Case Studies

Building on the city’s rich history of innovation, Pittsburgh International Airport (PIT) is redefining what airports can and should do. Following a period of decline when US Airways abandoned their Pittsburgh hub, the airport entered an era of growth and development with new leadership from visionary CEO Christina Cassotis. Realizing that airports can be economic engines for the regions they serve, Cassotis ignited innovation at Allegheny County Airport Authority (ACAA) with several impactful initiatives launching in the past 10 years.

Most notable is PIT’s terminal modernization program (TMP), which broke ground in 2021 and is scheduled to open in 2025. This project is creating an airport that is built by and for Pittsburgh and that will serve as a worldclass gateway to this worldclass region – using no state or local tax dollars.

The case studies available here tell the stories of some of those initiatives. ACAA, which operates both PIT and Allegheny County Airport (AGC), goes above and beyond what is expected of airports. Its goal is to serve as a catalyst for change and growth in the Pittsburgh region as well as the entire aviation industry. This has resulted in strategic innovations that span infrastructure, workforce development, energy, and culture – just to name a few.

Readers will get a closer look at ACAA’s innovations from ideation to completion and plans for the future, including learnings from key players and stakeholders. Major wins are addressed along with challenges faced and how they were overcome. The purpose of these studies is to inspire other organizations to implement similar projects in their own industries, and to explain how it can be done.

Pittsburgh International Airport: Travelers’ Sensory Room Advances Inclusive Design & Creates Blueprint for Accessible Spaces Worldwide

Inspired by a visit to Air Berlin’s offices, PIT CEO Christina Cassotis installed CEO mailboxes all around the airport campus in 2017 to better communicate with employees. Shortly after, a team member with an autistic son submitted an idea to build a private space at the airport for those with sensory sensitivities to get acclimated before or after flights, which can be stressful events for them. Upon reading the letter, Christina immediately knew she had to explore this and sprung in action, assembling cross-functional teams who took on the challenge of funding, designing, and building this inclusive space. The end result is beneficial for the community, but the project ended up being a development opportunity for the team that built it as well.

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Pittsburgh International Airport Microgrid: Setting the Standard for Resilient Power in the Aviation Industry

It all started with an 11-hour blackout at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, followed by another blackout at Los Angeles international Airport a few months later. It became clear that when an airport loses power, its devastating effects ripple far beyond a few canceled flights. CEO Christina Cassotis was determined to avoid this at Pittsburgh International Airport by making it one of the most resilient airports in the world. She had an idea to build a microgrid – a smaller power grid, separate from the main power utility that is powered by natural gas and solar energy. However, not only did it have to be more resilient, but also more sustainable and more cost effective in order to be practical. Through a successful public private partnership, PIT is now the only airport in the U.S. to be powered completely by its own microgrid.

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