Gabe Monzo, Executive Director, Arnold Palmer Regional Airport
In an interview with Invest:, Gabe Monzo, executive director of the Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE), discussed the airport’s recent developments, including Spirit Airlines’ service changes post-bankruptcy and efforts to modernize infrastructure. Не also shared the airport’s approach on the traveler experience. “We know our place. Most people aren’t flying to Fort Lauderdale for a business meeting – they’re going to have fun, so we’re courteous, conscientious, and focused on service,” Monzo said.
What changes over the past year have most impacted Arnold Palmer Regional Airport (LBE), and in what ways?
At the beginning of the year, one of the first challenges we faced was Spirit Airlines filing for bankruptcy. That was a major issue for us. We were concerned that their bankruptcy would affect our operations, especially since they’re the only airline we have. We have a significant investment in Spirit Airlines, and we wanted to ensure they remained viable and operational. The good news is that another flight from Fort Lauderdale was added. That was a city we had lost for a period of time, and they’ve now brought it back. The air traffic controllers are ecstatic. They now have an elevator! It doesn’t take them the whole way up to the cab, but it reduces the climb from 75 stairs to just 6 stairs. They also got new blinds, new windows – it’s been fully refurbished. We’re a contract tower, which is different from an FAA tower. We’re part of the FAA’s Contract Tower Program, so while the controllers are FAA-certified, the tower itself operates under a different structure. That entire project was 100% federally funded.
How does Arnold Palmer Regional Airport differentiate itself within the Pittsburgh area’s aviation network, and what role does it play in serving the community’s needs?
We know we’re a party. We fly to Myrtle Beach, Fort Lauderdale, and Orlando. People come here to have fun. We want to encourage that from the moment they park to the moment they board. That’s the time we control, and we want it to be enjoyable rather than a hassle. We try to be part of the party, not the problem. We’ve actually seen people tailgating in the parking lot before flights to Myrtle Beach. We don’t officially advocate for it, but it happens. We know our place. Most people aren’t flying to Fort Lauderdale for a business meeting – they’re going to have fun, so we’re courteous, conscientious, and focused on service. With a name like Arnold Palmer, we want to be a class act. He was on our Airport Authority board and instilled the importance of providing a positive experience. Also, parking is free – whether it’s for a day or a week. That’s $100 in savings travelers can spend on their trip instead. We’re not trying to compete with Pittsburgh – we’re part of Pittsburgh’s system. Our prices are reasonable, depending on the travel date. And travelers are savvy – if they can save $50 by flying Tuesday instead of Saturday, they’ll do it.
What steps is LBE taking to embrace sustainability and innovation, and how do these efforts align with industry trends?
Everyone strives toward being carbon neutral. Sustainability means a lot to us and to the environment. We’ve switched all of our ramp equipment to electric. That’s a big deal for a small airport. Fifteen years ago, we didn’t even have a tug — now all our tugs, lavatory carts, and baggage carts are electric. The only diesel equipment left is the aircraft pushback vehicle, and we’re still figuring out how to make that electric. Solar power is the future, and airports have a lot of unused land. Now that solar arrays no longer pose risks to aircraft, they’re going to be a major trend. We’re heavy electricity users, so reducing that footprint is a huge step toward sustainability. You’ll never find anyone better than Pittsburgh International when it comes to sustainability leadership – they’re setting the standard.
What are your top goals and priorities for the airport over the next year?
Our primary goal is to support Spirit. We want to help them grow and stay here. They started with us before going to Pittsburgh. They took a leap of faith 12 years ago by choosing Latrobe. Even though we access the Pittsburgh market, we’re not dependent on it. We serve Westmoreland, Cambria, and Somerset counties – big counties with people eager to travel. It’s only two days a week to start, but it’s certainly an encouraging sign-especially since they added it immediately after emerging from bankruptcy. So that’s the long and short of it. We were maintaining two or three flights a week through the fall of 2024, and it was difficult to stay operational with the number of employees we had. We experienced some layoffs and cutbacks with the airline, but now we’re back to full operation.
How do routes like the Fort Lauderdale service align with LBE’s strategic goals, and what opportunities do they present for regional connectivity?
Well, the idea is connectivity. Pittsburgh is so close, it’s tough for us to generate interest in nonleisure services like business travel. Most people traveling for business across the country will use Pittsburgh. We have a very active charter operation. LJ Aviation, which is our premier charter operator, flies all over the world – to Beijing, the Western U.S. – they’re everywhere. Even though the passengers aren’t generated here, the aircraft are based here. So they’ll go to, let’s say, California, pick up a CEO, take them wherever they need to go, stay there for two or three days, bring them back, and then return to Latrobe. That’s great business for us, and it generates a lot of jobs. LJ Aviation employs around 125 people. For a small airport our size, that’s a big deal. These are all good, life-sustaining jobs. Laurel Highlands Jet Center has a relatively new flight school in collaboration with St. Vincent College. The opportunity to get a four-year degree in aviation while doing flight lessons just a half mile away is a big deal. You can see the Basilica from the airport – it’s beautiful. The charter operation and the flight school are very important to us. It means a lot for small airports to diversify. You don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket with flights to Fort Lauderdale or Myrtle Beach. That kind of service can be easy come, easy go. You have to be cautious and spread out your operations to stay resilient.
What anticipated impacts do you expect from the terminal expansion project?
We’re calling it a refurbishment plus expansion. The last time we refurbished the terminal was in 1998, so it was getting a bit old and worn. Now, with this project, you’ll enter at ground level and never need to go upstairs or downstairs. A bridge will take you right to the aircraft, so that’s a big improvement for us. We’ll also have two rows of TSA screening. During the pandemic, TSA kept it to a single line, and even though you were never behind more than 170 people, it was still a single-file line. With two lines, things will move even faster and more efficiently, with more space. We’re also expanding our hold areas. Our primary aircraft is the Airbus A320 – a 175- passenger plane. When it lands, you have 175 people getting off and 175 getting on, so you’re charging the building with 350 people. With our current space, that’s a challenge. This is the main reason behind the expansion. In March 2024, LBE secured $1.2 million in federal funding to rehabilitate its air traffic control tower, enhancing operational safety.
How will the control tower rehabilitation project contribute to the airport’s operational efficiency and safety standards?
Since COVID, people have prioritized travel. They’ve learned to value time off and want to take full advantage of it. That’s what we’re here for — to help them get away from the hustle and bustle.
