LATROBE, Pa. — Spirit Airlines is the only airline that operates in and out of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. Earlier this week, a federal judge sided with the U.S. Justice Department halting a merger with JetBlue on the grounds that it would hurt competition.
Now, the future of the airline is in uncertain, but airport officials and travelers are optimistic.
Around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, the daily flight from Orlando landed at the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport. It was delayed about two hours getting in to drop people off and pick people up for their trip to Florida.
“We usually go down for speed weeks. We do a lot of racing and stuff like that,” said Gary Stahl, who was headed to Orlando. “Once in a while we’ll do a family vacation, but mostly it’s for the sports.”
Stahl is from Johnstown. He said he takes Spirit Airlines from Latrobe to Orlando two or three times a year. He prefers it instead of driving to Pittsburgh International Airport.
“[It’s a] 45-minute ride,” Stahl noted. “It’s so convenient.”
In November, the airport celebrated its 3 millionth person to fly Spirit Airlines since it began service in Latrobe in 2011.
“11 years ago, it was a leap of faith. Not only for the airport authority but for Spirit Airlines,” said Gabe Monzo, Executive Director of the Westmoreland County Airport Authority.
But, things have become turbulent for Spirit Airlines.
After the merger with JetBlue was struck down by a federal judge earlier this week, stock in the company plummeted.
Spirit’s debt is also increasing with reports saying it’s reaching $5.5 billion.
While nothing has been announced by the airline, the Wall Street Journal reports the company is looking to restructure to deal with that debt.
“We don’t know what their corporate structure is, how it’s going to change, what it might do down the road, but we’re very supportive of Spirit,” Monzo said. “They’ve done a good job with us for the last 10 years, and we’re going to keep supporting them in whatever their endeavors are, and we hope that means more flights for us.”
Despite the uncertainty with Spirit, Monzo said they’re planning to add a flight to and from Myrtle Beach starting in May.
As for the long term, he said he feels another airline would willingly jump in with service to and from Latrobe if Spirit closed up shop.
“I’m the eternal optimist,” Monzo said. “No matter what happens, this airport is strong, we have a good staff, we have good people here. We do our business, we do it with professionalism, and we’re very happy with what we’re able to provide. We think anyone would take advantage, even if it’s not Spirit.”
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