Congratulations to Sen. Arlen Specter and Pennsylvania's federal legislative delegation for laying US Airways and its executives out in spades over their treatment of Pittsburgh ("US Airways' Rough Ride: Specter, Other Pa. Lawmakers Issue a Public Rebuke of Airline's CEO," Nov. 8). They certainly are deserving of a lot more.
Now Sen. Specter should have the federal government call in the loans it guaranteed for US Airways and America West. Gov. Ed Rendell should make good on his promise to give them no more state aid or preferences in Philadelphia and withdraw the aid for their flight operations center in Pittsburgh.
As for US Airways not bringing its China flights to Philadelphia in respect to Delta's gate request, we should call its bluff. All too often our politicians, especially the governor, roll over for US Airways. The airline should have been liquidated in bankruptcy, and during the next downturn it probably will go away. Today in the industry there is just enough capacity and as soon as it slows down, US Airways will suffer the most. Now with "Open Skies" with Europe, we may see the acceleration of this process.
Now it is time for Pittsburghers to vote with their feet. For far too long we as a group have been overly loyal to US Airways; we need to stop prostituting ourselves to this airline and use other carriers.
