Allegiant will open two new aircraft and crew bases in Flint, Michigan and Appleton, Wisconsin during the firsts quarter of 2022. Flint operations will launch with three A320s and at least 89 employees, while Appleton will launch with two based A320s and at least 66 employees.
On Tuesday (August 10, 2021), Allegiant announced the opening of two new aircraft and crew bases at Flint Bishop International Airport (FNT) in Flint, Michigan and Appleton International Airport (ATW) in Appleton, Wisconsin. Allegiant will begin operations in Flint with three based Airbus A320s and at least 89 crew members, maintenance technicians and support staff on February 16, 2022, representing a $75 million investment. The Appleton base will open on March 2, 2022 with two based Airbus A320s and a staff of at least 66, representing an investment of $50 million.
In Tuesday’s announcement, Allegiant’s Senior Vice President of Revenue and Planning, Drew Wells, said,
“Flint and Appleton have been incredibly successful cities for Allegiant, where we've grown our operations steadily over the years. It makes perfect sense to establish aircraft and crew bases in these great communities, furthering our presence as a hometown airline. Having locally-based operations will mean opportunities for expanded hours, as well as more – and more frequent – flight offerings for local residents. These new bases will also be pivotal to stretching our network, increasing nonstop flight offerings throughout the country as demand for leisure travel continues to rebound.”
Allegiant has been operating at Flint since 2016 and currently offers service to Orlando/Sanford, Fort Lauderdale, Punta Gorda, St. Pete/Clearwater and Sarasota (Florida), Nashville, Las Vegas, and Phoenix-Mesa (from November 18, 2021). During 2019, Allegiant carried nearly 197,000 passengers via Flint.
Also commenting on Allegiant’s new Flint base, Flint Bishop International Airport’s Chief Executive Officer, Nino Sapone, said,
“This announcement is the culmination of a great relationship with Allegiant, our community and the region as a whole. Our passengers have proven time and again how much they value the unique brand of travel that Allegiant offers. Allegiant has grown from less than seven percent of our traffic in 2016, to over 54 percent today. It's an amazing story of growth, commitment and partnership. Opening this base will add a variety of high paying jobs to the region, give our passengers greater access to more nonstop destinations, and the airline a home in Mid-Michigan. We're looking forward to taking this partnership to the next level.”
Allegiant began service in Appleton in 2008 and currently offer flights to Orlando/Sanford, St. Pete/Clearwater and Punta Gorda (Florida), as well as Nashville, Phoenix-Mesa, Savannah and Las Vegas. In 2019, the airline served nearly 147,000 passengers through Appleton.
Also commenting on the new Appleton base, Appleton Airport’s Director, Abe Weber, said,
“Allegiant understands our state's passion for travel and we are thrilled to partner on this expansion right in the heart of Wisconsin. This new Allegiant crew and aircraft base at Appleton Airport will enable us to offer even more nonstop destinations and future travel options. And, equally as important, it further delivers on our mission of quickly, easily and conveniently connecting our community to the world, giving our travelers more time for what matters most.”
Founded in 1999, Las Vegas, Nevada-based Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) links passengers from small to medium cities to world-class leisure destinations with all non-stop flights and industry-low average fares. The company offers base airfares that are often half the price of a typical roundtrip ticket and operates an all-Airbus A320 Family fleet.
Source: Allegiant Travel Company