US Airways will reduce the number of flights in January from its Pittsburgh hub, a move that will cut 450 airline jobs. It will reduce the number of daily mainline flights from 31 to 22 and regional service from 77 to about 46. It mid 2005, it had over 200 daily flights. The move means that the carrier’s mainline airport agents and ramp employees will take over customer service and ground-handling duties for 350 US Airways Express employees. These employees, along with 100 mainline airport employees, will be offered other jobs at US Airways.
Colgan Air, a regional airline that operates as US Airways Express, has stepped up to announce that despite the fact that US Airways reducing service in Pittsburgh, it remains committed to the Essential Air Service it provides from the communities of New York, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia.
It will continue to provide service until January 6th, and flights after that date will be redirected to an alternate hub. They are exploring other options for which hubs this will be. Colgan operates flights out of Pennsylvania, New York, and West Virginia to Washington-Dulles under the flag of United Airlines, and we predict at least some of the service will be redirected to that gateway.