgh, shifting hub operations to Charlotte and Philadelphia. By

639-559: A need for more gates. In 1980 the South East Dock was opened. Even with these expansions, the terminal was too small. From the 1960s to about 1985, TWA operated a small hub at Pittsburgh. The carrier introduced service to London's Gatwick Airport on a Lockheed L-1011 TriStar in May 1981. This was the first route from Pittsburgh to Europe. It lasted four months; TWA stated that too few passengers were traveling in first class, rendering

710-522: A new 80,000 sq ft cargo facility with 17 truck loading docks and enough apron space for two Boeing 747 freighters to be loaded or unloaded simultaneously. The facility is scheduled to open in 2024. Cargo traffic has increased considerably in recent years as airport officials have pitched Pittsburgh to cargo carriers as a more efficient alternative to clogged hubs like New York and Chicago. In 2017, Qatar Airways launched twice-weekly cargo service at Pittsburgh, backed by $ 1.5 million in subsidies. The effort

781-458: A nonstop route to Seattle/Tacoma . In 2017, Pittsburgh was the first U.S. airport to be named Airport of the Year by Air Transport World . Wow Air added year-round flights to Reykjavík in June 2017. The company operated the route with an Airbus A321. Starting in September 2017, non-ticketed persons were allowed to access the airside terminal and gates, similar to pre-9/11 policy. Pittsburgh

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852-749: A positive improvements, as was the adjacent rail station that provides access to Washington Union Station near the United States Capitol . The airline reversed course on June 28, 2021 returning service to Washington Dulles. SkyWest Airlines , operating as United Express , was awarded the EAS contract beginning December 1, 2024. The airline will operate seven weekly roundtrip flights on Bombardier CRJ-200 jets to Dulles and Chicago-O'Hare which will be codeshared with United Airlines . City manager Kim Haws said SkyWest expected to exceed 10,000 enplanements per year from Morgantown, which would qualify

923-615: A wide, open layout and four runways: three east–west parallel runways and a fourth crosswind runway. The airport's two longest runways are 11,500 feet (3,510 m) and 10,775 feet (3,280 m), allowing PIT to accommodate the largest airliners. Because of the development of non-aviation related business on airport land, PIT can add only one more runway (this number was as high as four in the past). With three parallel runways, simultaneous landings and/or departures can be performed in nearly any situation. Runways 10L and 10R have Category III ILS ( Instrument Landing System ) approaches. Runway 28R

994-681: Is 5,199 by 150 feet (1,585 x 46 m). In the year ending December 31, 2022, the airport had 59,641 aircraft operations, an average of 163 per day: 56% general aviation , 41% air taxi and 3% military. In January 2024, there were 23 aircraft based at this airport: 22 single-engine and 1 multi-engine. In January 2008 a $ 1.9 million federal grant was awarded for an access road between the airport and Interstate 68 . The first passenger airline flights were on Capital Airlines using Douglas DC-3s in 1949. Lake Central Airlines replaced Capital in 1961 and merged into Allegheny Airlines in 1968. Aeromech Airlines began service as Allegheny Commuter in

1065-530: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Pittsburgh International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport ( IATA : PIT , ICAO : KPIT , FAA LID : PIT ) — originally Greater Pittsburgh Airport and later Greater Pittsburgh International Airport — is a civil-military international airport in Findlay Township and Moon Township , Pennsylvania , United States. About 10 miles (15 km) west of downtown Pittsburgh , it

1136-485: Is certified for Category I ILS and is authorized for Category II approaches but requires special aircrew and aircraft certification. Runways 28L and 32 have Category I ILS approaches. All runways have GPS approaches as well. During westerly winds, Runway 28L serves as the primary arrival runway, while 28R serves as primary departure and secondary arrival runway. Runway 32 serves as the main arrival runway for general aviation traffic. During easterly winds, runway 10L serves as

1207-655: Is the primary international airport serving the Greater Pittsburgh Region as well as adjacent areas in West Virginia and Ohio . The airport is owned and operated by the Allegheny County Airport Authority and offers passenger flights to destinations throughout North America and Europe . PIT has four runways and covers 10,000 acres (40 km ). PIT is the largest civil/public airport in terms of land area in

1278-473: The Hudson River . The airline closed the center in 2015 as part of its merger with American Airlines. (The center was rebuilt as a 9-1-1 center for Allegheny County, which opened in 2019. ) In June 2009, Delta Air Lines commenced a route to Paris using Boeing 757s. The carrier made it seasonal in 2011. Since the wind down of US Airways hub at Pittsburgh, new low cost carriers have been able to enter

1349-541: The Marcellus Shale as well as solar panels . Most of the energy comes from natural gas; the 9,360 solar panels can generate up to 13% of its peak power. In its first year, the microgrid saved the airport an estimated $ 1 million in energy costs. In 2019, the airport announced the development of Neighborhood 91, a 195-acre hub for additive manufacturing on airport grounds. It is so named because Pittsburgh has 90 distinct neighborhoods. The development will house

1420-569: The Pennsylvania Turnpike . Interstate 70 to the south and Interstate 80 to the north are both less than an hour away. Just beyond Interstates 70 and 80, Interstate 77 to the west and Interstate 68 to the south are within 90 minutes of the airport. PIT offers on-site parking patrolled by the Allegheny County Police . The local Grant Oliver Corporation ran the parking from the airport's opening in 1952 until

1491-557: The Airside Terminal, where all departure gates are located. All international arrivals, except for cities with United States border preclearance , pass through Concourse C. American Airlines has an Admirals Club on the mezzanine level of the airside terminal. The Club Lounge opened in October 2017 in the C Concourse across from gate C-52 near the center core and was renovated and expanded in 2019. The airport also operates

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1562-482: The Airside Terminal. In 2007, US Air's market share in Pittsburgh dropped below 40% for the first time since the airport's expansion in 1992. By the end of the decade, US Airways had reduced to 68 flights per day, operating from ten gates on Concourse B, and one US Airways Club location. Numerous US Airways ticketing and customer service counters were abandoned, and 15 gates on Concourse A and B were sealed off from

1633-507: The Allegheny County Airport Authority chose to switch to national contractor LAZ Parking, which took over in October 2022 and will also oversee new facilities planned to open in 2024. Grant Oliver offered a GO FAST Pass account to pay for parking electronically via E-ZPass . This system was renamed to PIT Express Pass by LAZ. LAZ also offers online parking reservations. There are regular parking shuttles to

1704-465: The Americas. LSG SkyChefs cited the region's strategic location for air and truck transport to major suppliers and customers, as well as the airport's excellent record in maintaining and expanding capacity. In 2018, the airport announced plans to construct its own microgrid , using natural gas and solar power as the primary power source for the airport, protecting it from power outages. In 2019,

1775-688: The Bell Farm, and federal agencies began construction of the runways on 20 April 1942, after the US had entered the war. In 1944, Allegheny County officials proposed to expand the military airport with the addition of a commercial passenger terminal to relieve the Allegheny County Airport , which was built in 1926 and was becoming too small. Ground was broken on the new passenger terminal on 18 July 1946. The new terminal would eventually cost $ 33 million ($ 379 million present day dollars) and

1846-511: The Greater Pittsburgh Airport were Trans World Airlines (TWA), Capital Airlines (later part of United), Northwest, All American (later Allegheny Airlines, then USAir , and finally US Airways), and Eastern Airlines. The April 1957 Airline Guide shows 58 weekday departures on Capital, 54 TWA, 18 Allegheny, 8 United, 7 Eastern, 4 Northwest, 3 American and 2 Lake Central. The first jets in service at Pittsburgh were TWA 707s on

1917-704: The Long Term and Extended lots that can be accessed from the Baggage Claim level of the Landside Terminal. There are four options for parking: Short Term, Long Term, Extended, and Economy. The economy option was added in 2021. The short term garage has 2100 spaces and is attached to the landside terminal via the enclosed moving walkway. The long term section is also connected to the enclosed moving walkway and has 3,100 spaces available. The extended and economy sections have an outdoor walkway that leads to

1988-666: The U.S., and thus eligible to receive federal grants under the Airport Improvement Program (AIP). It also includes estimates of the amount of AIP money needed to fund infrastructure development projects that will bring these airports up to current design standards and add capacity to congested airports. The FAA is required to provide Congress with a five-year estimate of AIP-eligible development every two years. The NPIAS contains all commercial service airports , all reliever airports , and selected general aviation airports. This aviation -related article

2059-661: The airport agreed to fund $ 182 million in construction site preparation work for the project. An additional $ 28.8 million in funding will come from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act . Construction finally began in July 2021 and the project is expected to be completed in October 2025. The airport is partly in Findlay Township. The Air Reserve Station is in Moon Township. PIT has

2130-420: The airport authority awarded Peoples Natural Gas a 20-year contract to build, maintain, and operate the microgrid at no cost to the airport in exchange for the required land and an agreement to purchase the electricity for 20 years. The microgrid was completed in July 2021, making Pittsburgh the first airport in the world to receive its electricity entirely from a microgrid. The microgrid uses natural gas from

2201-498: The airport for additional federal funding. National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems The National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems ( NPIAS ) is an inventory of U.S. aviation infrastructure assets. NPIAS was developed and now maintained by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). It identifies existing and proposed airports that are significant to national air transportation in

Morgantown Municipal Airport - Misplaced Pages Continue

2272-402: The airport handled almost 21 million passengers, more than any previous year. By the late 1990s growth had leveled off, with USAir concentrating on expanding at Philadelphia and Charlotte/Douglas International Airport , which had been a hub airport of Piedmont Airlines . In August 2001, the airport had its busiest month ever with 2 million passengers and an average of 633 daily flights, and

2343-492: The airport in 2001, and the airport was an important pillar of the Pittsburgh economy. However, the downturn in air travel immediately after September 11 attacks badly harmed US Airways' financial state. US Air declared chapter 11 bankruptcy twice in a row, and abandoned Pittsburgh as a hub in 2004, eliminating thousands of jobs and nearly bankrupting the airport itself, which was built largely to suit US Airways' needs. However, US Air's diminished capacity at Pittsburgh opened

2414-463: The airport in recent years, overtaking American Airlines (which US Airways merged with) as the largest carrier in terms of passengers. The airport is also a hub for regional carrier Southern Airways Express . Cargo operations have increased at the airport in recent years. In 2017, the airport became the first in the country to reopen access to the post-security terminal for individuals who are not flying, as long as they can pass through security, after

2485-402: The airport since 2006. Its current lease will continue until 2028. Through the first 11 months of 2021, FedEx accounted for 50% of all cargo traffic at the airport, followed by UPS at 33% and Amazon Air at 5%. +mail (lbs.) The airport has been the venue for a number of miscellaneous events. The U.S. Air Force has held several air shows at the airport. In 1991, over 40,000 people packed

2556-459: The airport surpassed pre-pandemic travel levels for the first time. Later that year, in June, the TSA recorded 970,000 travelers through the checkpoint, the highest count since 2005. In September 2017, Allegheny County Airport Authority officials announced a $ 1.1 billion plan to renovate and reconfigure the terminal complex, including a new landside terminal and a new parking garage. Under the proposal,

2627-401: The airport's expansive tarmac. As airline travel rebounded, airlines added or expanded service at PIT. In July 2021, Breeze Airways began nonstop service to four cities and has since expanded to 10 destinations. In October 2021, Sun Country Airlines announced it would enter the Pittsburgh market with service to its hub at Minneapolis/St. Paul . In February 2024, monthly passenger counts at

2698-566: The airport, but it was closed to non-travelers after 9/11. In 2017, the AirMall was reopened to non-travelers who obtained a free access pass from the airport, however this access is temporarily suspended. PIT is located at Exit 53 of Interstate 376 and the Western Terminus Pennsylvania Route 576 (future I-576), and within 10 miles (20 km) of Interstate 79 and 15 miles (24 km) of Interstate 76 ,

2769-606: The airport. The Pittsburgh Light Rail currently does not stop at the airport. Pittsburgh International Airport has a sizeable freight business, with a Free-trade zone of 5,000 acres (20 km ), access to three class-one railroad freight lines, one interstate highway, and a location a few miles from the nation's second largest inland port and within 500 miles of 80% of the nation's population. Four cargo buildings provide more than 183,000 square feet (17,001 m ) of warehouse capacity and over 450,000 square feet (41,806 m ) of apron space. The airport has begun construction on

2840-482: The costs. Until the beginning of World War II, Moon Township was mostly a rural agricultural area. It was not considered a suburb of downtown Pittsburgh as it was too distant. It was served solely by Pittsburgh-based state and federal services and media. In the early 1920s, John A. Bell of Carnegie purchased a number of small farms in Moon and established a commercial dairy farm on his 1,900 acres (8 km ) of land. He

2911-615: The current landside building would be demolished if another use is not found, and the number of gates would be reduced from 75 to 51. A new landside building would be constructed between the airside terminal's concourses C and D, with new security and baggage facilities, a new international arrivals area, and many other amenities to serve passengers. The board chairman of the Airport Authority, David Minnotte, said, "The people of Pittsburgh finally get an airport built for them and not USAir". No taxpayer dollars would be used to construct

Morgantown Municipal Airport - Misplaced Pages Continue

2982-520: The dedication of the first customs office at the complex. Ground was broken for the International Wing, west of the original terminal building, in 1970. It opened in 1972 to accommodate federal inspection services; international flights (Nordair 737s to Canada) began in 1971. The airport expanded as load increased. In 1972, rotundas were added to the end of each dock to allow more gates. In the later 1970s growth in regional air travel created

3053-400: The door for other airlines to expand operations and better serve local Pittsburgh-area passengers rather than focus on connecting passengers. The airport experienced a resurgence in the 2010s, doubling the number of carriers to 16 as the Allegheny County Airport Authority has aggressively courted airlines and lobbied for new passenger routes. Southwest Airlines has increased its presence at

3124-595: The enclosed moving walkway and have 8,000 spaces available. Bus service is also available from Downtown Pittsburgh and the city's University District (Oakland) via the Port Authority of Allegheny County 's 28X Route. Mountain Line Transit 's Grey Line also has service to areas south of Pittsburgh including Waynesburg, Pennsylvania ; Morgantown , Fairmont , and Clarksburg , West Virginia. BCTA Transit formerly served locations north and westbound from

3195-401: The end of 2005 the airline had eliminated 7,000 jobs while operating roughly 200 flights per day, mostly domestic. A year later, US Airways had only about 170 flights per day to and from Pittsburgh, most being domestic flights. Unrelenting flight and job cuts continued through the decade; accompanied by the airline's closure of Concourse E on the Landside Terminal and a portion of Concourse A on

3266-427: The federal government lifted restrictions put in place after 9/11 . In 2021, the airport became the first in the world with its own microgrid , which provides power to the entire airport with natural gas and solar power . The airport is currently undergoing a $ 1.39 billion renovation which will include a new terminal for check-in, security, and baggage claim adjacent to the gates. The renovation will eliminate

3337-413: The first floor extended farther than the second, the second floor extended farther than the third, etc. Such a design meant that the uncovered roof of the lower level could be an observation deck. In addition to the observation decks, the rounded "Horizon Room" was on the fourth floor with a commanding view of the airport. The interior of the terminal building was in the contemporary International Style , as

3408-484: The hotel and the gas station draw power from the airport's microgrid. American Airlines still has a maintenance base at Pittsburgh, which dates back to the US Air days and employs 500 people. American Airlines maintains and repairs all its Airbus narrowbody fleet at Pittsburgh. In 2021, it extended its lease at the airport for five years. Republic Airways has also operated a maintenance and repair operations base at

3479-451: The largest figure since 2004 and a 30% increase over 2020. The world's leading caterer for air and business, LSG SkyChefs , in 2007 chose Pittsburgh as its sole Western Hemisphere manufacturing facility. It expanded its customer service center on the cargo side of the airport by 20,000 square feet (1,900 m ) and now employs over 100 people with the capacity of making nearly 25 million meals per year for distribution to flights all over

3550-826: The late 1960's supplementing Allegheny Airlines and replaced Allegheny in 1979 flying to Pittsburgh and Washington National Airport . Aeromech ended their affiliation as Allegheny Commuter in 1981 and merged into Wright Air Lines in 1983. Wright ended all service in 1984. Christman Airlines also served Morgantown for a brief period during 1984. Colgan Airlines began service to Washington National in late 1984 and Crown Airways began service as Allegheny Commuter to Pittsburgh in early 1985. Allegheny Commuter became USAir Express in 1989. Colgan began code-sharing with Continental Airlines as Continental Express in 1987 then switched to United Airlines as United Express in 1988. Colgan's service ended in late 1989. Jet Express, operating on behalf of TWA as Trans World Express then operated

3621-547: The market, creating more choices for local passengers. Pittsburgh has also been successful in attracting airlines to serve the region for the first time or to return to the market. Allegiant Air commenced service in February 2015 and established a base of operations later that year. Frontier Airlines re-entered the Pittsburgh airport in 2016 after a four-year absence. Spirit Airlines commenced service to seven destinations in 2017. Alaska Airlines began service in 2019 with

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3692-484: The need for connecting passengers to go through security more than once. The airport was equipped to handle up to 35 million passengers per year. The modern and innovative Pittsburgh airport became a model for other airports around the world. Its design simplified aircraft movement on the airfield and enabled easy pedestrian traffic to the gates. US Air expanded with the new airport, and by 1995 they had nonstops from PIT to 91 airports, plus 28 more on USAir Express. In 1997

3763-406: The need for the tram and increase the number of parking spaces. Officials emphasized that the renovations would make the airport more suited to Pittsburgh, rather than to US Airways. First announced in 2017 and delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic , the renovation resumed in 2021 and is now projected to open in 2025. The project will not use any local tax dollars, and airlines will pay most of

3834-642: The new facility, and it will be instead financed with floating bonds, grants, passenger facility charges, and revenue from natural gas drilling on airport property. Construction was originally expected to begin in summer 2020 and the new terminal was slated to open in 2023. However, in April 2020 airport officials decided to delay the selling of bonds and start of construction due to the coronavirus pandemic. In February 2021, airport officials announced early site and construction work would begin in spring 2021 with an increased budget of $ 1.39 billion. The airlines serving

3905-431: The next Essential Air Service contract to service the airport primarily because of the air carrier's 99.2 percent completion rate, which was higher than Silver Airways' rate that had sometimes been less than 70 percent. Starting on November 30, 2016, Southern Airways Express began flights between Morgantown Municipal Airport and both Pittsburgh International Airport and Washington Dulles International Airport . Pittsburgh

3976-424: The primary arrival runway, 10R is the secondary arrival runway, while 10C is the departure runway. The airport complex consists of two main buildings, the "Landside Terminal" and the "Airside Terminal". The terminal consists of 75 gates on four concourses; however, only 56 gates are available for use. After passing through the security checkpoint, passengers board one of two underground people movers that travel to

4047-500: The rest of the airport. Pittsburgh's air traffic bottomed out in 2013 with 7.8 million passengers and 36 destinations. Despite de-hubbing the airport, US Airways chose Pittsburgh in 2008 for their systemwide flight operations control center, after a bidding war with Charlotte and Phoenix led to state and local subsidies totaling $ 16.25 million being offered to US Air to build the center at Pittsburgh. The center worked on emergency operations for US Airways Flight 1549 after it landed in

4118-1408: The route to Washington National from 1990 through 1992. Crown Airways then picked up the route to Washington National and was bought out by Mesa Airlines in 1994, also operating as USAir Express which later became US Airways Express . Mesa's service as US Airways Express was later replaced by Air Midwest and service ended in 2006. RegionsAir flew as Continental Connection between Morgantown and Cleveland from June, 2006 to March 2007. Colgan Air flew as US Airways Express between Morgantown and Pittsburgh from May 2007 to January 2008. Colgan Air then switched to fly as United Express between Morgantown and Washington–Dulles beginning in January 2008. These flights ended in May 2012. Silver Airways then flew as United Express from Morgantown to Washington–Dulles and Clarksburg beginning in mid-2012. The code-share with United ended in late 2014 and Silver began operating under their own brand. In June 2016, City of Morgantown employees began looking at other air carriers to replace Silver Airways because of Silver Airways' increasingly poor reliability. Airport officials received proposals from five interested airlines, namely Silver Airways, Southern Airways Express, ViaAir , Boutique Air , and Corporate Flight Management . Airport officials recommended that Southern Airways Express be chosen for

4189-491: The service unprofitable. In May 1985, British Airways started a link to London's Heathrow Airport via Washington, D.C., using Boeing 747s. Two days before the maiden flight, the airline had sent one of its Concordes to Pittsburgh to celebrate the launch of the route. In 1987, with the financial backing of USAir (then the dominant carrier in Pittsburgh), work commenced on a billion-dollar expansion. USAir inaugurated

4260-412: The state of Pennsylvania. First opened in 1952, the airport was initially served by five airlines and became a small hub for Trans World Airlines for over two decades. The airport underwent a massive $ 1 billion rebuilding and expansion which was largely designed to US Airways ' specification so it could become one of their major hubs. Completed in 1992, the new airport was one of the most innovative in

4331-543: The use of boarding passes at TSA security checkpoints in favor of a stronger system that verifies passengers based solely on a government-issued ID. Due to financial difficulties, Wow Air left Pittsburgh in January 2019. Three months later, British Airways began service to London-Heathrow aboard a Boeing 787. As airlines grounded planes in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Pittsburgh airport allowed American Airlines and Republic Airways to park nearly 100 planes on

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4402-486: The world, dubbed the "airport of the future" by the New York Times , and helped to pioneer modern airport design with its X-shape to reduce distance between gates, underground tram to transport passengers around the airport, and array of shopping options, all of which were cutting-edge at the time. Traffic peaked at 20 million passengers in the late 1990s, and US Air peaked at 542 flights and 11,995 employees at

4473-538: Was bought out by E.E. Rieck and his wife, and C.F. Nettrour, owners of the established Rieck's Dairy. They doubled the number of cattle at the farm. Around 1940, the federal government, through the Works Progress Administration (WPA), determined that the Pittsburgh area needed a military airport to defend the industrial wealth of the area and to provide a training base and stop-over facility. The administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt

4544-543: Was built entirely by Pittsburgh-area companies. The new airport, christened as Greater Pittsburgh Airport (renamed Greater Pittsburgh International Airport in 1972 upon the opening of the International Arrivals Building) opened on 31 May 1952. The first flight was on 3 June 1952. In its first full year of operation in 1953, more than 1.4 million passengers used the terminal. "Greater Pitt" was then considered modern and spacious. The airport terminal

4615-550: Was chosen as a destination because many people of Morgantown were used to flying out of Pittsburgh and enduring the lengthy drive, parking costs, and long lines at airport security. Southern Airways Express continued previous service to Washington–Dulles for the use of business travel and international travel pertaining to West Virginia University . On July 31, 2017 Southern Airways Express ended service to Washington Dulles and began service to Baltimore–Washington International Airport . Connections to many low-cost carriers were seen as

4686-578: Was continuing to invest in infrastructure across the country in the waning years of the Great Depression , before the US entered World War II, which had started in 1939. The agricultural expanses of Moon Township were attractive to airport planners in the city. The Civil Aeronautics Administration proposed $ 2.6 million to the county for a $ 6 million field in August 1941 ($ 53.9 million and $ 124 million present day dollars). The county bought

4757-454: Was not very successful at first as Qatar failed to meet tonnage goals, and in December 2019 the route was suspended. However, Qatar resumed the flight in 2020 without any subsidies, and as of 2022 had increased operations to 3-4 flights per week. Several new cargo carriers began service to Pittsburgh in 2020 and 2021, including Cathay Pacific , SpiceXpress , and Amazon Air . In 2021, nearly 250 million pounds of cargo goods touched down at PIT,

4828-565: Was on track for 2001 to be its busiest year ever. Then the September 11 attacks harmed the aviation industry, and US Air in particular, setting in motion the decline of Pittsburgh as a hub. US Air began slashing jobs a week after the attacks and filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization in 2002. High operating costs at the airport put the US Airways hub in Pittsburgh at a serious disadvantage. By 2003, US Airways reported to be running

4899-419: Was the exterior. One of the memorable features of the lobby was the large compass laid in the floor with green and yellow-orange terrazzo. A mobile by Alexander Calder was another decorative feature of the lobby. The mobile hangs in the center core of the new airside terminal. A re-creation of the compass was installed in the new terminal at an exhibit dedicated to old "Greater Pitt". The first five airlines of

4970-591: Was the first airport (since 9/11) in the nation to allow non-passengers to pass through security to dine and shop in a post-security terminal. Participants can sign up for myPITpass on the airport's website and must pass through the alternate security checkpoint before continuing through to the Airmall in the airside terminal. The airport became one of the first in the United States to use a new TSA system called Credential Authentication Technology, which phases out

5041-483: Was the largest in the United States, second only to Idlewild Airport's (now JFK Airport) in New York when it was completed five years later. The airport's capacity is one of its most valuable assets. The airport was designed by local architect Joseph W. Hoover. One of the features of his style is the use of simple, exposed concrete, steel, and glass materials. The terminal building was constructed in "stepped" levels:

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