UNITY TOWNSHIP, Pa. — The future of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is evolving quickly. Within the next few months, they will have a new terminal and possibly new airlines flying regular routes.
Executive Director of Westmoreland County Airport Authority, Gabe Monzo, says the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport is in talks with two budget airlines and could strike a deal within the month.
“We are what we are, and we know what we can handle. We have an award-winning crew here. They work for us. They don’t work for the airlines, so all the company has to do is fly the airplane. We can do everything else,” said Monzo. “We think we have enough business for two or three or four. With this terminal expansion ... that gives us the capability of doing that. ”
Spirit is currently the airport’s only airline. The other domestic budget airlines are Frontier, Allegiant, Southwest, Breeze, Avelo, and Sun Country.
Recently, the airport announced Spirit Airlines will stop its popular Orlando service in mid-April. The airline will start a Myrtle Beach flight through mid-November, but it’s not clear if the Orlando flight will return. If Spirit pulls its year-round service and a deal with a new airline is not made, Monzo said that would devastate the airport.
“If we have zero service, we would have layoffs,” said Monzo.
This uncertainty comes as the airport is preparing to open a new terminal at a cost of more than $20 million. The terminal will now open in mid-June, with the recent government shutdown to blame for some delays. Yet, Monzo says the talks with the two budget airlines are promising, and with the new space, they are looking to add destinations never offered before.
“We are hoping to get maybe a Boston, maybe a Nashville, things like that,” said Monzo, “We feel like we can do it. We feel like we can compete.”
Channel 11 will continue to monitor the deal as discussions with airlines continue.
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