Airport mall access will remain restricted

IMPERIAL, Pa. (AP) -- Despite continued lobbying by Pittsburgh airport officials, people without tickets won't be able to shop at the 110 stores at the airport until at least next year, if at all.
The U.S. Transportation Security Administration will not consider any requests to change access to the airport until the agency cuts 6,000 screening jobs nationwide, including 230 at Pittsburgh, which will likely happen next year, said agency spokesman Mike Hatfield.
Pittsburgh International officials have proposed screening shoppers to help recover a 4.7 percent drop in sales at the airport's mall last year. Two stores have closed since Sept. 11 because of dwindling sales.
People without tickets accounted for as much as 4 percent of sales at airport shops. Although they made up a fraction of total sales, airport officials said people without tickets could help the Airmall weather a drop in flights and passengers.