A Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based airline may restore nonstop service to Harrisburg, Du Bois, and other smaller cities from Pittsburgh International Airport during the first quarter of 2010.

Gulfstream International Airlines is in negotiations with the Allegheny County Airport Authority about adding nonstop service to six to eight cities, said Mickey Bowman, the carrier's vice president of corporate development. Harrisburg is "probably at the top of our list" for service, Mr. Bowman said today. Pittsburgh has been without nonstop flights to the state capital since September 2008, when US Airways discontinued the service.

Mr. Bowman said Du Bois, Clearfield County, where Gulfstream has a maintenance base, also is high on the airline's list, Mr. Bowman said. Other cities under consideration include Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, he said.

While talks with the airport have yet to conclude, Mr. Bowman said service by Gulfstream starting early next year is a "conditional go" at this point.

"Obviously everything is right to make this happen," he said. "Barring somethinng extraordinary, I believe we're going to get this thing up and running in the next quarter."

The airline has been interested in starting service from Pittsburgh for months. One major deterrent has been the airport's high cost per enplanement, which currently is $13.41 and is scheduled to increase in January. However, Mr. Bowman said lower fuel costs have made that more bearable. The carrier also has made some "headway" working with the airport on the fees, he said.

"Basically the market conditions are coming together so that we feel we can make this a reality now," he said.

If the airline does start service to Harrisburg, one-way fares probably will be less than $200, Mr. Bowman said. They could be even lower with advance bookings, he added.

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