15 Surprising Facts About Allegiant Air

Air travel across the United States is pivotal to the framework of the nation. Over four billion passengers step onto a plane (most of which are crammed like cattle into economy class, itching for just a sliver of extra legroom), comprising of business travel, domestic leisure, and, of course, a welcoming hoard of snap-happy tourists.

Usually, it's all about the big names - United, Delta, and American. However, there are plenty of medium and smaller-sized fleets that are doing their best to stay relevant. One of those is our dear Allegiant Air - the outdated, somehow-successful, low-cost, money-grabbing, Allegiant Air.

We know them as a name, but unless we've flown with them ourselves and paid $6 for a bag of peanuts, then that's about the extent of our knowledge. Until now...

15 Free Snacks And Drinks Are No Longer Free

On the majority of airlines, we're slapped with hidden fee after hidden fee - and unless we're flying up with the fat cats in first class, the only solace comes in the form of a complimentary bag of over-salted pretzels and some juice or coke. With Allegiant, they've now scrapped this idea, and are charging up to $6 for a single can of soda or beer.

14 On Average, Passengers Spend $45 Extra In Fees!

That's crazy, right? $45 dollars (according to MoneyInc) is more than Southwest would charge for an entire plane ticket on some routes! Unaware passengers are hit with a cluster of sneaky fees, including baggage, an initial seat assignment, any secondary seating changes, and priority boarding. It makes us wonder if it's worth the low-cost fare in the first place...

13 They Don't Just Do Planes - They Do Hotels Too

Recently, Allegiant announced that they'd be expanding their routes (but more on that later). Alongside that announcement, they revealed a shiny new plan to build a fancy-pants resort called the Sunseeker, over in Port Charlotte, Florida. In contrast with the airline, the resort will be far from low-cost, at around $200 a night.

12 There's Often No First Class Or Business Class Section

When trying to impress, Allegiant refer to their brand as a leisure class of airline. For those not in the industry, that means that it's a budget-friendly (read: cheap) airline that skimps on luxury in order to accommodate the masses. Most of the fleet fit around 160 passengers, crammed in like sardines.

11 Popularity Has Been In Decline Since 2017

Despite a wild decade and a half of success, it seems like Allegiant has finally hit the wall. Not in the profits department, but in the customer satisfaction department. A number of complaints have flown in regarding everything from horrible customer service to unprofessional pilots, and, of course, the insane add-on fees.

10 Their MD-80 Aircraft Were Cursed

Aside from the obvious complaints, Allegiant has another negative track record: emergency landings. Due to its remarkably old fleet, the company has found its planes plummeting down toward earth far more than any other airline - in fact, 46 of the company's 86 aircraft have reported emergency landings.

9 And... They Were All Second-Hand From Other Airlines

What could be the main contributing factor to all these troubled flights? The answer: outdated equipment. Almost all of the MD-80 planes in the Allegiant fleet were purchased second-hand from foreign airlines. According to CBS, this has resulted in more than 100 serious mechanical incidents since 2016.

8 The Risk Of Tragedy Is Much Higher Than Others

Not only are the planes old and struggling when inspected on the ground (well, the outdated section of the fleet - not the new Airbuses), but the company also holds the title of the most in-flight failures. As per the Tampa Bay Times, mishaps on Allegiant were planes were four times more likely than on other carriers.

7 The Level Of Success Is Surprising

We've heard about the old planes and the accompanying issues - it's unfortunate, no doubt. However, from a business perspective, it's been nothing but dollar bills rolling in from every direction. Since 2003, even though the Great Recession, they've managed to strike a profit in every quarter. Impressive, right?

6 They've Just Expanded Their Routes

With such a positive balance sheet, it makes plenty of sense that the brains at the top would want to expand their empire. Very recently, in February of 2020, the company announced another nine new non-stop routes, explains MSN, including the quick San Diego to Las Vegas trip, on top of the 44 introduced just a few months prior.

5 It Wasn't Always Called Allegiant

When Allegiant Air was first established over two decades ago in 1997, it actually opened under a different name - WestJet Express. The issue, however, was that an airline already existed by a similar name - West Jet Air Center. So, forced to change after a trademark dispute, Allegiant as we know it was born.

4 It's The Fifth-Largest Commercial Airline In The Country (By Route Network)

Considering that the majority of us have probably never flown with this airline, it might come across as a slight surprise to discover that they're much, much larger than we perceive. In fact, they rank fifth for total route network, 11th for fleet size, and just outside of the top 10 for passengers carried (in 2019).

3 The Headquarters Is In Sin City...

When you hear the name Las Vegas, what comes to mind? Casinos, booze, endless nightlife, and wild attractions, right? Nowhere near the top of our list of expectations is an airline headquarters - alas, that's the case with Allegiant, who now sponsor the local Las Vegas Golden Knights hockey team.

2 ...Which Is Also Their Biggest Departure Hub

Since Las Vegas is a relatively isolated city by land, most of its 40 million annual visitors choose to fly in and fly out. Allegiant takes full advantage of that, using McCarran international airport as its main stomping ground. From there, its passengers can jet off to multiple destinations in Florida, as well as Nashville, Denver, and Phoenix, just to name a few.

1 They Operate At A Whopping 7 Airports In Florida

Despite being mainly based over in the hot-as-hell Nevadan desert, Allegiant actually has a large presence on the east coast as well - particularly beachy Florida. Out of its 117 airports across the United States, seven are scattered around Florida. It would be a nice change to see views like this after leaving Vegas, that's for sure.

Next: United Airlines Vs Southwest: 20 Reasons To Choose One Over The Other