Arnold Palmer Regional Airport officials confident new airline will replace Spirit

Arnold Palmer Regional Airport officials are confident they'll be able to replace Spirit Airlines, the Latrobe airport's only carrier, after it shut down early Saturday morning.

"We knew that there could be a chance that this could be happening," said Maurice Haas, Westmoreland County Airport Authority Executive Director. "That's why we've been actively pursuing other airlines, even before Spirit made the announcement that they were ceasing operations."

Westmoreland County Commissioner Douglas Chew says they've been working to assist in that effort for years. The airport expanded its runway and is nearing completion of a terminal expansion. 

"We're not worried about the airport and its life at all," Chew said. "This is very important for my constituents. They want to be able to park and walk only a few feet, not have long lines, and be able to get to the sunshine of Florida easily."

The timing of when another airline comes to Latrobe is the big outstanding question. 

"We will be without an airline for a little bit," Chew said. "It might be a few months. It might be throughout mid-summer. It's really hard to say."

With Spirit shutting down, it's possible the two airlines they've been talking to could move up their timeline to land in Latrobe, he said. 

While he's limited in what he can say about the airlines they have been in discussion with, he said it would have similar routes to what Spirit offered, and that, like Spirit, they would "be on the budget side."

"I'm very confident in the board as well as the leadership at the airport, that we will not be without an airline for very long," Chew said. 

Losing their only carrier would not be new for the airport, Haas said. They've gained new airlines in the past after losing U.S. Airways and Northwest. 

In the meantime, Haas, who only took over the top job Friday, said they are examining the possibility of laying off some of the airport's 70 employees. While they may have worn Spirit colors, employees such as ticket agents actually worked for the airport. 

"Yeah, that's tough. I mean, we're like, one big family here at the airport," Haas said. "The majority of people have been around here for years, and it's like I said, it's one big family. Everybody has their heart and soul in this airport and wants to see it thrive and flourish."

He hopes that anyone they lose could be rehired once another airline comes in. He recognizes the impact of the loss of Spirit.

"It's a big blow to the local economy, for the whole county, and for all the workers and all the businesses around it," Haas said. "You know, the economic impact that we provided throughout the area."

In a statement to KDKA-TV, Westmoreland County Commissioner Ted Kopas also shared that the loss of Spirit is a "temporary blow."

"With all the improvements at the airport and ongoing conversations about other airlines, I still believe there is hope for a bright future for Arnold Palmer Regional Airport."

Both Kopas and Chew said they feel horrible for the travelers and employees who could be impacted. 

"We'll make every workforce resource available to help them," Kopas said in a statement.

Spirit's shutdown comes after years of financial turmoil for the budget carrier. A last-minute push for a bailout from the Trump administration was not successful.