Jet Blue Lands in Pittsburgh

Tom Fontaine reports yesterday at timesoline.com (the home of the Beaver County Times & Allegheny County Times on the Web) about the arrival on Friday of Jet Blue at the Pittsburgh International Airport. The addition of this "discount carrier" at the airport is an important step in the efforts to diversify the options for travelers to and from the Pittsburgh area. From Tom's article:

Since 2000, eight so-called low-fare carriers have entered the Pittsburgh market. Four remain, including JetBlue, which launched service to New York and Boston on Friday. According to JetBlue, before the airline announced in March that it was coming to the Pittsburgh market, fares offered by its competitors on the New York and Boston routes were more than 80 percent higher than they were Friday.

Even though the Pittsburgh International Airport is not located in the 46th District, its economic impact on the district is undeniable (being just a five-minute drive from the district's northern boundary). I don't think it's stretching to say that thousands of jobs of 46th District residents are impacted in one way or another by the airport.

If I am elected to the State House on November 7, I would seek to be an active partner in efforts to strengthen the airport and ensure its viability in these years when it adapts from being a USAirways hub. In the past year, I have attended many events sponsored by the Pittsburgh Airport Area Chamber of Commerce and, if elected, would work with the chamber to bring more jobs into the region.

And, from the northern to the southern reaches of the 46th District, I also would seek to be a partner with Washington County officials to grow the Washington County Airport -- located in South Franklin Township. Is is possible that one day the Washington County Airport could be on par with other small airports such as the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe?