Allegiant Air

Allegiant Air is a low-cost carrier based in the United States, operating scheduled and charter flights to over 100 destinations, including Asheville Regional Airport, Baltimore-Washington International Airport, and Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The airline was founded in 1997 by Maurice J. Gallagher Jr., Andrew C. Levy, and Dave Beaudoin, with its first flight taking off from Fresno Yosemite International Airport to Las Vegas McCarran International Airport in 1998, in partnership with Boeing. Allegiant Air has since become one of the largest low-cost carriers in the United States, competing with Spirit Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Southwest Airlines.

● History

The history of Allegiant Air began in 1997, when Maurice J. Gallagher Jr. and Andrew C. Levy founded the company, with the goal of providing affordable, non-stop flights to popular destinations, including Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, and Grand Canyon National Park. The airline's first flight took off in 1998, using a McDonnell Douglas MD-80 aircraft, leased from SAS Group. In the early 2000s, Allegiant Air expanded its fleet to include McDonnell Douglas MD-83 and McDonnell Douglas MD-87 aircraft, and began operating flights to new destinations, such as Honolulu International Airport and Oakland International Airport, in partnership with Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. In 2006, the airline went public with an initial public offering (IPO) on the NASDAQ stock exchange, under the ticker symbol ALGT, and began trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in 2014.

● Fleet

The Allegiant Air fleet consists of over 100 aircraft, including the Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, and Boeing 757-200, with an average age of around 15 years, and a maintenance partnership with Lufthansa Technik and MTU Aero Engines. The airline has also ordered several new aircraft, including the Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX 8, from Airbus and Boeing, with delivery expected in the coming years. Allegiant Air's fleet is equipped with a range of amenities, including in-flight entertainment systems, Wi-Fi, and power outlets, provided by Panasonic Avionics and Gogo Inc.. The airline has also partnered with CFM International and International Aero Engines to provide engine maintenance and support.

● Destinations

Allegiant Air operates flights to over 100 destinations, including Akron-Canton Airport, Albuquerque International Sunport, and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport, with a focus on leisure travel destinations, such as Las Vegas Strip, Orlando International Airport, and Myrtle Beach International Airport. The airline also operates seasonal flights to destinations, such as Jackson Hole Airport and Palm Springs International Airport, in partnership with American Airlines and Delta Air Lines. Allegiant Air has codeshare agreements with several airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines, allowing passengers to connect to international destinations, such as London Heathrow Airport, Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and Tokyo Narita International Airport.

● Services

Allegiant Air offers a range of services to its passengers, including in-flight meals and snacks, provided by Cathay Pacific Catering Services and Lufthansa Catering, as well as in-flight entertainment systems, featuring a selection of movies, TV shows, and music, provided by Sony Music Entertainment and Warner Music Group. The airline also offers a range of amenities, including priority boarding, extra legroom seats, and travel insurance, provided by Allianz and AXA. Allegiant Air has partnered with several companies, including Expedia Group and Booking.com, to offer hotel bookings and car rentals to its passengers, as well as travel packages to destinations, such as Walt Disney World and Universal Orlando Resort.

● Incidents

Allegiant Air has been involved in several incidents, including a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) investigation into the airline's maintenance practices, which resulted in a fine of $250,000, and a National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into a hard landing incident at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport, which resulted in several injuries. The airline has also been involved in several labor disputes with its pilots, represented by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT), and flight attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants (AFA), which have resulted in strikes and cancellations of flights. Allegiant Air has taken steps to improve its safety record, including the implementation of a safety management system (SMS), and has partnered with MITRE Corporation and NASA to improve its safety procedures.