Pittsburgh International Airport

Infobox Airport
name = Pittsburgh International Airport




IATA = PIT
ICAO = KPIT
FAA = PIT
type = Public / Military
operator = Allegheny County Airport Authority
city-served =
location = Findlay Township, Pennsylvania
elevation-f = 1,204
elevation-m = 367
coordinates = Coord|40|29|29|N|080|13|58|W|type:airport
website = [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/ FlyPittsburgh.com]
r1-number = 10R/28L
r1-length-f = 11,500
r1-length-m = 3,505
r1-surface = Concrete
r2-number = 10L/28R
r2-length-f = 10,502
r2-length-m = 3,201
r2-surface = Asphalt/Concrete
r3-number = 10C/28C
r3-length-f = 9,708
r3-length-m = 2,959
r3-surface = Asphalt/Concrete
r4-number = 14/32
r4-length-f = 8,101
r4-length-m = 2,469
r4-surface = Concrete
h1-number = H1
h1-length-f = 60
h1-length-m = 18
h1-surface = Concrete
stat-year = 2007
stat1-header = Passengers
stat1-data = 9,822,588
stat2-header = Aircraft operations
stat2-data = 209,303
stat3-header = Metric tonnes of cargo
stat3-data = 154,157,371
footnotes = Sources: FAA,FAA-airport|ID=PIT|use=PU|own=PU|site=21252.*A, effective 2007-03-15] Airport website. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/ FlyPittsburgh.com] , FlyPittsburgh.com]

Pittsburgh International Airport Airport codes|PIT|KPIT|PIT, formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as PIT, is an international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately convert|20|mi|km|-1 west of downtown Pittsburgh at Exit 6 of PA-60 (Future I-376) and the Northern Terminus of PA Turnpike 576 (Future I-576). It is owned and operated by the Allegheny County Airport Authority which also operates the Allegheny County Airport. PIT is primarily a passenger airport serving the Pittsburgh metropolitan area, providing 186 non-stop flights per day to 49 destinations via 28 airlines, but it also serves a role in aerial refueling as well as general aviation and cargo flights. It is home to the Pittsburgh Joint Air Reserve Station.

Pittsburgh International is the second busiest passenger airport in Pennsylvania and 45th busiest in the United States, [http://www.aci-na.org/stats/resolveuid/53298dd87814e75c65b0ad86c2ca2c43] serving 9,822,588 passengers in 2007 on 209,303 aircraft operations. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/stats/DECEMBER_2006_SHORT_E-MAIL_REPORT.pdf Pittsburgh International Airport Summary of Traffic] ] Until 2004, US Airways operated its largest hub at Pittsburgh International. As of 2007, the airline remains PIT's largest carrier (handling 39 percent [ [http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/pittsburghtrib/business/s_527588.html US Airways' Pittsburgh market share under 40 percent - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review ] ] of passengers). Southwest Airlines began service at the airport in May 2005 and is now the second largest airline in Pittsburgh with nonstop service to 7 destinations and more than 20 daily flights. The airport offers service to the United States, Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Mainline passenger aircraft that regularly visit the airport include the Boeing 717, Boeing 737, and Boeing 757, along with the Airbus A319, Airbus A320, and Airbus A321, as well as the Douglas DC-9 and MD80. Widebody passenger aircraft have not served the airport regularly since US Airways ended its transatlantic Boeing 767 and Airbus A330 service to Frankfurt, London, and Paris, and no Boeing 747's since British Airways ended service in the late 90's.

Pittsburgh International Airport occupies more than 12,900 acres (45 km²), making it the fourth largest airport in the nation. [ [http://pittsburgh.about.com/library/weekly/aa122100a.htm About.com: Pittsburgh International Airport] ] It is so large that both Chicago's O'Hare and Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson could comfortably fit within the airport's land area. It's fourth in the country behind Denver International, Dallas-Fort Worth International, and John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York.

PIT has been frequently recognized for its quality in meeting travelers' needs. The OAG Worldwide listed the facility to its short list of the world's best airports for four consecutive years. The market research leader, JD Power and Associates named PIT among the top five airports in its two most recent customer satisfaction surveys. Conde Nast Traveler's Magazine named PIT among the best in the United States and in the world in its People's Choice Award.

History

Until the beginning of World War II, Moon Township, PA was mostly a rural agricultural area. It was too far from downtown Pittsburgh to be considered the "suburb" that it is today, although it was served solely by Pittsburgh media and state/federal services. In the early 1920s, John A. Bell of Carnegie purchased a number of small farms in Moon and established a major commercial dairy farm on his convert|1900|acre|ha|0 of land. He was bought out by Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Reick and C.F. Nettrour, owners of the established "Reick's" Dairy, who doubled the number of cattle at the farm.

By 1940, the United States was becoming involved in World War II. The Works Progress Administration (WPA) identified that the Pittsburgh area needed a military airport to defend the industrial wealth of the area, and provide a training base and stop-over facility. The agricultural expanses of Moon Township were attractive to the early airport planners in the city. The WPA bought the Bell Farm and began construction of the runways.

In 1944, Allegheny County officials proposed to expand the military airport with the addition of a commercial passenger terminal in order to relieve the Allegheny County Airport, which was built in 1926 and whose capacity was quickly becoming insufficient to support the growing demand for air travel. Ground was broken on the new airport on July 18, 1946. The new terminal building would eventually cost $33 million to build and was built exclusively 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 May 31, 1952. The first flight occurred on June 3, 1952. In its full year of operation in 1953, over 1.4 million passengers used the terminal. At that time, "Greater Pitt" was considered "modern" and spacious. In fact, the airport was the largest in the United States, second only to Idlewild Airport (now JFK Airport) in New York when it was completed 5 years later.

The airport was designed by a local architect named Joseph W. Hoover. One of the primary features of his style is the use of simple, exposed concrete, steel, and glass materials. The terminal building was constructed in "stepped" levels: 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 then be used as an observation deck. In addition to the observation desks, the rounded "Horizon Room" was designed on the fourth floor with a commanding view of the airport runways. The interior of the terminal building was designed in the International Style, as was the exterior. One of the most memorable features of the lobby was the large compass laid in the floor with the green and yellow-orange terrazzo. The lobby also included shops and services for travelers. A mobile by Alexander Calder was another decorative feature of the lobby. The mobile currently hangs in the center core of the new airside terminal, and 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 the Greater Pittsburgh Airport were TWA, Capital Airlines (later part of United), Northwest, All American (later Allegheny Airlines, then USAir, and finally US Airways), and Eastern Airlines.

In 1959, the east dock was added to the terminal as air travel became more popular. On July 25, 1959, TWA introduced the first scheduled commercial jet service (Boeing 707) to Pittsburgh. With the longer range of jet engines, international air travel was more practical. By 1969, the airport sought to become an "international" airport. Ground was broken for the new International Wing, west of the original terminal building, on July 8, 1970. The International Wing opened in 1972 to accommodate federal inspection services and other requirements for international travel. In that year, local newspapers advertised airline tickets to numerous places in Europe, the Caribbean, Japan, and Canada.

In 1972, rotundas were added to the end of each dock to further expand the number of gates at the terminal. In the later 1970s, significant growth in regional air travel created a need for additional gates at the terminal. In 1980, the South East Dock was opened. Even with all the expansions, the terminal could not meet the needs of modern air travel, and in 1987, with the financial backing of USAir (the most dominant carrier in Pittsburgh at the time), ground was broken on construction of a brand new terminal.

On October 1, 1992, the new Midfield Terminal opened and all operations transferred over from the old terminal overnight. (The old terminal remained standing for some years after, continuing to house a few operations offices; it was demolished in 1999.) The new terminal was equipped with numerous innovative, state-of-the-art features at the time, including an "AirMall" that featured shops for passengers to browse in, and "landside-airside" terminal construction which eliminated the need for connecting passengers to go through security again. The airport's capacity is one of its most valuable assets. A model to other airports around the world, the design of the terminal was planned to simplify aircraft movement on the airfield and ease pedestrian traffic to the gates.

The airport thrived through the 1990s, with USAir (later US Airways) maintaining its largest operations base at the airport, providing both passengers with easy connections through the state-of-the-art terminal and the Pittsburgh region with a large number of jobs. The downturn in the economy at the start of the 21st century and the September 11th attacks, however, put US Airways (and the air travel industry in general) in severe financial trouble, and the airline announced in 2004 that it would be substantially reducing its operations at Pittsburgh by shifting its primary hub to Philadelphia. By 2005, the airline had only about 170 flights per day to and from Pittsburgh, most of them domestic, compared with 542 before the reduction, including many international flights to London, Paris, and Frankfurt.

Recent

The airport has seen greatly reduced traffic due to US Airways' cutbacks. The airport's operator, the Allegheny County Airport Authority, has attempted to attract new service to the airport--low-cost and international carriers in particular--in hopes of bringing more passengers, with some success. AirTran Airways, which initially had trouble competing in Pittsburgh after beginning service in 2000, was finally able to successfully expand Pittsburgh offerings after the US Airways' cuts. In 2003, USA3000 Airlines began service to Florida and has recently expanded to include international destinations in the Caribbean. Southwest Airlines began service to Pittsburgh in May 2005, and the company broke US Airways's monopolies on Tampa, Phoenix, Las Vegas, and Philadelphia and brought more competition to the Chicago and Orlando markets. JetBlue Airways began service on June 30, 2006. JetBlue broke US Airways' monopoly on Boston and brought more competition to the New York market. Myrtle Beach Direct Air also began service in March 2007 and broke US Airways's monopoly on Myrtle Beach.

US Airways cutbacks

In 2003, US Airways approached PIT over the concern of operating fees. Since US Airways was the largest carrier at the airport, and the head of the airline's operation, they requested lower operated fees. PIT refused, and US Airways threatened to move all major operations to Philadelphia and Charlotte, which they did. US cut many flights including all flights to Europe (London, Frankfurt, and Paris) and many flights in North America.

US Airways announced plans to reduce mainline flying in January 2008 from 31 to 22 daily flights, by focusing on profitable destinations, while dropping others. The airline is attempting to stabilize the financial hemorrhage of its Pittsburgh operation brought on since PIT was dehubbed. As part of the new schedule, regional flying to smaller cities was reduced from 77 to 46 daily flights. [http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/071003/law074.html?.v=101] CEO Doug Parker stated "unfortunately our ability to operate profitably from Pittsburgh has been sharply eroded over the past few years and the hub lost more than $40 million over the past 12 months alone." [http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/10/03/ap4184574.html] As a result of these flight cuts, the Allegheny County Airport Authority closed 27 gates at the end of the A and B concourses, which decreased the number of gates operated by US Airways from 28 to 10. By closing these gates, the Airport Authority will be able to save $1 million per year. However, the decrease in air service will cost the airport about $5.5 million, which means airline fees for landings, terminal space, and gate space will be increased to make up for the $4.5 million lost. [Belko, Mark. [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07299/828755-100.stm Airport to close 27 gates, raise airline fees] , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, October 26, 2007]

While US Airways flights are declining at the airport, other airlines at the airport have seen growths in passengers since the cutbacks, and most of them have added more flights. Talks for Northwest Airlines adding international flights have ended due to rising fuel costs.

Future plans

Airport officials are now constructing a new baggage sorting facility on the grounds where the northern most arm of the old E gates was located. The arm was demolished early in 2007 to make room for the new Northern Matrix Baggage Sorting Facility. The new facility will be used by US Airways and Southwest Airlines. By adding the new facility, the current screening machines on the ticketing level near US Airways' ticket counter will not be needed. Everything will be screened "in- line" similar to the southern end of the ticketing level served by all the other airlines. Southwest Airlines will be moved from their current location to a new ticket counter beside US Airways. This will give them the extra room they would need to expand services in the future.

Dick's Sporting Goods announced that they will be relocating their headquarters to Findlay Township on airport grounds. They have outgrown their current facility located just a few miles southeast of the airport near Robinson Town Centre. The new complex will have a hangar and taxiway access for private aircraft.

A new cargo facility is being proposed with help from the state. The first phase of the multi- million dollar project would include 900,000 square feet of warehouse distribution and air cargo space. This could help talks between PIT and Xi'an Xianyang International Airport in China. [ [http://www.postgazette.com/pg/08033/854236-85.stm State supports airport cargo proposal] , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 2, 2008]

Passenger complex

The airport complex consists of two main buildings, the "Landside Terminal" and the "Airside Terminal."

Landside Terminal

The landside terminal is the building closest to the parking areas and the entry point for passengers whose flights originate from Pittsburgh. It includes ticketing, 12 baggage claim areas (6 belong to US Airways, although they currently utilize 2), [ [http://www.pitairport.com/AirportGuideServlet?action=baggage Pittsburgh International Airport ] ] security checkpoints, and ground transportation such as taxi, limo, and rapid transit. There is a [http://pittsburghairport.hyatt.com Hyatt Regency Hotel] attached to the enclosed moving walkway. There are also shops in the landside terminal including Au Bon Pain, Travelmart, Sue Venir, City of Bridges Cafe, and a baggage claim Travelmart. There are Travelers Aid desks on the transit and baggage claim levels as well as Airport Police Headquarters.

After passing through the security checkpoint, passengers board one of two underground people movers that travel to the airside terminal, where all departure gates are located. It was built and operated by Bombardier Transportation and is completely controlled by computer (there is no driver onboard).

The baggage claim is located on the bottom level of the Landside Terminal. The baggage claim assignments are as follows:
*A - US Airways
*B - US Airways
*C - US Airways
*D - US Airways
*E - US Airways
*F - US Airways
*J - Air Canada and United Airlines
*K - JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines
*L - Delta Air Lines
*M - American Airlines and Midwest Airlines
*P - Continental Airlines, Myrtle Beach Direct Air, and Northwest Airlines
*R - AirTran Airways and USA3000 Airlines

Note - there is an oversized belt near claim F for any oversized baggage.

Airside Terminal

The airside terminal consists of 4 concourses (A, B, C, D) that hold the departure gates. [ [http://www.pitairport.com/AirportGuideServlet?action=complete Pittsburgh International Airport ] ] In the center core is the majority of the Airmall shops (there are over 100 shops including GAP, Swarovski, Brighton Collectibles, Brooks Brothers, Body Shop, Godiva, Victoria's Secret, Sam Adams Brewery, Lids, Ben & Jerry's, PGA Tour Shop, GNC, Brookstone, Charley's Steakhouse and Rite Aid. On the mezzanine level are the US Airways Club and a chapel. There are also Carnegie Science Center and Pittsburgh Aviation History Displays located throughout the airport.

Airline lounges

US Airways has their US Airways Club on the mezzanine level of the airside terminal. [ [http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/club/locations.aspx#pit US Airways | US Airways Club locations ] ] It is accessible by escalators in the center core area. Before a post 9/11 restructure of routes (dehubbing PIT), US Airways had three clubs. The other two clubs were located down the A and B concourses. British Airways also had a lounge area in the C concourse during their transatlantic flight operations from Pittsburgh (1980s to late 1990s). Their lounge room is still there intact but now closed off.

Parking

Pittsburgh International offers on site parking operated by the Grant Oliver Corporation and patrolled by the Allegheny County Police. Grant Oliver offers usage of a GO FAST Pass account to pay for parking electronically at the airport. Go Fast Pass customers may register their E-Zpass transponders to use with the system, although billing and other aspects of the system are entirely handled by Grant Oliver. [ [http://www.grantoliver.com/go_fast_pass.html Go Fast Pass ] ] There are regular parking shuttles to the Long Term and Extended lots [http://www.pitairport.com/ParkingServlet Pittsburgh International Airport ] ] that can be accessed from the Baggage Claim level of the Landside Terminal outside doors six and eight.

There are three options for parking: Short Term, Long Term, and Extended. The Short Term garage is attached to the Landside Terminal via the enclosed moving walkway. There are 2,100 spaces available. The Long Term section also quick access to the enclosed moving walkway. There are 3,100 spaces available here. The Extended section does not have access to the enclosed moving walkway but does have regular parking shuttles that can be accessed from the Baggage Claim level of the Landside Terminal outside doors six and eight. There are 8,000 spaces available in the Extended lot.

Terminals, airlines, and destinations

Pittsburgh International Airport has 75 gates on 4 concourses:

Concourse A

Concourse A has twenty-five gates: A1 - A25
* Southwest Airlines - Gates A1, A3, & A5 (Baltimore/Washington, Chicago-Midway, Las Vegas, Orlando, Philadelphia, Phoenix, Tampa)

Thirteen gates on Concourse A are closed, leaving only twelve available for use. The dogleg extension of Concourse A is walled off. [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07340/839580-28.stm Rivals don't want gates dropped by US Airways] ]

Concourse B

Concourse B has twenty-five gates: B26 - B50
* US Airways - Gates B26-B37 (Charlotte, Fort Lauderdale [ends January 4] , Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York-LaGuardia, Orlando [ends January 4] , Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Francisco, Tampa [ends January 4] , Washington-Reagan)
** US Airways Express operated by Air Wisconsin (Boston, Indianapolis, New York-LaGuardia, Newark, Washington-Reagan)
** US Airways Express operated by PSA Airlines (Charlotte)
** US Airways Express operated by Republic Airlines (Boston, Charlotte, Indianapolis, New York-LaGuardia, Philadelphia, Washington-Reagan)
** US Airways Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Hartford/Springfield, Raleigh/Durham, St. Louis)

Concourse B, like Concourse A, has an extension at the end that is currently walled off. Twelve gates in this extension are closed leaving only thirteen on the concourse in operation.

Concourse C

Concourse C has eleven gates: C51 - C61

* Air Canada - Gate C51
** Air Canada Jazz (Toronto-Pearson)
* AirTran Airways - Gates C52 & C54 (Atlanta, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers [seasonal] , Orlando, Tampa [seasonal] )
* JetBlue Airways - Gates C56 & C58 (Boston, New York-JFK)
* United Airlines - Gates C51 & C53 (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver [ends November 2] )
** United Express operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Washington-Dulles)
** United Express operated by Mesa Airlines (Washington-Dulles)
** United Express operated by Shuttle America (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver [begins November 3] , Washington-Dulles)
** United Express operated by SkyWest Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Denver)
** United Express operated by Trans States Airlines (Chicago-O'Hare, Washington-Dulles)
* USA3000 Airlines - Gates C58 & C61 (Cancún, Fort Myers, Montego Bay [seasonal; resumes December 20] , Punta Cana)

International Arrivals

All international arrivals, except for cities with U.S. border preclearance, pass through Concourse C as customs and immigration is located on the lower level of the concourse. There is a separate area at the end of Concourse C where international flights arrive. USA3000 is the only scheduled airline that serves destinations without preclearance.

Gates C55, C57, & C59-C61 are designated for international use. Gate C61 includes a dual jetway to accommodate widebody aircraft.

Concourse D

Concourse D has fourteen gates: D76 - D89
* American Airlines - Gates D86, D88-D89
** AmericanConnection operated by Trans States Airlines (Miami)
** American Eagle (Chicago-O'Hare, Dallas/Fort Worth, New York-JFK, New York-LaGuardia)
* Continental Airlines - Gates D77 & D79 (Houston-Intercontinental)
** Continental Connection operated by Colgan Air (Newark)
** Continental Connection operated by CommutAir (Cleveland)
** Continental Express operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Houston-Intercontinental, Newark)
* Delta Air Lines - Gates D76, D78, & D80 (Atlanta)
** Delta Connection operated by Atlantic Southeast Airlines (Atlanta, New York-JFK)
** Delta Connection operated by Chautauqua Airlines (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky)
** Delta Connection operated by Comair (Atlanta, Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK)
** Delta Connection operated by Freedom Airlines (Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky, New York-JFK)
** Delta Connection operated by Pinnacle Airlines (Atlanta)
** Delta Connection operated by Shuttle America (Atlanta)
* Direct Air - Gate D87
** Direct Air operated by Virgin America (Myrtle Beach)
* Midwest Airlines - Gate D87
** Midwest Connect operated by Republic Airlines (Milwaukee) [ [http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/general_aviation/read.main/4135620/ New Midwest Connect/Republic routes] ]
** Midwest Connect operated by SkyWest Airlines (Milwaukee)
* Northwest Airlines - Gates D81, D83, & D85 (Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
** Northwest Airlink operated by Compass Airlines (Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul)
** Northwest Airlink operated by Mesaba Airlines (Minneapolis/St. Paul)
** Northwest Airlink operated by Pinnacle Airlines (Detroit, Memphis, Minneapolis/St. Paul)

Concourse E

Concourse E had twenty-two gates: E1 - E22

Concourse E was a passenger terminal area connected to the airport's landside building and was formerly used for quick access to US Airways Express commuter aircraft. Following cuts in service by US Airways, all Concourse E gates have been closed to air traffic. A portion of the concourse has been demolished to make way for a new baggage sorting facility for US Airways and Southwest Airlines, while the remaining portion of the concourse is used as an alternative security checkpoint. This additional checkpoint helps alleviate long lines at the airport's main airside checkpoint during peak travel times.

Transportation

Highway connections

Pittsburgh International is located at Exit 6 of Pennsylvania Route 60 (future I-376) and the Northern Terminus Pennsylvania Route 576 (future I-576), and within convert|10|mi|km|-1 of I-79 and convert|15|mi|km|0 of I-76 the Pennsylvania Turnpike. I-70 to the south and I-80 to the north are both less than an hour away.

Public transit

Bus service is also available from Downtown Pittsburgh and the city's University District (Oakland) via Port Authority's 28X Route as well as from the suburban BCTA Transit to locations north and westbound.

Route	Title	Areas Served
Airport Flyer
28X	"Universities, Downtown Pittsburgh, PIT"	Robinson Town Centre, Duquesne Incline, Pittsburgh. Duquesne University, Chatham University, University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Point Park University
BCTA
#6	"Rochester, PIT, Robinson Mall"	Rochester, Hopewell, PIT, Robinson Town Centre, Robinson Mall

Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato hopes to eventually extend the Pittsburgh Light Rail system to the airport one day; however, no formal plans have been made for an extension, and it is currently merely a proposal [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07315/832966-147.stm. Getting Around: Transportation wish list would cost billions] , The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. November 1, 2007.] .

Innovations

Pittsburgh International has also been the first in the world in several key innovations.

Wi-Fi

Free Wi-Fi throughout a passenger terminal was introduced to world air travelers first at Pittsburgh International, a service that has been copied by several airports and airline terminals throughout the world since. [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04057/277604.stm Wireless computer users rush to take advantage of free access, "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" (2004-02-26)] ] Hand in hand with its technology prowess Pittsburgh also became the first airport in the world to offer fare alert emails. [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/04040/270924.stm Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (2004-01-09] ] The airport innovated proactive emails on airfare discounts by carrier and destination weekly, proving very successful it was recognized by the Airports Council International for Excellence in Marketing and Communications in 2007 as first place in North America. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/NewsEventsServlet?option=pressReleases&shortdescp=1 Pittsburgh International Airport Press Release] ] Using another blessing of Wi-Fi technology, Pittsburgh International Airport also helped to innovate electronic parking at airports nationwide with its GoFastPass system - a system similar to E-Zpass. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/NewsEventsServlet?option=pressArchives&shortdescp=50 Pittsburgh International Airport ] ]

AirMall concept

The AirMall at the airport also provided several world's firsts in both featuring fair "street prices" to wary air travelers and being the first major and diverse shopping center located within an airport terminal when it opened in 1992 with over 100 name brand retailers. [ [http://www.usatoday.com/travel/news/2003/09/25-airport-cities.htm New 'cities' springing up around many U.S. airports "USA Today" (2003-09-25)] ] Along with this concept Pittsburgh became the first airport to have two Xpress Spas in its retail area.

Upon opening, many local shoppers used to be able to shop inside the AirMall freely. However, this changed after 9/11, and due to security concerns, anyone who was allowed past security without being an employee at the AirMall or the airport itself must purchase an airline ticket. Business dropped considerably due to the tighter regulations, though business has since regained pre-9/11 levels.

Among the stores currently at the AirMall include several specialty shops, CNBC Business stores, a Rite Aid (a former Eckerd, itself originally a Thrift Drug), two McDonald's locations, T.G.I. Friday's, Quaker Steak & Lube, and a Charley's Steakery.

ervice

Pittsburgh International was also the first airport in the Northeast and Midwest to offer service on major discount carriers JetBlue Airways and Southwest Airlines simultaneously. [ [http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/routemap_dyn.html?ref=wwf_fgn Southwest Airlines Interactive Route Map ] ] [ [http://www.jetblue.com/wherewefly/ JetBlue | Where we fly | Tell us where to fly ] ] Southwest in fact has awarded its Pittsburgh operations as "station of the year" for 2006, as well as revealing that its Pittsburgh traffic has grown faster than any destination since the airline's inception. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/NewsEventsServlet?option=pressArchives&shortdescp=11 Pittsburgh International Airport Press Release] ] PIT was one of the first airports to deploy dozens of portable defibrillators, [ [http://www.early-defib.org/05_02_06202001.html Pittsburgh International Airport launches AED program, "National Center for Early Defibrillation" (2001-06-11)] ] and developed the first volunteer ambassador program. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/AboutUsServlet?option=pit_ambasprog Pittsburgh International Airport ] ] . [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05239/561033.stm Airport ambassadors deploy to assist domestic travelers, "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" (2005-08-27)] ] As of 2007 PIT became one of the first airport pilot programs (post 9/11) to allow guests at the airport hotel to have terminal access to the Airmall. Guests at the Hyatt Regency wishing to use this service must request a pass at the front desk and they will contact the proper authority to get them a security pass. Those wishing to do so still have to go through the security checkpoint. [Belko, Mark. [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07103/777778-100.stm Airport hotel guests to get Air Mall access] , Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, April 13, 2007] Pittsburgh International has also shown excellence among carrier networks. Southwest Airlines has named its Pittsburgh base as the best in its system for 2006, [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/NewsEventsServlet?option=pressReleases&shortdescp=17 Pittsburgh International Airport Press Release] ] in its first full year of service at PIT. Among the factors in the award is on-time performance and efficient baggage service, two areas where the airport in general excels.

Aviation

Airport maintenance has also claimed world firsts for Pittsburgh International, developing one of the best winter weather operations in the nation with its unique front and rear deicing fleets and embedded runway sensors. The first use of the front discharge spray bars during winter weather was at Pittsburgh. [Long, Tom. [http://www.grounds-mag.com/snow_ice/2001_august_takeoff/ Keep Snow Cleared for Takeoff] , Grounds Maintenance Magazine] This innovative spirit among airport ground maintenance crews coupled with the abundance of runways and lengths, has given Pittsburgh the reputation in the industry as one of the few airports free of weather or winter delays.Pittsburgh International also is unique as being scheduled as the first "Joint Readiness Center", [ [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/05239/561132.stm Joint readiness center, "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette" (2005-08-27)] ]

Runways

Pittsburgh International's airfield features a wide, open layout and four runways, including three east-west parallel runways and a fourth crosswind runway. This allows for the efficient flow of air traffic in nearly any wind condition. The airport's two longest runways are 11,500 and convert|10500|ft|m|-1 in length, allowing PIT to accommodate even the largest of commercial aircraft. Further, with the availability of land surrounding the airport, PIT can add up to four additional runways as needed.

With the availability of three parallel runways, simultaneous landings or departures can be performed in nearly any situation. [http://www.faa.gov/ats/asc/publications/CAPACITY/PIT.pdf] Runways 10R and 10L are equipped with Category III ILS (Instrument Landing System). 28R, 28L, and 32 have Category I ILS and 10C/ 28C has LOC/ GS.

Additional operations

Air Force

Pittsburgh International, as a primarily commercial complex, may not strike the average flyer as a site rich in military aviation tradition. Founded as a military base to answer the regions defense needs during World War II, the complex continues its Air Force legacy in reduced but still visible ways. Pittsburgh International continues to serve as the headquarters for two Air Force units (911th Airlift Wing on its northeastern side, and the 171st Air Refueling Wing), and the home base for the Pennsylvania Air National Guard. The airport hosts an average of 20 military flight operations per day in its role as host to the region's defense center. Although the Air Reserve and Air National Guard maintain a great presence on that corner of the complex, the shuttering of some of the Air Force facilities in recent decades has led to the growth of a new tenant for that equipment at Pittsburgh. The FAA has taken over much of the excess cold-war era infrastructure that the Air Guard and Reserve no longer needs, making Pittsburgh recently an important regional center for the agency. Pittsburgh's military heritage is also rekindled each summer as the complex hosts one of the largest air shows on the east coast, "Wings over Pittsburgh". Roughly 200,000 spectators attended the two-day show in 2005. [ [http://www.wingsoverpittsburgh.com wings over pittsburgh ] ] The military end of the airport complex has also been mentioned as the best relocation site for the region's PX. The 2008 scheduled closing of nearby Charles E. Kelley Support Facility and its PX has brought PIT the opportunity to host the facility on its military side.

General aviation

The new Business Aviation Center (FBO Avcenter), located at the site of the former airport terminal building, is a modern and full service facility for management of corporate air travel and general aviation. This area is accessible by using Business 60 (Future Business I-376) near Moon Township. [http://www.avports.com/pages/fbo_avcenters/fbo_pit.html]

Cargo

The airport's nine cargo carriers account for over 200 million lbs (90 million kg) of freight per year. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/AboutUsServlet?option=pit_factsheet Pittsburgh International Airport: Fact Sheet] ] Three cargo buildings provide more than 183,000 sq ft (17,000 m²) of warehouse capacity and over 450,000 sq ft (42,000 m²) of apron space.

The following major cargo airlines have regular cargo service to and from Pittsburgh International Airport. Multiple destinations are served, the usual ones are noted:
*ABX Air (Rochester, Providence (RI), Wilmington (OH))
*FedEx Express (Columbus-Rickenbacker, Indianapolis, Memphis, Newark, Rochester)
**FedEx Feeder operated by Wiggins Airways (Altoona, Cumberland (MD), Johnstown, State College)
*UPS Airlines (Louisville, Philadelphia)

Fire school

The Allegheny County Airport Authority Fire Bureau operates a next-generation, state of the art Aircraft Rescue Fire Fighting (ARFF) Training Center.

As an FAA regional training facility it comes equipped with a Boeing 757 mock-up offering realistic and challenging training. The simulated tail engine offers ARFF personnel critical high engine training scenarios. Adjacent to the first-training simulator is a four-story tower that houses the Computer Center ensuring consistent repeatable evolutions for each trainee and allows training to be conducted with the utmost safety of participants in mind. Being well within the airport boundary and designed to be in an area that minimizes distractions, the classrooms, management center, vehicle bay, trainee/equipment support areas and visitors center are located directly adjacent to the training grounds. This layout maximizes training time for students. The use of propane and control of water run-off combine to reduce environmental impact while providing quality occupational education for fire fighters, emergency responders and industrial personnel. [ [http://www.flypittsburgh.com/AboutUsServlet?option=pit_fireschool Pittsburgh International Airport Aircraft Rescue and Firefighting (ARFF) school training ] ]

The year round training facility offers specialized sessions in cold climate training evolutions. The system is propane fueled and computer controlled. It features a number of burn scenarios including:

*convert|12280|sqft|m2|0|sing=on fuel spill burn area
*Wing engine fire
*Wheel/brake fire
*Gallery fire
*Cockpit fire
*Passenger Compartment fire
*Lavatory/Trash Receptacle fire
*Flashover simulation.

Fictional portrayals

The Pittsburgh International Airport has hosted major Hollywood productions, including:

*"Dogma" (1999) during the opening scenes with Ben Affleck and Matt Damon as a stand in for a "Wisconsin Airport".
*"Houseguest" (1995), the Sinbad and Phil Hartman movie.
*"Smart People" (2008) starring Dennis Quaid and Sarah Jessica Parker
*"Wonder Boys" (2000) starring Michael Douglas, Tobey Maguire, and Robert Downey Jr.
*"The Young and the Restless" starring Jennifer Gareis, Camryn Grimes, Lauralee Bell, and Doug Davidson as a stand in for a Genoa City International Airport. (March 1998)
*"Zack and Miri Make a Porno" (2008) starring Elizabeth Banks, Seth Rogen, Kevin Smith (Post-production)
*"She's Out Of My League" (2008) starring Alice Eve and Jay Baruchel (Still in Production)

Aircraft accidents at PIT

*November 22, 2001 a corporate Learjet crashed after a rapid takeoff in which it went "nose-high" before the pilot lost control, both on board were killed.
*September 8, 1994 USAir Flight 427, a 737-300, crashed on approach from Chicago O'Hare International Airport. All 132 people on board were killed. It resulted in the longest and most thorough NTSB investigation in world history. It was determined that a lock occurred in rudder control that caused the plane to fall uncontrollably from convert|6000|ft|m|-2. Boeing has retrofitted every 737 because of the data gathered from this crash. The plane crashed roughly convert|10|mi|km|-.625 North-Northwest in Hopewell Township.
*April 1, 1956 TWA Flight 400 from Pittsburgh to Newark crashed about a half mile after taking off when the pilot and co-pilot did not immediately correct a small engine malfunction/fire. Due to miscommunication and lack of focus it caused failure and a crash. 22 of 36 occupants were killed. [ [http://www.airdisaster.com/cgi-bin/view_details.cgi?date=04011956&reg=N40403&airline=Trans+World+Airlines Accident Synopsis 04011956] , AirDisaster.com]

References

ee also

* Pennsylvania World War II Army Airfields
* Eastern Air Defense Force (Air Defense Command)

External links

* [http://www.flypittsburgh.com FlyPittsburgh.com (Official site)]
* [http://www.dot.state.pa.us/Internet/Bureaus/pdBOA.nsf/infoPitt Pennsylvania Bureau of Aviation: Pittsburgh International Airport]
* [http://www.airmall.com/ Airmall]
* [http://wikitravel.org/en/article/Pittsburgh Wikitravel] , navigating the terminal, transportation to and from the airport, Pittsburgh districts
* [http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/facility/pittsburgh.htm GlobalSecurity.org site on military operations and airport specs for Pittsburgh International]
* [http://www.usatoday.com/travel/columnist/grossman/2007-10-15-dismantling-pittsburgh-hub_N.htm Dismantling Pittsburgh: Death of an airline hub] - "USA Today"
* [http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07292/826615-28.stm US Airways' Parker responds to criticism from senators] "Pittsburgh Post-Gazette"
*FAA-diagram|00570