On Tuesday, the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport’s only commercial charter flight operator, Preferred Casino LLC, pulled their service. They fly to different casino destinations year-round and have now repositioned their service to Pittsburgh International Airport.
“Right now, we are repositioning our planes because there are no TSA agents available at the airport to screen passengers,” said John Mitchell, part owner of Preferred Casino LLC, “and it forces us to reposition the planes.”
Moe Haas, executive director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority, said TSA would have to give the airport permission to use an outside security service, but has not approved that.
“Back in May, once Spirit ceased operation, since we had no scheduled service,” Haas said. “TSA does not support screening that type of service.”
RELATED COVERAGE >>> Spirit Airlines shuttering means loss of only commercial airline at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
Mitchell said the decision to leave was frustrating, but they cannot continue to wait for another airline to come in. He says they’ve flown at least two or three planes a month carrying around 180 customers out of the airport for the last 30 years.
“We are hoping that an airline comes in, but we are the foundation,” Mitchell said. “I think they need 10,000 people to go through their terminal every year for FAA money. We account for maybe 4,000 of those that go through. So, we’re a really good foundation for that airport, and they can build off of that.”
The new $20 million terminal is still set to open in July.
When Channel 11 asked Haas about talks with another airline coming to use that terminal, he said, “progress.”
Funding for the project has not been affected by the loss of Spirit Airlines. According to Haas, funding has been in place since 2022. But the airport has had to lay off 25 employees and cut back on part-time positions since Spirit shut down. Haas says the airport remains open through private charter flights and flight school operations. He said talks with another airline continue.
“We are just not sitting on our hands,” explained Haas. “We are working, and there’s a lot of good things to be coming. … As long as they fly the airlines, we’ll be rolling.”
The new terminal is set to open in mid-July, back from its original July 1 opening date.
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