Headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, ultra-low-cost carrier Allegiant Air is one of US commercial aviation’s key budget airlines. Allegiant flies more than 100 Airbus narrowbodies to even more domestic destinations, with Florida being a key market. Next year will mark 25 years since the carrier’s foundation as WestJet Express in January 1997.
While the airline was formed under the WestJet Express brand, similarities to existing Canadian carrier WestJet forced a rethink. This prompted a name change to Allegiant Air, under which the carrier commenced operations in October 1998. In the 23 years that have followed, its fleet has evolved from an all McDonnell Douglas affair to one consisting entirely of Airbus products. Its network has also grown, and now features hubs all over the US.
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The early years
After having had its name change approved, Allegiant received certification in June 1998. This allowed it to operate scheduled and charter flights within the US, as well as to neighboring Canada and Mexico. Four months later, the carrier took to the skies in a commercial manner for the first time, when it launched a route from Fresno to Las Vegas.
By the end of the decade, Allegiant had expanded its network from its Fresno hub to also serve Burbank and Lake Tahoe. It also added a route between the latter of these and Las Vegas, where its corporate headquarters are now located. The turn of the century heralded the opening of a new hub in Long Beach, but also a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing.
Into the 21st century
A year later, Allegiant exited this form of financial protection. The initial filing had come about due to high operating costs, specifically pertaining to fuel. As such, the airline restructured and, under the leadership of Maurice Gallagher, switched to a low-cost focus. Shortly after, it began flying McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family jets, as seen above.
As the 2000s went on, Allegiant also began to diversify its offering. For example, in 2004, it also began giving passengers the option of booking flight and hotel packages from 13 cities to Las Vegas. Later in the decade, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway (AZA) became a key operating base for Allegiant. By 2010, it had flown one million passengers from this airport.
Recent history
In the last decade, Allegiant has seen a considerable overhaul of its fleet. For example, 2010 saw it introduce the Boeing 757-200 on services to Hawaii. However, the routes from Las Vegas and Fresno to Honolulu were fairly short-lived, as Simple Flying explored in May. The 757s and MD-80s have now all gone, and have been replaced by Airbus A319s and A320s.
The impacts of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic have forced certain reshuffles at Allegiant, such as the closure of its routes to Cleveland. Nonetheless, the ultra-low-cost carrier remains a key player in the US budget market, and also retains a close relationship with local sports teams like the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders. Going forward, Allegiant has 10 A320s on order, which will help bring down the average age (presently 14.7 years) of its 117-jet fleet.
What do you make of Allegiant Air? Have you ever flown with the Las Vegas-based ultra-low-cost carrier? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments.
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