<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by pitflyer:
No way. The driving force behind the new airport made it clear that he thought it distasteful to name airports after anyone, which is why the airport to this day is not named after anyone. (The Landside Terminal IS, however). I agree with him and since this is 'my' airport (you don't even live in PIT!) I hope that it'll stay Pittsburgh International.
As background, there was a push to rename the airport in the past in honor of Senator Heinz. That didn't happen, either.</font>
OK, I respect that desire to keep PIT from getting a name. I hope that it can be maintained (note how DCA was renamed for Reagan over the heads of the DCA management and without any public comment), given the increasing federalization of the United States.
I also hope that some fitting tribute can be made to Mr. Rogers in his "hometown" (he was actually from Latrobe); waiting 10 years for the postal stamp is agonizing.
Also, despite my distaste for creeping federalism, I will point out that PIT is as much my airport as it is yours. My federal income taxes and ticket taxes help subsidize the aviation infrastructure without which neither PIT nor LAX, LGB, BUR nor any other U.S. Airport could operate. And without other airports there is no use for PIT except as a flightseeing operation. Uncle Sam also trains most of the pilots via the military, helps build the terminals, (Just ask BUR, see:
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/Forum...ML/005907.html ) and jiggers the tax system so that airport bonds have favorable financial benefits.