PITTSBURGH - Turmoil at Pittsburgh International Airport has a company that operates some of its concessions fighting in court to keep its six-figure security deposit.
Host International sued Fraport Pittsburgh on Sept. 27 in Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas over a $307,500 dispute. Fraport formerly managed all concessions at the airport but was removed because of security concerns.
Fraport had brought Host in as a subcontractor in 2015 to operate some of the food and beverage concessions. Fraport, since it was ousted, has taken steps to recover the security deposit Host paid, but Host says Fraport has no right to it.
"Tellingly, Fraport could have tried to take Host's security deposit while it remained in possession of the airport concessions, but it did not," the suit says. "The timing of Fraport's efforts in this regard is no coincidence.
"Having been removed from the airport and thereby deprived of its primary source of revenue, Fraport is trying to grab ahold of any money it can by any means, even if those means are improper."
Host says the sublease it signed is still valid but is now under the airport's new concessions operator - the Allegheny County Airport Authority. The suit seeks an order enjoining Fraport from pursuing the security deposit.