Some PIT Concessions, Parking Lots Reopen As Travel Rebounds
With gradual increase in passengers, airport begins phased reopening
By Natalie Fiorilli
Published June 22, 2020
Read Time: 3 mins
People are starting to travel again. For the first time since March 21, TSA checkpoints saw more than 500,000 travelers move through U.S. airports on a handful of days in June.
While numbers remain significantly low compared to the same period last year, the slight uptick is a step in the right direction for airports and airlines.
Last Friday, PIT had about 5,000 people move through the checkpoint, the highest number since the pandemic caused travel to nosedive in mid-March. Normally, PIT would see more than 15,000 people through the checkpoint daily. For Pittsburgh International, which is averaging about 3,509 passengers per day in June, the gradual return of travelers will be accompanied by the reopening of some concessions and other facilities throughout the terminals.
This week, officials announced the airport will roll out the second phase of the “PIT Safe Travels” program, which was launched last month to prepare the terminal for the return of travelers. The new initiative includes face covering requirements for passengers and staff, social distancing guidelines, and protective shields in areas like airline ticketing counters and TSA checkpoints, among other safe practices.
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While the airport continues to implement other health and safety measures, the second phase of the PIT Safe Travels program is focused on reopening parts of the terminals that have not been in use since the start of the pandemic.
“It’s a gradual increase, but we are starting to see more and more passengers pass through the terminal,” explained April Gasparri, PIT’s Senior Vice President of Public Safety, Operations and Maintenance. “With the return of travelers, we want to make sure we have a reasonable amount of concessions options and parking spaces open for them. Most importantly, though, we’re focused on ensuring their health and safety throughout their journey.”