3 things about Allegiant Air that make NO sense

[@danhood1641]

They fly a lot of routes with little to no (direct) competition, and they're one of the heaviest users of secondary airports (like SFB) with cheaper landing fees- I think that's a big part of why they are so successful.

[@sanspotter]

It’s definitely working for them. There seems to be no shortage of people who have no problem flying into and out of secondary airports that are way out in the boonies.

[@edvaira6891]

@@sanspotter Sanford Is like Stanstead for the London area, or maybe even Stewart Newburgh for the NYC market (okay, maybe not THAT bad!)

[@Bismuth69]

Yeah, it appears to be a business model similar to Ryanair in Europe, who, afaik, are also not doing badly.

[@markiangooley]

Ryan Air model. Definitely.

[@IEFlyingRamper]

In addition to this, their employee's mentioned in this video are primarily just flight crews, the rest are HQ and management. Another words, overhead is low. No retirement to pay, workman's comp issues, etc etc. All the cities, like any ULCC, are contracted out by vendors. In the case of SFB, lookin' out the window, I see Swissport as atleast the below wing contract. Typically, but not always, would be the same for above wing.

[@Micg51]

They don't pay for crew hotels, since all of their crews start and end the day in their crew base (day trips/turns only)

[@sanspotter]

Interesting - I didn’t know this! 👍🏻

[@lvthud]

@@sanspotter Also saves on per diem costs.

[@trdshortbus8009]

We do cover crew hotels if a maintenance issue grounds them for even just a couple of hours.

[@mstrmren]

Same as Ryanair

[@PlayfulDance]

@@mstrmren you. P

[@knockeledup]

When you live in a place like I do (Cedar Rapids, IA) you don’t get a lot of options for direct flights. Allegiant is the only game in town so you either take it or drive hours away to get a flight in Des Moines, Moline, or Chicago.

[@acaciatucker5627]

I live there! And I totally agree!

[@TheLootownpunx]

Few times ago as I was waiting to check my bag and the flight to Orlando was canceled on the spot I was able to get the last couple seats on the ft Lauderdale flight which saved the entire trip. You right though,cr is about all we got around here(I'm in waterloo)

[@LeshVarg]

Allegiant is pretty dominant in the small airports like Sanford and even St Pete. They actually fit well in markets that are usually avoided by big airlines.

[@sanspotter]

I had no idea how big of an operation they run out of SFB. It’s a lot of flights!

[@ModoNayr]

Yes they are very big in Sanford and Harrisburg PA. I think a majority of the flights out of Sanford is allegiant.

[@lisalibby1799]

I’ve always had great service and never a problem!

[@ericscott1895]

I have always had excellent customer service on Allegiant. Yes, I've experienced delays but that happens on all airlines. What I do appreciate is how kind the crews flying out of Austin TX are!

[@SoKeefeForever]

I live in dallas so i fly out of Dfw so i can’t fly Allegent air

[@neopetluvrz]

literally heading to austin using this airline pretty soon n checking it out lmao , never flown before glad to know theyre not horrible lol

[@ericscott1895]

@@neopetluvrz I look forward to hearing how it goes for you. I haven't flown (commercially) since the Rona.

[@davidchilton4301]

A couple of things. 1) Their shoddy safety reputation came almost entirely from when they were operating old MD-80s. It's been much better with the Airbus fleet. 2) One of the ways they cut costs is that they have no overnight stays for their crews. All days begin and end at a base and they go home. 3) As noted by others, Sanford is a fine example of the sort of secondary airport they use to keep landing and use fees low. Believe it or not, Melbourne Airport (which is much farther from Orlando) has rebranded itself "Orlando-Melbourne International Airport" 4) They operate most routes only a couple of times a week and are always looking to package a vacation for you - they are basically a tour company that operates an airline. In some ways, closer to Thomas Cook than to Ryanair.

[@viperdriver82]

Some low cost carriers start off with really old planes that are cheap to acquire, As Spirit Airlines did …Allegiant started off operating the MD80 series of aircraft for a number of years then switched out to the Newer more efficient Airbus A320 series of aircraft….the bad safety record and unreliable operation was when they had the MD80s

[@sanspotter]

True - they are definitely progressing in the right direction, and I’m looking forward to seeing how they evolve.

[@RichardFStripeRendezvous]

Don't blame the MD80's. I flew on them for 20 years and never had a single problem.

[@lewisbucy2694]

@@sanspotter In fact I believe it was 2016 or 17, allegiant purchased 12 "new" Airbus A319..at a discount ..a end of a run for that particular model ..

[@fartnutssupreme4930]

@@RichardFStripeRendezvous don’t think he’s blaming the mad dog as a plane but just allegiant airs routine maintenance on it.

[@svscared]

Yeah but their bad safety record was just as much from lack of maintenance as it was from the old aircraft so that sort of thing doesn't just disappear with newer aircraft hence the speedy boarding times.

[@carsonbrewer6501]

Actually had a nice experience last thanksgiving with Allegiant in a pinch from Sanford to Chattanooga. I didn’t think it was half bad considering i bought the ticket the day of for $80

[@bobmaynard3930]

Allegiant has a wonderful veterans honors program: free carryon, plus two free checked bags, each with 100 lb limit. That was not a typo.

[@markp.7165]

Good on them!!!

[@sandijames6409]

Only for the veteran. It used to be for the spouse but now its only if the spouse is traveling with the vetetan.

[@mmikekim51]

@@sandijames6409p

[@lisaspikes4291]

I didn’t know that! I’m a veteran! I’ll have to look into that!

[@sjb1971]

@@lisaspikes4291 Same here! I had no idea! I wonder if it's too late to take advantage after buying a ticket?

[@fosterb300]

I'm a mechanic at SCA, we're one of their rivals in the ULCC market and our CEO was one of their former executives. They minimize layovers, do military charters as well. And if they're similar to us they probably fly alot of mail. And serve alot of smaller airports. Admittingly, I fly so much I don't need luxury either. I'd rather buy a cheap fare for a few hours of discomfort for spending more at my end destination whether it be a hotel, food, car rental etc.

[@martybuehler3116]

I fly them all the time, I never had a bad experience on them.

[@AnastasiaArtemiou]

I actually flew with this airline from Concord to Miami(FT Lauderdale). Ticket was super cheap, and the experience was actually pleasant. I would fly with again.

[@christopherbaumgardner5004]

I fly Allegiant almost exclusively. I actually fly this route, SFB to OKC on a regular basis. I also go to Tulsa, Vegas, Arkansas, Maryland, etc. In 5 years I've had 2 delays. The flights are all direct. I have a reward card with them and am retired military which basically gives me all the perks. Free drink, priority boarding, free bags. The other major carriers are overpriced, in my opinion, for not much improvement on seats and service, if any. Also, I'll take SFB over MCO any day of the week. I actually drive about 20 mins extra to avoid using MCO lol.

[@matth997]

I worked for Allegiant for a little over 5 years in small airports and a hub. I gotta say, that allegiant really did become almost a whole other airline in a good way. By the time I left they had really improved especially after getting rid of the MD80s and 757s, even though they were cool to see, they were always causing problems especially when their bases are in areas with extreme heat. I think the biggest thing that keeps people flying them even if they've had a "bad" experience, is that they fly to A LOT of destinations that have hardly or almost no other airline service. They also like to fly out of secondary airports, so instead Orlando International, they go to Orlando/Sanford, or instead of Phoenix Sky Harbor, even though they will be serving there soon, they go to Phoenix/Mesa Gateway, that way you have a better experience at the airport and not having to deal with the crazy amount of traffic you would find at a larger airport. Yes they Nickle and dime you, but if you know how to travel on them and you PAY ATTENTION to what their website says, you can definitely fly cheap.

[@sanspotter]

Very good points. I admit that I was a bit miffed about SFB being so far away from Orlando, but in the end, it was a really good experience (and I’d be happy to do something it again). I can’t believe they are the only domestic airline there!

[@Cookiesr9565]

I fly Allegiant round trip probably 7-10 times a year, and can confidently say out of 50 round trips flights I’ve had maybe 1-2 delays? I’ve maybe lucked out but I’ve never had too big of an issue as far as that goes. Flight crews are always super friendly and from what I’ve gathered is every flight is direct, no layovers etc. With how cheap is it to fly with them it’s truly just the way to go if they fly to where you’re heading. You’ll get to you destination quicker, and cheaper.

[@davidgross3645]

Half of their revenue comes from "ancillary fees" or upsells for seat assignments, legroom, bags, etc. They also fly routes with very limited competition, thin traffic, and at airports where they can build up high market share and avoid price wars or competitor interest. They turn planes quickly in part due to wider aisles which means narrower seats. Great business, not the best service, but I do like advance seat assignments, one advantage over Southwest.

[@kellypexton8511]

I have been very impressed with Allegiant for bringing affordable flights to the smaller cities of America. Their planes are new and clean, and always with a friendly crew. I am very grateful that Allegiant has been so successful.

[@Crybaby-ems]

I've been seeing comments saying allegiant is terrible and I've seen some that say allegiant is amazing! Would u recommend allegiant?

[@AAbshier]

How can they turn around aircraft so fast? See Southwest Airlines. They turned around 110-seat 737s in ten minutes on the DAL-HOU route routinely. I'm sure they picked up their fast turn techniques from them.

[@davidwright5908]

In Austin southwest has a minimum ground time of 30min

[@DorianTMChannel]

Yeah I flew SWA for the first time a couple weeks ago, I was so surprised with their turnaround time. I had a layover in MCO that was supposed to be an hour, I arrived early and got to the gate and they were already starting boarding.

[@davidwright5908]

@@DorianTMChannel the southwest pilots are no joke they taxi like hell lol

[@trdshortbus8009]

Nope, we stage onboarding luggage, commissary, fuel, etc so everything meets the jet at the gate.

[@blaster-zy7xx]

You cannot turn a passenger 737 in 10 minutes. It is physically impossible to unload all the passengers and luggage, refuel, and reload passengers and luggage in 10 minutes.

[@SANDYMILLER23]

I love Allegiant. It's a good airline. It serves my needs.

[@jaime9014]

i think the guy on the video needs to update his information about Allegiant airlines, cause if we going to talk about safety Allegiant never have an accident reported. Delays like any other airlines can be possible. I live in Tampa and i fly Allegiant via St Pete airport and is faster and easy than Tampa airport. The airplanes are clean and the service is good and best of all the RATES!! For me the worst airline is Spirit Airlines cause charge a lot in luggage and carry ons but NOT Allegiant.

[@floridadave224]

@@jaime9014 I've flown out of St Pete many times also and never had a problem with Allegiant. Also, my elderly mother flew alone several times and they took wonderful care of her.

[@chrise438]

Amen! 😁

[@conwilcon967]

@@jaime9014 agreed!!!! I have no idea wtf he is talking about “everyone crapping on Allegiant” or the “safety reputation”

[@dawnwalker5803]

I LOVE ALLEGIANT! I live in Cape Coral Florida. ALLEGIANT has a flight I can take from Punta Gorda, which is 15 minutes from where I live. ALLEGIANT has a direct flight from Punta Gorda to Newburgh NY, in about 2: 45 hours!! The price is very inexpensive, and the best part is NO LAYOVER, EVER. The staff is friendly, professional, and I will NEVER TAKE ANOTHER AIRLINE, EVER!

[@neilcharles2520]

One of my best flights was on Allegiant,and i have been flying for over 50 years,it was last summer from from Sanford to Niagra Falls,NY...I enjoyed it so much,i am going again in August..no delays,on time,checked luggage wait time was 2 minutes.

[@monykalynf3604]

frequently fly allegiant (2 kids in Orlando area-direct flight from my town)-haven't experienced delays yet (knock wood) but every single time I have a RT with American I have had delays on at LEAST one leg of the trip-every time so far. Although the latest delay last week allowed me to stay an extra night in Vegas and see a concert LOL

[@bitukukuasukgremany3]

I fly with them twice a month from Sanford FL to Springfield MO. Always have a fine trip never had a prob, staff are helpful and nice. Sounds like this chap has the prob trying his best to find fault where there was none. Paying $145 round trip is awesome

[@soaring16]

They fly very few flights per week to a given airport. Hence always full. Any flight I've ever taken was non stop. A big plus for me. As far as Sanford versus Orlando airports are concerned, if I figure in the time from the moment I arrive at the airport until I arrive at my destination, Alligiant wins hands down time wise. Another thing is they do not fly coast to coast. They have divided the country into basically East and West of the Mississippi. Hence no layovers for crew.

[@lisaspikes4291]

I’m flying Allegiant in two weeks for the first time. I choose it because they fly directly from my airport to the city my brother lives in. Which is very convenient for me. No stop in nasty Philadelphia airport! I hope it turns out okay!

[@hawkeyeten2450]

How was your flight?

[@loridoolaghty3453]

I have flown out of Sanford Orlando way back when we had to walk out on the tarmac to load up. Also most of my flights have been Allegiant. Always been a good experience and very affordable.

[@konahelps109]

They make a lot of their money from their vacation package bookings(hotels, car rental, etc). They consider themselves a travel company that happens to have a flight operation.

[@trdshortbus8009]

We fly into the "smaller" airports since we are still considered a travel company. I am a materials specialist for them at KIWA, Phoenix-Mesa Gateway. Ticket sales aren't the only ways we make money either, think of courier services, CoMat/Comair, etc.

[@cchaffincc]

I just flew my first time with Allegiant (round trip from Asheville to Destin/Ft Walton.) The cost was right (cheap) and I’ll do anything to avoid flying in or out of Atlanta. The seats are awful and I did pay more to sit in the front/first row for more leg room. Thank goodness it’s a relatively short flight, I can’t imagine flying to Vegas on one of their flights. I did get to see my Mother in her care center for the first time since covid, so it was a win-win.

[@JohnnyK60]

They must rake in bucks from the cargo hold? I've always understood that's where the profit lies.

[@sanspotter]

That’s probably a big part of it.

[@lvthud]

@@sanspotter No, ancillary fees, baggage fee's, seat selection fees, priority boarding fees, it makes up about 55% of their revenue per passenger. Cargo is next to nothing on most routes.

[@Ian-ru7rj]

Allegiant (as well as Spirit and Frontier) do not carry cargo. Only passenger bags

[@DavidCiani]

Cargo is big on many international routes... domestic, not so much.

[@lvthud]

@@DavidCiani Mail

[@mamba8_24]

Both of my flights on Allegiant from RDU to New Orleans (MSY) actually arrived early. I didn't mind flying it and it wasn't bad at all for a 2 hour flight and the crew were EXTREMELY friendly and pleasant. Small amount of turbulence but not in their control

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

I first flew Allegiant back in '08. Boarded the MD from the rear, seats were soft, $5 can of coke. Onboard lottery game (didn't play). It was a flight from Mesa Gateway Phoenix to Missoula MT and back and while we were boarding in Mesa the locals were arranging rides home with each other. Great vibe, enjoyable flight, cost next to nothing.

[@sanspotter]

With how little they charge for fares, I’m really surprised they’ve stayed in business all these years. I wish I would have had the opportunity to experience those old MD-80’s!

[@AndrewTubbiolo]

@@sanspotter It's a mystery when compared to other airlines. One major part of an airline's cost of doing business is paying interest and principle on loans. If Allegiant is not massively in debit, that would be a major cost savings, and contribute to their ability to make a profit with such low fares.

[@Aloha745]

@@AndrewTubbiolo excellent and valid point!

[@dabflies]

@@sanspotter ULCC's save costs with a combination of the following: 1) fly a new, fuel efficient fleet (this was actually not the case with allegiant originally with the maddog but I'm sure they were saving on leases) 2) fly to secondary airports where landing and gate fees are cheaper. Fuel might also be cheaper but that varies. Gates are rented by the minute usually from the airport authority, which is why they strive for the shortest turnaround times. 3) maximum utilization of the fleet. A ULCC fleet has way less downtime than at a legacy carrier, both between turns and on overnights. Airplanes don't make money when they're on the ground. Which is why some flights depart at such odd times, and also is especially why ULCC's have a reputation for always being delayed. With the fleet being used to its maximum at all times, there is no spare aircraft when a plane goes mechanical or is delayed on a flight earlier in the day. 4) pay the labour force as little as possible. An A320 pilot at Frontier makes less than an A320 pilot at Delta. 5) fly direct city pairs that are underserved. Essentially they stimulate their own demand by offering direct flights, where the majors would make you take a regional flight to a hub first. 6) obviously all the upselling, more legroom, checked and carry-on fees, buy-on-board, the list goes on 7) only direct sales. You won't find ULCC's on any travel sites like Expedia, so they don't have to pay any commission on bookings.

[@drutalero2962]

​@@sanspotter they're ok lol. Flew on many. Just any other plane

[@whitneyveihl4276]

Allegiant also works with hotels, and rental car facilities and take in bucks from vacation packages as well. Crews also don't overnight. All crews start and stop in their own domicile.

[@ScienceOfThePS3]

Whoever made those thin seats so terribly uncomfortable (borderline painful to sit in) can go straight to hell. I sat in those once flying Frontier, and my tailbone paid for it for days.

[@ChrisAnn...]

I always check Allegiant when I fly. Sanford-Orlando Airport is the perfect size. No fuss, no extremely long lines at security & the staff have always been very nice.

[@aisle9]

Allegiant is also heavily involved in selling packages. They don't just want you on the plane. They want you, your wife, your 2.4 kids, your seven (ancillary priced) suitcases and your mother-in-law, and they want you to go through them to buy three hotel rooms, two rental cars, and six tickets to two different theme parks. They get a cut from all of that, and it pays them more than your ticket did.

[@katiacabrera4718]

I live 5 mins from Orlando International and I am flying Allegiant direct from Sanford to Bangor, Maine next week with my daughter, total RT was $140 non stop trips. What?! Delta was more than double and wanted me to take onto 2 stops. No thank you! Hoping for a good experience 🙏🏼

[@504RoadTrips]

We flew Allegiant from New Orleans to St Petersburg, FL a few years ago. It wasn’t bad. The flight was only 40 minutes and cost $59 a ticket. So not long enough or expensive enough to look for things to complain about. On the other hand, we flew Spirit from New Orleans to Minneapolis. Flight is a few hours and cost around $159 a ticket. What you showed on this video looked like first class compared to Spirit. My knees were jammed into the seat in front of me. The seats were downright painful. It reminded me of being on one of those shuttle buses that takes you back to your car…the kind that doesn’t have to provide any comfort because nobody will ever be on it for more than 5 minutes. I don’t have any back issues, but I was in pain for a week. I don’t fly often, but for the last two years, I’ve been putting cash aside for the next time I have to fly. I will spring for first class. Screw these budget airlines that make an already unpleasant experience a nightmare

[@BChandl13]

"Turns out the Orlando-Sanford airport is in Sanford, a city in the Orlando metropolis" WHO KNEW!?!?!?! But for real, they absolutely get a ton of upset customers who see the cheap airfare and don't bother to research the destination airport isn't MCO and is a 70 min, $150 cab ride to whatever low end Disney hotel they're staying at

[@andysorensen1737]

At that rate it’s worth it to see what fares are into Tampa.

[@BChandl13]

@@andysorensen1737 lol nope. Not unless you're renting a car, which is a dumb idea if you're going to Disney. I4 is a nightmare. Easily 2hr in traffic at most times a day or more.

[@Farbar1955]

That reminded me of how the Milan (Italy) airport is more than 35 miles away from Milan!!

[@robertverhulst438]

If going to the Atlantic coast, not Disney, Sanford is not a bad airport to use.

[@KillyJoe]

I fly in there to go to the Daytona 500 and that wasn’t bad at all.

[@TrainMike2013]

They make enough money through all of the upgrade and add-on charges. They know people will pay for it to get features included with other airlines.

[@CascadiaAviation]

I saw a pair of Allegiant A319s at Bellingham International Airport yesterday when I flew my Cherokee in from Boeing Field. Cool livery on those birds IMO.

[@gowithgid3274]

Their Punta Gorda/Ft. Myers Florida airport is 45 minutes from Ft. Myer. Like Sanford, they have a large operation. In the morning they will have eight aircraft at Punta Gorda waiting to leave. The biggest issue with the airline is their service is not every day. If you miss today's flight or it is cancelled it could be days before you fly out.

[@cperivolaris]

Congrats to Allegiant! Screw the BIG 3 for those INSANE fares they charge!!!

[@theaviationastronomychannel]

Well,Allegiant air has good maintenance because now they have much more new Airbus A320 and A319.Now a few years ago,Allegiant air had old MD-80s that where kinda old so they needed a lot more maintenance but now those MD-80s are retired I fly on Allegiant air many times and they have never had issues.Also,Allegiant air is probably popular because a lot of people like to pay cheaper for flights so.

[@5thdimension625]

We fly Allegiant from Traverse City to Phoenix and have been very satisfied with their service. I found it way better than American and United which we usually fly. The planes were cleaner and there are no layovers!!

[@davidandrews9670]

we flew from vegas before the 4th this year to tennessee. first they also didn’t have a plane at the gate because they had to change planes because of a “ maintenance issue” and brought a plane that was smaller ( 17 seats) and proceeded to do “ bump bingo” about an hour later ( it seems) they found 17 winners. by now the flight was at least an hour late and all of The stores and restaurants in that terminal were all closed this was about 12:30 am and we couldn’t buy anything and the vending machines were not excepting credit cards and we had no cash. so we bought some overprice crap on the plane. and settled in for a cramped seemingly six hour flight to Knoxville Tennessee. I will say that they only arrived one hour later than they were supposed to but by then it’s like I was ready to crawl through the windows to get out of the stinking plane. The person that met us at the airport asked us where we wanted to eat and basically our unified answer was anywhere. I don’t think I will ever fly allegiant again although our return trip we were able to get snacks before we boarded and the flight went a lot better.

[@jacobmccarthy8666]

You can save ~ $20 per person per segment on the ULCCs (Spirit, Frontier, Allegiant) by booking your ticket in person at an airport.

[@sanspotter]

I didn’t know this! Considering how low some ULCC fares are, it might be a good way to get an (almost) free ticket.

[@abreuer]

I flew on Alligient from Sarasota, FL SRQ to Cinci CVG for $17. Took no bags, snagged a free exit row window seat at check in. Flight on time. Best $17 ever spent. I have no idea how they profit.

[@sanspotter]

That’s insane! It’s an interesting business model for sure.

[@unplug7776]

Most crews are waiting for inbound aircraft so as soon as the plane rolls up the FO is outside inspecting the aircraft and the cleaners are entering the back of the plane as the passengers are exiting the front. Captain usually jumps up front and is doing the necessary preflight checkes in the cockpit and imputing routing information into the Computers (MCDU). Flight attendants do a final sweep for anything missed. Makes for really quick turn times. Usually air traffic control is the biggest reason for delays not the airlines themselves.

[@paulrom446]

We at the former COEX worked their Charters from TYS to RNO! I believe they now have a Crew Base at TYS! Heaviest Market is to various cities in Florida As a 2nd or 3rd Tier Operator they seem to do pretty well!

[@heathercrellin9200]

The biggest selling pt was the ease of changing flights. My family got sick the day before the scheduled flight, it took less than 5 min to change my ticket and only cost about $20. I've never had that happen before!

[@taylorhenderson7674]

I’m from Shreveport,La , we only have a regional airport. Delta, AA and other major airlines are here but they cost several arms and legs for one plane ticket with long layovers and hardly any direct flights. We also have Allegiant too that has direct flight almost everywhere, I’m about to buy two tickets directly to L.A. for the same price as one ticket from the major airlines ! It’s mind boggling to me. Even if I flew from DFW , I wouldn’t get the same deals.

[@MrZavy08]

I've just found these reviews and I must say, I'm rooting for Allegiant! I hope they continue to expand. I've only flown with them once, but I enjoyed it very much, helped by the fact that Belleville is so much closer and more convenient than St. Louis. It's truly a pleasure to drive 15 minutes, have no worries about parking or long lines, etc. Now if they just had a few more destinations outside of Florida. Chicago and possibly Little Rock would be nice, and also some California offerings, maybe Texas. But the price is great, and I've never heard any of my friends or family complain about service. I hope they continue to grow. Thanks for the reviews.

[@johndornoff]

What it comes down to is the same reason I knew that people would be flying the MAX when they went back to flying: people only care about fare (and just be clear I think the MAX is fine being back in the air I have not flown it but that's because it has not flown on any route I have flown on). What I would be interesting in knowing is how many people actually fly on just the base fare.

[@sanspotter]

I’d be interested to know that as well. I’d suspect that most are not flying on a base fare (based on how many people I saw checking bags and bringing a carryon onboard.

[@johndornoff]

That was my guess also. I checked flying from CID (Cedar Rapids) to SLC on Frontier and after the fees it was cheaper to fly on American First Class from ALO (Waterloo -coach to ORD then First Class).

[@airplane564]

When I go back to Iowa every summer, it's usually $320 round trip on Allegiant, this year I got lucky with a cheap fair on American for $230 round trip but it's on a CRJ900 (3 hour flight)

[@sanspotter]

That’s a pretty good fare for AA! And the CR9 isn’t all that bad - definitely not as bad as the CR2. 😄

[@bcshelby4926]

​@@sanspotter ..wouldn't take a flight that long on one again. A few years ago the Air Canada flight from Portland OR to Toronto was a CRJ700, 4 hours and 20 min. (and that was eastbound with tailwinds). Didn't mind a flight from Portland to Milwaukee a few years ago on a EMB 175 as much as it feels more like an airliner and as I was in first on the left side (1 seat per row).

[@justintime5021]

Here's my bad story, The last time I flew allegiant we flew out to Phoenix from Stockton, CA with no issues. One interesting thing is that Stockton doesn't have any jet bridges so we walked out into the tarmac and boarded via stairs. Not a bad thing just something I hadn't experienced at Sacramento international. On our return trip back to stockton we arrived at the gate, waited three hours and then the flight was delayed until the next day. Came back the next day, waited for 3 hours and the flight was cancelled until the next day again..... The next day the plane finally arrived. We missed 2 days of work and of course wanted our money back so they offered us 50% off our next flight. I have yet to redeem that offer and I swear I never will. Allegiant Air.... It just ain't worth it. They will leave you stranded in Phoenix for 2 days..... A fate I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy

[@E_WANR]

what I don’t understand (am from the UK so feel free to correct me) is why Allegiants business model operates on travelling to smaller airports to avoid high landings fees - and yet they fly through LAX when there are so many other airports in the LA area …

[@sanspotter]

Good question! If I had to guess, it might be because the “other” LA airports are located in fairly affluent areas. LAX might be the cheapest option for them.

[@E_WANR]

@@sanspotter Thanks for your reply !!

[@JuanWayTrips]

​@@sanspotter My guess is gate space issues and the other airports not including LA in their name. Burbank's terminal is small, and Avelo is kind of taking over any limit focus city spots (and is still small compared to Allegiant) along with Southwest still dominating there. They could have taken JetBlue's old spots at Long Beach, but perhaps the move wasn't worth it. Plus, they may need to get LGB to add "Los Angeles" in their name to make it work. It seems silly, but most people outside of California/Southwest USA are not aware of BUR, LGB, ONT, and SNA as they tend to serve more local routes (with a few exceptions) and are used more by locals. If Allegiant sold tickets to Long Beach, their customers may wonder why they are no longer serving Los Angeles, without realizing that it's still in LA County. Sure AZA and SFB are well outside of Phoenix and Orlando, respectively, but still having Phoenix/Orlando in the airport name will draw people in (similar to all of London's airports that are far from London itself). Plus, it's a pain but LAX is still central for most. Moving all operations solely to ONT, BUR, or LGB may help some but not all. Sticking to one of those airports could cause you to lose a lot of business, especially if you're trying to attract people to Los Angeles (locals will pick whatever works best for them). That's why many routes from our secondary airports tend to overlap as well.

[@SANDYMILLER23]

@@JuanWayTrips Allegiant is now flying out SNA Orange County/John Wayne. I believe 2 to 3 times a week.

[@jmlinden7]

@@JuanWayTrips LAX isn't that central, it's close-ish to downtown and Santa Monica but that's it. BUR, LGB, and SNA are much closer to a lot of the metro area

[@svscared]

I mean Sandford airport is only 33 min away from MCO which means it's even closer to Downtown Orlando. Also 33 min is basically how far Ontario Airport is from LA, or Phoenix Mesa Airport is from Phoenix so it's not really that much when you think about it.

[@MichelleBradley]

They don't have employees in all of their stations. Sometimes, they will contract out to other carriers to handle their ground service. This is what they did in SBY when they used to fly two turns per week from here (SFD~SBY~SFD). These contracted ground stations did not have full systems, so when there was irrops, then the customers had to contact the carrier directly. All the ground crews did here was board the planes and the luggage. They never took any cargo (at least from SBY). Even though the flights were fairly full, they pulled out of SBY. The reason given was that while people were buying seats, they were not buying their travel packages. I have not checked on their site in awhile but perhaps that their bread and butter are those commissions they get from non-air travel related aspects of a package. Back when they were flying mad dogs, we had one come into SBY and then had a mechanical. Since they do not have any maintenance crew here (and a MD-90 was an unusual sight for this airport), the plane was on the ground here for about 13 hours. They actually had to fly in mechanics on a private aircraft, to make the fixes and get the plane out later that evening. Perhaps the carrier has improved their maintenance over that time, but to me, they are still a bad airline.. I will fly Spirit before I would consider stepping foot on Allegiant.

[@LMays-cu2hp]

Thank you for sharing you cool videos. We have people in general who have to fly no matter what airline they want to select. We have many airlines and I am glad all of them are safely flying!!

[@sanspotter]

You’re very welcome Lemard! I’m glad too!

[@collinparsons3363]

I haven't flown Allegiant, but I think they have probably the most unique business model of all the US based carriers. They do all the things a low cost carrier typically does. They only operate one aircraft type, use secondary airports, and charge extra fees for literally everything. They even take additional cost saving measures over most carriers. For example, they do not overnight their crews. Everyone returns to their base every night. They do not sell connecting flights, meaning they don't have to transfer bags between flights or deal with passengers who inevitably missed connections. Their service is low frequency, likely only operating on the busier travel days and ensuring the flights stay full. When one books a flight, the website tries to sell them rental cars, hotels, etc, which Allegiant earns commission on. I believe one third of their revenue comes from sales like this. As for being successful despite their reputation, the fact is most of their customers are not frequent fliers, and aren't following the industry all that closely. Price is the deciding factor, and Allegiant also has little competition on most routes. I think the safety concerns came from when they still had the MD-80s. Switching to the Airbus fleet was a huge improvement.

[@EssexWolf1993]

Sanford Airport used to be very popular for the British package holiday airlines, for the main reason it provided lower landing fees. Main drawback is that Sanford is further from Disney World than Orlando International. In high season, you’d be sure to see destinations like Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Bristol, East Midlands, Newcastle and Glasgow for example on Sanford’s departure and arrival boards back then.

[@sanspotter]

Yeah I was shocked to find out that Allegiant is the only US airline serving Sanford. I had no idea how significant it is as an international airport. 😮

[@emilyspeece9866]

My husband and I fly allegiance from Ohio to Sanford frequently and regularly. We recommend it to everyone. It offers great service and affordable fares.

[@markiangooley]

I tried to fly Allegiant out of Sanford… and elsewhere. It was never practical. Hard to book, weird impractical schedule… they do use some weird airports that some people might find convenient. Parking at Sanford is, I’m told, very expensive: cheaper, sometimes, to book a night before and/or after your trip at an airport hotel that provides free parking.

[@hanj31]

Allegiant also uses second hand airplanes with a lot of age on the aircraft which means maintenance costs are also not a lot. They don’t have to keep flying all day to be able to make money. UPS, DHL and FedEx all use that same model for its operations since they have planes just sitting during the day.

[@schalitz1]

I used to live in Lawton OK, about an hour and a half from OKC, and Oklahoma City has one of my favorite airports, very clean and modern

[@SKS8080]

It’s profitable if their expenses are low. Take the Tampa Bay Rays for example. No one shows up to their games but they remain extremely profitable. Same philosophy

[@shawnwallace8065]

I’ve flown with Allegiant probably 30 times and never had any issues. Slight delay here and there but I believe since they started flying the air bus their not having as many issues as when they flew the Douglas aircraft

[@MrCliffda3rd]

I just got back from Knoxville to St Pete Clearwater with no issues. They have been doing better since they have an entire A319/320 fleet.

[@BJ-qr2bj]

They fly from nowhere to nowhere and Sanford is definitely nowhere. Allegiant cancelled our return flight home leaving us stranded in Sanford. Next flight in 3 days. No other airlines at Sanford. Had to get to MCO to get a flight home on Southwest. Rental car company refused to allow a drop off at MCO. Called a relative in Orlando to drive us there, otherwise no way to get there, no help from Allegiant, and limited lodging and other services at Sanford airport. Cost us an extra thousand dollars to get home the next day. Never again. First and last trip on Allegiant.

[@roberthamilton1301]

Bums on seats makes them lots of money 💸💰 Thanks for the video Scott.👍

[@sanspotter]

You’re welcome Robert! Yeah, Allegiant doesn’t seem to have any issues filling seats. Whatever they’re doing is working!

[@321sick]

Flew to Rapid City, SD from Grand Rapids, MI. It was a nightmare. 6 hour delay on the way there. When we got there they lost our bag. We had to wait an hour for them to confirm that they didnt have our bag. The return flight was delayed 5 hours until it was eventually canceled. The next available flight was 4 days later. They did not offer any accommodations. We had to pay for our own rental car to drive home, 16 hour drive. We rented a van for $1,300 split three ways with some other people headed to Grand Rapids. Complete shit show.

[@joshb-8810]

Did you ever try to reach anyone at the corporate level?

[@s_eugene]

Actually a gate agent for them in OKC! Our airport is pretty nice honestly and I took it for granted until someone mentioned how our bathrooms have automatic seat liners and apparently the rest of the world was not on that train... LOL. The airport in OKC is expanding and it should be open by the end of the year and is going to be REALLY nice, so come back then :)

[@Ian-ru7rj]

For the quick turn, the plane is cleaned real quick by the flight attendants, one of the pilots does a walk around to check for discrepancies, and maintenance is done if anything is found, or daily maintenance is done overnight

[@benvarela4472]

I can't complain 1 bit. As a US Veteran flying with Allegiant Airlines, I don't have to pay for any of my Flight bags as they are Carry-ons, usually 1 carry on & 1 Personal Bag, & I always get Priority Boarding so long as I show proof of my Veterans status. Also, this particular airport WAIVES ALL Parking Fees for Veterans who also possess Disabled Veterans License plates. If on average then your ticket is just between $120 to $130 dollars total, as all the other fees are essentially WAIVED, including parking at that airport, how then can you beat that?? In this case it actually IS Cheaper to FLY then DRIVE. This is an OUTSTANDING Airline to fly with for all interested US Veterans, HANDS DOWN 100%.

[@CTMKD]

My experience with them is great and I landed and took off from big international airports... I dont know why everyone hates it

[@bsrk3170]

I’ve flown Columbus to St. Pete countless times with only one delay for obvious thunderstorm. I actually enjoy a smaller airport.

[@LoganAviation]

I haven’t been to Sanford in YEARS!

[@sanspotter]

It really surprised me! I was expecting a worn-down dilapidated airport terminal, but that wasn’t the case. It’s really nice.

[@miles_thomas]

You would have all the same questions for Ryanair or Wizz in Europe. But they are very profitable on the same business model and customer experience as Allegiant. The big difference in Europe? Stronger air passenger rights, although they tray and weasel out of the mandatory payments for delays, cancellations, and overbooking. There have been a few legal "group actions" (European equivalent of a class action), and some independent claims companies who will chase your compensation payments for you for a hefty percentage.

[@withoutmilk]

I’m pretty sure I flew on N236NV from PIE-AVL back in June!

[@sanspotter]

Your next goal: to fly on every aircraft in the Allegiant fleet. 😆

[@withoutmilk]

@@sanspotter do I….do I have to?!

[@adrianritchie5671]

Oh my God I am loving the fact that that sanspotter actually flew into my city I mean I'm like 2 minutes away from the airport so that is like really really cool

[@Plusty07]

He continually and perpetually pointed out that the airport was no where near Orlando. I don't no why that's issues. Most airport world-wide is no where near the city 🙄

[@pulaski1]

Lots of good comments/ ideas already, but I would add that revenue is not _only_ about the cost of the ticket _i.e._ for any one flight/ leg, it's the number of _times_ that they can sell a ticket for that seat each day. If they can fly four legs/ plane/ day then the revenue per seat is four times the price of a ticket, and quick turnaround is a big part of getting high revenue from the plane.

[@Camerenreynolds]

Other than the frequent delays they’re not bad. Ive flown them out of RFD a few times and have always been pleasantly surprised with them each time.

[@hailiez02]

I love Allegiant ! I always fly from Montana to lax California great price and fast quick flights no layovers

[@buffalo7810]

We fly with them because it's the cheapest direct flight to certain areas of the country we visit often. I'd rather be on a bare bones direct flight than sit on a layover in a city just a couple of hours away from home. Never had a problem with them unlike the other airlines that give me free pretzels with my headaches.

[@ryanfrisby7389]

Awesome video, I think that G4’s biggest problem were the Mad Dogs, now that they’re gone, they’ve been a lot safer!😸😸

[@sanspotter]

Those MD-80s were the worst! And I’m super bummed that I never got a ride on one. 😄

[@ryanfrisby7389]

@@sanspotter lol yes! My grandma road one and said she couldn’t hear after it

[@lrg3834]

Sketchy maintenance is a deal breaker for me. Don't care who you are or how much money you make. That's just one facet of aviation you don't compromise with. On another note, nice report, Scott.

[@sanspotter]

Same here! Thankfully Allegiant is doing much better these days in that regard.

[@kenka25101]

The base fare is $69 but in your case you paid more than twice that. That's the same with most other people else on the flight. Some people will have bought the $69 fare way before the flight while business people might have bought a ticket for $200 or $300 a few days before the flight. Its that kind of thing that the airline relies on

[@HillBillyNanners]

Allegiant is the most delayed or cancelled airline in the United States, with around 27% of flights delayed or cancelled this year. So you have about at 1 in 4 chance of being delayed when you book with allegiant.

[@anotherblonde]

Watched your vid just to remind myself, who used to fly up to 14 times a year, what's not to miss.

[@cbmike6244]

Flew Allegiant from Omaha to LAX a few times, it was like being on the Greyhound Bus of the sky, its no Delta, but hell, direct flights from my cow town to LA, I'll take them every time.

[@a1s1]

Another thing I hate about Allegiant is that I just CANNOT book a cross-country trip on one ticket. Not that I would ever think of flying it cross-country on a LCC, but I find it weird that I can't do it all on one ticket. I live in FL and I would have to fly as far west as they go, and then take another flight to my final west coast destination. It's odd but interesting.

[@sanspotter]

Exactly! I wanted to fly all the way home to San Diego on Allegiant, but Oklahoma City was about as far west as I could get. I had to connect to American Airlines from there.

[@collinparsons3363]

Allegiant doesn't sell connecting flights at all. That way they don't have to transfer your bags or rebook passengers who inevitably missed their flights.

[@gnexjeff]

I have flown on Allegiant twice in the past three years and have nothing bad to report regarding my experience with them. I think their horrible past reputation's shadow is simply longer for "serious" travelers whereas casual travelers, Allegiant's core market, has likely had a generally favorable experience and isn't affected by the past reputation. I liken it to the improved quality of Hyundai and Kia automobiles over the last decade.

[@geodavras]

super convenient to fly out of east mesa, a secondary up and coming airport at the edge of queen creek it’s pretty cool to not have to drive all the way to phx from the eastern suburbs

[@trdshortbus8009]

Maintenance CANT be sketchy, simply because almost everything requires some sort of sign off from the FAA, 90% of the parts I handle have an FAA 8130 form with them.

[@ricardo_del_toro]

I find Allegiant to be just fine for very short haul flights. I only fly their MRY to LAS route and it's fine for that. Allegiant has gotten better with time. During their MD years, I wouldn't fly them. They're a budget airline and it's wise to set expectations accordingly.

[@Rhaspun]

Yes. Short flights to Las Vegas works for me. I can't imagine sitting in a plane with Allegiant for 6 hours. If they're late to for take off to Las Vegas it's has little consequences.

[@grahaml3449]

Their fares are not all that much cheaper. Where I fly the most, I can choose direct with Allegiant (2 days a week) or a 1-stop with Delta. After all the tack-on fees with Allegiant, most of the time Delta is maybe 10% higher. And they will get me there close to on time. Allegiant has THE worst gate attendants, and is prone to canceling flights, but only after dragging out the delay for a couple of hours. Then you are stuck in the terminal with no plane, no flight, and no plan to provide an alternate. Happened to me twice. Most of the time I'll pay the 10%, accept the one-stop over non-stop, and have a happier life!

[@plowe7981]

Allegiant’s CEO was ValuJet’s CEO. You can read up on the dangerous cost cutting/accidents they had. Maybe he has taken what worked from that experience to run Allegiant.

[@Obiejax]

I would rather drive to a farther away airport like Sanford-Orlando (SFB) and fly nonstop with Allegiant to Grand Rapids or Traverse City MI than worry about making a connection any day of the week. Plus SFB is exactly what they claim to be...Simpler. Faster. Better.

[@jamescostello6529]

I had to work in Tampa and live in the Greenville SC area. $500 on Delta. Told my boss I could go each way for $18 but couldn't book in Concur. He reached into his pocket, flipped me two twenties and said "I don't need a receipt." I've flown Allegiant from GSP for years and I have no complaints. They are great for what they are, cheap airlines. Now that their original fleet of MD88's is going or gone, and those were nicely refurbished aircraft at the time too, what's to complain about. Oh,BTW, your "Orlando" joke got old the second time you said it. Sanford is Sanford and Orlando is Orlando and they are 40+ miles apart.