US Airways and Philadelphia Say They Are Working Through Disagreement Regarding Airport Expansion
US Airways and the City of Philadelphia issued a joint statement in which they state they are working out their differences regarding the Philadelphia Airport expansion project. US Airways has objected to the costs it would bear for the expansion. The City has threatened to impose new airport-use rates if US Airways did not agree to a new 15-year airport lease by July. The joint statement said recent talks between the two sides had been "very productive" and that "our paramount objective [is] to conclude an agreement on a long-term airport lease …."
The city estimates the airport expansion project would cost $6.4 billion over 13 years. US Airways and other airlines at the airport estimate the cost at about $10.5 billion. The proposed expansion would, among other things, add a fifth runway to the airport, shift the UPS airfreight operations hub to the western side of the airport, lengthen two existing runways and build a new commuter terminal.
