USA 3000 to end service at St. Petersburg-Clearwater airport

Discount airline USA 3000 will cease flying to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport in August as part of a wider retreat in Florida.

USA 3000, owned by the parent of Philadelphia-based Apple Vacations, ranks as the small airport's second-largest airline, carrying 30 percent of passengers. "It's a large loss," said Noah Lagos, the airport's executive director. "They flew 300,000 people last year. We were very surprised."

The airline, which makes 21 weekly flights at the airport, will stop service on Aug. 19. It also will cease operations in Melbourne (Aug. 1) and Fort Lauderdale (Aug. 19) and won't resume seasonal service in Sarasota in October, said Angus Kinnear, chief operating officer for USA 3000. The airline will continue flying to Fort Myers, he said.

Like other carriers, USA 3000 is struggling with record fuel prices. After summer vacation season, traffic drops off and fares go down in Florida, he said. "In September and October, we were looking at a big, black hole," Kinnear said.

Launched in 2000, the airline carries Apple tour customers early in the day, then switches to scheduled public flights. USA 3000 flies from the local airport to Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

The airline will keep making scheduled flights between those cities — plus Cincinnati, Baltimore and Columbus, Ohio — to destinations in Mexico and the Caribbean, Kinnear said.

Florida has some of the lowest domestic air fares in the country and only Fort Myers fetches ticket prices high enough to make money with oil at $125 a barrel, he said. Customers booked on discontinued flights will be contacted and receive refunds on their credit cards.

With USA 3000 and Allegiant Air flying a combined 80 percent of passengers, St. Petersburg-Clearwater International was poised for its best year since 2004.

Recruiting another big carrier will be a tall order. Only two airlines, Allegiant and Southwest, made money in the first quarter of 2008. Several smaller ones — ATA, Skybus and Aloha among them — went out of business in recent months.

"The tone of the industry is to hunker down and try to keep what you've got," Lagos said. "There's not a ready replacement for USA 3000."

Comments on this article

by Joe	May 20, 2008 5:00 PM
Just when you think you have one thing left that you enjoy they pull the rug out from under you what a great airline

by allyson	May 20, 2008 11:06 AM
this airline was amazing! the prices, the treatment we had from their staff. what a value they were. we are so sad to hear the news. we flew all the time into st.pete for years :(

by andrew	May 20, 2008 10:59 AM
We love this airline and the staff was so wonderful. We are so disappointed to hear the news. We would be willing to pay more. TIA is such a haul from Clearwater. We will miss USA3000 very much.

by John	May 19, 2008 10:08 AM
This will be a disaster for many customers from the Northeast area of Ohio flying to Clearwater and St Pete

by whitey	May 19, 2008 9:39 AM
If the airport got down to earth with its fees more airlines would consider it! I had an incidend flying into there on the same airline! Could not get a shuttle, taxi home(high airport surcharge ).Had to get $130 limo so low airline fare was wasted

by Fred	May 18, 2008 1:35 AM
How many more stories like this are we going to have to read before something is done about the good for nothing speculators who hijacked oil prices after Katrina and have been driving them up every since?

by jj	May 18, 2008 1:35 AM
we should raise taxes to cover the loss...why not....already paying a fortune...just a little more won't hurt...right???

by kay	May 18, 2008 1:35 AM
This airline is the worst airline I have ever flown on! I'm so glad to see them go!!

by Robin	May 17, 2008 3:39 PM
SAVE our airline!!! I love USA 3000! My favorite way to travel. Please don't leave us!!!!!!!

by PJ	May 16, 2008 5:15 PM
I have flown on USA 3000 Airlines many times into and out of St. Pete. I am very disappointed to hear that they are leaving the area. Very sad how even great airlines, like USA 3000 are having to cut back due to the rising gas prices.

by DF	May 16, 2008 3:48 PM
This was the perfect airline to fly to Cleveland. I used them 3-4 times a year and brought my mother down here at least 3 times a year with USA 3000. The flights were always full too. I will greatly miss this convenience.

by KW	May 16, 2008 1:40 PM
This is horrible! I love that airline, I used it every few months to see my aging parents at a reasonable fare better than anywhere else..I wish they would reconsider, I would pay more if needed to keep them there

by KW	May 16, 2008 1:38 PM
I'M SICK OVER THIS! I CAN'T SAY ENOUGH HOW I DEPEND ON THIS AIRLINE. I THINK USA 3000 NEEDS TO HEAR THIS COMMENTS AND RECONSIDER, EVEN IF THEY HAD TO GO WITH A HIGHER PRICE THEY ARE THE BEST FOR CLEVELAND-ST PETE AND ID PAY TO KEEP THEM. GEEZ..SAD

by YB	May 16, 2008 10:42 AM
I AM SO SORRY TO HEAR THIS NEWS. THIS WAS THE BEST AIRLINE FOR ME MY FAMILY LIVES 10 MINIUTES FROM THIS AIRPORT. IT EALLY HELPED ME TO SEE MY ELDERLY PARENTS EVERY FEW MONTHS. NOW WHAT WILL I DO,,,TAMPA IS A PAIN TO GET IN AND OUT OF.

by Sandy	May 16, 2008 9:34 AM
Very very sad God Bless You for serving as you have.

by Fo'Shizzle	May 15, 2008 6:37 PM
Here's the problem: Those of you who call the fares "affordable," and simply don't understand that business can't continue to operate at a loss. The flights should be $900 not $200, but then you couldn't go, could you? Willing to pay? Get to fly.

by Krish	May 15, 2008 5:35 PM
I hope they will reconsider and keep flying bet cleveland and st pete.This was my most convenient and inexpenssive flight carrier to go to florida

by sudha	May 15, 2008 5:35 PM
I am a frequent flyer between Cleveland and St pete.It was very convenient for me.I am planning to go to St pete in june and july.will I be able to book it?or is there any changes to cancellation date. Thank you

by Linda	May 15, 2008 5:35 PM
This is truly a tragedy. My elderly mom was able to commute back & forth from Pittsburgh with ease. No one wants to see the little guy win.

by Dee	May 15, 2008 5:32 PM
I will truly miss USA3000. They made it possible for me to fly to Pgh. several times a year at an affordable price. They were efficient and never late arriving or departing. They will be missed. Thanks USA3000 for a great ride.

by Robert	May 15, 2008 5:30 PM
Some of you are bad-mouthing TIA, and I don't know why. I fly quite a bit and TIA is by far one of the best (and easiest) major airports in the country.

by Ken	May 15, 2008 5:12 PM
Marty - Yeah, it was the NRA boycott that caused this. Gimme a break.

by ed	May 15, 2008 5:12 PM
find it hard to believe thar something couldn't be done to keep USA 3000 involved at st. pete-clearwater airport-this is survival time-thats a lot of overhead to sit idle!! how come we don't hear about cutbacks, layoffs, etc. its cruel but business!!

by Kim	May 15, 2008 5:09 PM
There goes my wonderful trips to see my grandchildren every 3 months! Please don't leave! I'll pay more to fly! Don't leave! Please !

by Katherine	May 15, 2008 5:09 PM
DON'T GO! PLEASE!I have been flying with them to CHICAGO to see my family every 3 months! I'm crying!

by Jimbo	May 15, 2008 11:17 AM
There goes my way to visit family and friends up north. TIA's a joke; too crowded, constant traffic probs, a total nightmare. PIE is losing a great service and needs to replace it ASAP.

by Bruce	May 15, 2008 11:17 AM
Too bad, this was one of my favorite airlines. You couldn't get a cheaper flight to NYC anywhere else. I hope they just raise their rates and continue on...

by Eric	May 15, 2008 11:17 AM
usa 3000 was a very good airline I like going out of st pete and not having o hassel with trafic construction in Tampa

by tim	May 15, 2008 11:17 AM
Leather seats, easy parking, timely luggage, no crowds, competent TIA agents, cheap tix, no just-for-fun-stops in Philly or Atlanta and flight crews that don't model themselves after Eva Braun. TIA who?

by Captain	May 15, 2008 11:16 AM
UGH...flying on this airline direct shot to Pittsburgh for Christmas for years, this is sad...really liked their service...I hate, hate Tampa $@#$#@$

by Kelly	May 15, 2008 11:16 AM
This was such a great airline for cheap non-stop flights to OH/PA. I loved this little airport it was so convenient. I hate driving to the tampa airport. It is truly a loss for the local area.

by Frank	May 15, 2008 9:12 AM
To all my friends at USA 3000, Thank you for your dedication and great customer service you provided to us at our county airport. Your direct air flights and wonderful in flight service will be deeply missed.

by Jim	May 14, 2008 9:02 PM
They should just shut down St. Pete Clearwater Airport. It's been a joke for years. TIA is the pride of the region.

by mumbles	May 14, 2008 5:25 PM
It's obvious...they were 992 years too early

by Marty S.	May 14, 2008 5:25 PM
I guess the boycott by the NRA worked! Maybe you ought to let passengers transport firearms in their checked luggage!