We’ve written many times before about our concerns regarding Allegiant Air. Those issues have included safety problems, flight delays, old aircraft, stranded passengers, lack of comfort and non-existent customer service. Frankly, the airline just couldn’t be more the opposite of our bellwether quality carriers, Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. Now, however, much more light was shed on just how bad Allegiant really is, in an expose by the Washington Post.
The article, which we suggest you read, details a plethora of safety concerns contained in 300 pages of FAA records related to abnormal aborted takeoffs, emergency descents and emergency landings. “Allegiant had about nine times as many serious incidents over that period as Delta Airlines had with similar types of planes of similar vintage — even though Delta was flying about three times as many such planes.” The article and its sources allege Allegiant has an old and poorly maintained fleet, which we have long known. FAA has apparently not been doing the flying public any favors in its failure to more carefully manage the situation. According to the Washington Post article, “The FAA sees its job as promoting the airlines and keeping them flying. They really try to keep just about any hunk of junk” in the air.
History of Allegiant Flights to Hawaii
Allegiant, known for ultra-low base cost flights, made a huge splash when in 2009, they acquired a fleet of used 757 aircraft specifically for flights to Hawaii. That was followed by underestimates and repeated delays in obtaining the over-water certification needed for flights to Hawaii.
When flights finally started in 2012, replete airfares as low as $99, they set the industry on its ear.
Allegiant has tried very hard to make flights to Hawaii work. They announced 9 routes, mostly from cities which had never had direct flights to Hawaii. They continued to alter their schedule and routes from regular to seasonal, and to add and delete flights. They even tried their own version of first class. Then in 2014, Allegiant axed 8 routes, which marked the beginning of the end. By Fall 2014, they went down to just two Hawaii routes. And last month to only one, when Los Angeles to Honolulu ended, leaving only a Las Vegas to Honolulu route.
Allegiant will end the Las Vegas service, probably in 2017, given they are committed to getting rid of the 757 ETOPS fleet required for over water flights.
Will you be sad to see Allegiant go?
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I flew on Allegiant a couple of times from Las Vegas to HNL. Both trips were uneventful. There’s no complimentary drinks or snacks, of course. RT was about $342 plus $25 each leg for carry-on luggage, compared to Hawaiian Airline’s $578 with no fee for carry-on, complimentary meal and drinks.
Allegiant is scary!….Hawaiian Air is the Best in My Book!
Having flown Allegiant several times from Bellingham to Honolulu, San Diego & Palm Springs, I have not had any major complaints, except the legroom from Bellingham to Honolulu was almost zero. As with most things, you get what you pay for. Allegiant to Honolulu always got in after 11 pm which means there were no shuttles PERIOD at that time of night. Not being a frequent flyer or savvy about such things, it would have been nice to be fore-warned of that. Will definitely be flying Alaska or Hawaiian from now on!
About 4 years ago we took an Allegiant flight from Long Beach to Las Vegas & that’s as far as I would ever go in one of their old planes.
The production company I worked for in 2008 chartered Allegiant to take us to La Vegas. The flight was OK but coming back, the plane was old, not on schedule and frankly, it was really frightening. I swore to never fly that airline again.
I’ve never flown Alaskan but Hawaiian airline is top rated in my book!
Aloha nui loa to you both!
Mahalo and Happy Labor Day Nadege!
Aloha.
I once flew Allegiant from Santa Maria, California to Las Vegas because Santa Maria was so much more convenient (from Santa Barbara), than dealing with Los Angeles. The flights were fine, but the plane, an ancient Super DC-9, made me cringe. I renamed them “Trans Pixley Airlines.”