Spirit Airlines to offer nonstop flights from Latrobe to Orlando (Pittsburgh: extended stay, to rent)

[Pitt Chick]

Boston is a consideration....

[neurodistortion]

If this growth continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see Latrobe become something of an international airport, especially if they start offering flights to Toronto. There's lots of land around there to expand upon, including the adjacent shopping plaza which I'm sure the airport could acquire for extra parking if it ever comes down to it. I agree that Latrobe and the Greater Greensburg area in general could become even more desirable as a bedroom community for Pittsburgh, not like it isn't already. If anything, I think PennDOT might have to relook into that Laurel Valley Expressway project that they were proposing to build from the PA Turnpike to the airport and Route 22 some years back, that area could REALLY explode in growth if they considered building it.

[Kippy]

Originally Posted by Pitt Chick

Boston is a consideration....

Really?! Is it under serious consideration? If so, any idea what the timeframe might be for them to implement flights to and from Boston?

[Pitt Chick]

No time frame... just a city that comes up with every new consideration for expansion.

Seem, though, that Spirit is most interested in points south....
Lauderdale (their hub to the Caribbean/central America), then Myrtle, now Orlando.

[greg42]

Seems odd to me that they even fly from LGA and BOS. I always figured them to be kind of on Southwest's old model, where they would specifically choose to be at less expensive alternatives. But that's not really what they're doing. They do MCO, ORD, LAX, etc. I guess Allegiant is closer to that dinky airport model. You can fly Allegiant from Youngstown to a few places. I looked into that for Orlando, but it's not daily and not on the days I needed. They fly into Sanford, which is not exactly Orlando but somewhat north and east of it (also where the Amtrak comes into that area). But it would have been fine for this particular trip.

Somehow I can't really picture LBE-LGA or LBE-BOS anytime soon though. I think what's working for Spirit is what worked for so many others, flying south from those places, not so much flying between them, though they do a few. Spirit is covering Central America and the Carribean pretty well now it seems. LBE-FLL-then you can get to several of the islands and Central American countries, and Peru. And they have a lot more places down there they actually go from FLL.

[kubus_gt]

LBE-LGA would have me on it once a week, as long as it is early AM departure after 6P return - aka business hours. Not really for the money but for extra sleep I could get.

[JoeP]

If this growth continues, I wouldn't be surprised to see Latrobe become something of an international airport,

That won't happen. Best case, would be a few more national routes.

[Kippy]

There is talk of an expressway creating a direct link from the PA Turnpike to the Arnold Palmer Airport in Latrobe. According to the article, the proposed expressway would follow route 981, and it would cut the travel time from forty-one minutes (via the New Stanton exit) to eighteen minutes (via the proposed expressway).

Call renewed for Pennsylvania Turnpike, Arnold Palmer airport link | TribLIVE

[PITairport]

The economic benefits that project will create can’t be predicted. It will be tremendous,” John Skiavo, president of the Economic Growth Connection of Westmoreland,

Call renewed for Pennsylvania Turnpike, Arnold Palmer airport link | TribLIVE

That's what Westmoreland Country said about Toll 66, which turned out to be an economic development dud.

I'm all for highways, but the Turnpike Commission shouldn't consider this until after both the MFE and Southern Beltway are complete, if that ever happens.



Separately, I don't know if it has been mentioned yet, but Spirit will begin LBE- Dallas/Ft. Worth service (3x weekly) next summer.

[pman]

so who pays for this? IMO, the turnpike commission should not be building any new roads unless they are profitable. If it isn't profitable, the funding should come from the airport. the turnpike is not in a financial position to take on any unprofitable segments and really needs to add new profitable segments.