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Allegiant to start Mesa, AZ flights

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Heavy Set

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ALLEGIANT AIR ANNOUNCES NEW BASE IN PHOENIX-MESA: Airline to Launch Low-Cost Service Oct. 25

(Mesa, Ariz.)--- Low-cost airline, Allegiant Air, LLC, a subsidiary of Allegiant Travel Company (Nasdaq: ALGT) today announced it will establish a new base in the world-class, leisure destination of Arizona, with low-fare, nonstop jet service from Phoenix-Mesa beginning Oct. 25.
Flying to/from America's "favorite" small cities, Allegiant plans to launch the new service from Williams Gateway Airport with 13 markets already served by the carrier. The first route will be announced and available for purchase Aug. 9. The remaining 12 routes will all be announced before Sept. 16. A clock on the company's website will provide a countdown to each new city announcement and can be viewed at www.allegiantair.com.
"We're extremely pleased to add Arizona to our growing roster of world-class leisure destinations," Ponder Harrison, Managing Director for Allegiant Travel Company. "This is an exciting new market for our airline and our customers. We look forward to a successful relationship between the airport authority, area resorts and community leaders."
"This is an exciting day for all of Arizona as we welcome Allegiant Air to Williams Gateway Airport and the Valley," Gila River Indian Community and WGAA Chairman Lt. Governor Jennifer Allison-Ray said. "Over the years, Allegiant Air has consistently attracted a high volume of passengers and we're very happy to have the opportunity to bring their convenient travel services to Valley residents."
The self-proclaimed "Official Airline for Sunshine" will base 130-seat MD-80 series jet aircraft at Williams Gateway Airport. Williams Gateway will serve as the fourth base at a world-class, leisure destination for the Las Vegas-based airline, which also serves McCarran International Airport (Las Vegas), Orlando Sanford International Airport and St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport. The airline plans to announce a fifth base at another world-class destination Aug. 1.
Allegiant Air currently provides low-cost scheduled service to more than 50 cities across the U.S., with 42 routes to Las Vegas, 26 routes to Orlando and 14 routes to the Tampa Bay area. In addition to its scheduled service, the airline also operates charter service throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada.
Williams Gateway Airport is "just plane easy" for commercial passengers. With three expansive runways (10,401 feet; 10,201 feet; and 9,301 feet), a newly remodeled passenger terminal, and convenient parking, Williams Gateway is positioned to be a dynamic reliever airport to Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport. Williams Gateway Airport is owned and operated by the Williams Gateway Airport Authority that includes the City of Mesa, City of Phoenix, Town of Gilbert, Town of Queen Creek, and the Gila River Indian Community.
As a full-service travel company, Allegiant provides even greater savings to customers by offering complete, low-cost vacation packages. Allegiant will partner with more than 20 area hotels, including hotels in the Phoenix, Scottsdale, Tempe, Mesa and Sedona areas. The company will provide low-cost car rental service through its partnership with Alamo Rent a Car.
The company commented that market research and input from local community leaders indicate the greater Phoenix area will welcome the value and convenience of flying nonstop out of Williams Gateway Airport as an alternative to connecting flights through hubs. Beginning Aug. 9, reservations to/from Phoenix-Mesa may be made through the company's website at www.allegiantair.com, the airline's Reservations Center at 702-505-8888 or professional travel agents.
 
Very interesting. That part of the Valley is growing quite fast. I remember Williams Air Base from my training days - man does it get super hot there in the summer!!!! That facility has three parallel runways and it provides a good platform for growth. I am not sure what type of terminal facilities it would provide but I guess they have some time to build more if needed.

Great news for you Allegiant pilots! PHX is now the 4th or 5th largest city in the nation and it continues to grow - the Mesa suburb should be a good market for you to tap for your specific markets not already served by SWA and US.
 
Just in time for the influx of snowbirds from Iowa and Illinois. I think that is a great idea so long as they can build a nice terminal there - I have seen the airport while flying into PHX and it looked pretty spartan. I think a few small airlines already serve Williams Gateway - Vision Airlines (D328s) and some 737 charter operator out of Gary, Indiana I believe. Intel Corporation operates an Embraer 135 shuttle service out of there to San Jose, CA and maybe Oregon too.

More good growth opportunities for the Allegiant pilots out there. PHX also has more reasonable housing options with the building slump.
 
It's not a very smart business decision. PHX does have tourism but it isn't exactly a budget travel destination in the winter where Allegiant usually finds a pretty good niche. The city is full of expensive, high-end hotels for who is looking for some spa time, some awesome golf outings, fine dinings and private tours of the wild west. These people won't fly Allegiant or they would be looking for any special air travel group deals. They already have accounts with major airlines for upgrades. It certainly isn't like LAS where Allegiant could often bank on some budget travellers who otherwise won't be going unless it's $49 dollars a room from a small town somewhere in the midwest. It will be interesting to see if Allegiant can make it work with just the regular seasonal snowbirds. However, I can see Skybus coming into Williams Gateway in the near future.
 
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It's not a very smart business decision. PHX does have tourism but it isn't exactly a budget travel destination in the winter where Allegiant usually finds a pretty good niche. The city is full of expensive, high-end hotels for who is looking for some spa time, some awesome golf outings, fine dinings and private tours of the wild west. These people won't fly Allegiant or they would be looking for any special air travel group deals. They already have accounts with major airlines for upgrades. It certainly isn't like LAS where Allegiant could often bank on some budget travellers who otherwise won't be going unless it's $49 dollars a room from a small town somewhere in the midwest. It will be interesting to see if Allegiant can make it work with just the regular seasonal snowbirds. However, I can see Skybus coming into Williams Gateway in the near future.

PHX has a huge tourist population and massive swings in total population during the winters. SWA and US/AWA have prospered in PHX and they fill seats during the winter and busy summer travel seasons. Again, Allegiant won't be competing route-to-route with either SWA or US/AWA but the travel market in PHX remains strong and Allegiant wants to tap into that. There are new indian gambling establishments being built in the area too. Sounds like a good move to me.
 
There are a whole bunch of people in the east valley who would give their right arm to not have to travel to Sky Harbor.

I used to live over there and I'll tell you what, if I still did and needed to fly somewhere, I'd check for flight in these guy FIRST and then check out flights from Sky Harbor second.

The airlines offering one destination were bound to have limited sucess, but I'm confident that this system will do really well.

I think that this is really a smart move....very few east valley resident are natives and most of 'em travel "home" (back to where ever they're from) at least once a year.
 
It's not a very smart business decision. PHX does have tourism but it isn't exactly a budget travel destination in the winter where Allegiant usually finds a pretty good niche. The city is full of expensive, high-end hotels for who is looking for some spa time, some awesome golf outings, fine dinings and private tours of the wild west. These people won't fly Allegiant or they would be looking for any special air travel group deals. They already have accounts with major airlines for upgrades. It certainly isn't like LAS where Allegiant could often bank on some budget travellers who otherwise won't be going unless it's $49 dollars a room from a small town somewhere in the midwest. It will be interesting to see if Allegiant can make it work with just the regular seasonal snowbirds. However, I can see Skybus coming into Williams Gateway in the near future.

Believe it or not, our average passenger booking a hotel room through us stays at the Venetian, Bellagio, and other high end hotels. We sell many more of these rooms than the budget rooms.

We're only starting with established AAY cities that have no direct flight competition. I think we'll attract a lot more than snowbirds and PHX will be a very successful city for us.
 
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There are a whole bunch of people in the east valley who would give their right arm to not have to travel to Sky Harbor.

I used to live over there and I'll tell you what, if I still did and needed to fly somewhere, I'd check for flight in these guy FIRST and then check out flights from Sky Harbor second.

The airlines offering one destination were bound to have limited sucess, but I'm confident that this system will do really well.

I think that this is really a smart move....very few east valley resident are natives and most of 'em travel "home" (back to where ever they're from) at least once a year.

Concur absolutely. Few natives from PHX...they have a very transient seasonal population and a lot of ties to the mid-west. The less-traveled, tough to reach 'catchment areas' w/ 1-2 million population within 100 miles will be a big seller.

Add to that how much growth (read dollars) has taken place towards that part of the big city. With the nightmare congested highways there, I feel IWA will turn out to be a great satellite airport. Allegiant has been serving Harrah's customers out of IWA for some time already. Their terminal is small, but nice and adequate for the job. Hopefully with the promise of new business, funds will become available for additional development (growth, jetways, etc).

Great move, I think.

D1
 

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