PeoplExpress Airlines Delays Launch In Pittsburgh

Low-cost carrier PeoplExpress Airlines Inc. is pushing back its debut at Pittsburgh International Airport because its operating plan is still being reviewed by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The company headquartered at Newport News-Williamsburg International Airport said in March that it hoped to offer four to six flights a day from Pittsburgh by August, and to make Providence, R.I., West Palm Beach, Fla. and Newark, N.J. among its other "focus" cities.

But airline officials now tell the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette the airline likely won't launch until early next year.

Airline founder Mike Morisi tells the newspaper, "It's quite an intense certification process. It's taken longer than we expected it would or hoped it would."

The airline is still trying to raise money to meet government financial fitness requirements, among other benchmarks.