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Pittsburgh airport marks 20th anniversary with Paris flights

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Pittsburgh International Airport officials marked the new terminal's 20th anniversary by announcing that Delta Air Lines will extend its seasonal Paris service through 2013 and plans by Republic Airways to hire nearly 200 maintenance workers early next year.

The new airport opened in 1992 as a hub for USAir, now US Airways, which has drastically cut back service due to financial problems complicated by Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks' impact on air travel in general.

Delta began the nonstop Paris flights three years ago under a $9 million subsidy from the state and a regional economic group. The flights will again be offered from May to October next year, five days a week up from four this year.

Republic, which operates Frontier Airlines, plans the hirings after signing a five-year lease to double its maintenance hangar space.