AUSTIN, Texas, April 6, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Allegiant Travel
Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) today announced plans to establish a
base of operations at the South Terminal at Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport (AUS). The Las
Vegas-based company will invest $75
million to establish the new base in Austin, creating at least 89 high-wage jobs
and housIng three Airbus A320 aircraft.
The company, which focuses on linking travelers in
small-to-medium cities to world-class leisure destinations, plans
to begin its base operations in Austin on November 18,
2021.
"Austin has been a really
exciting location for Allegiant – not only do leisure travelers
appreciate having convenient access to the incredible music scene,
cultural and historic attractions the community has to offer, but
local residents have also flocked to our affordable, nonstop
flights for their travel needs," said Drew
Wells, Allegiant's senior vice president of revenue. "It
makes perfect sense to establish a permanent base in Austin, further establishing Allegiant as a
hometown airline in a city we love and where we plan to grow.
Having locally-based operations will mean opportunities for
expanded hours, as well as more – and more frequent – flight
offerings for visitors and locals alike."
Located in Central Texas, the
capital city of Austin is
world-renowned as a premier destination for live music, events and
cultural arts – from visual art exhibits to film festivals - as
well as dining and an abundance of outdoor activities. Nestled
adjacent to the Texas Hill Country, Austin offers the perfect balance of an
exciting, bustling city and the quaint and iconic offerings of the
Lone Star State, including Hill Country vineyards, wineries and
historic attractions. Home to the University
of Texas, South by Southwest and the newly-formed Austin FC
professional soccer club, the city is also one of the nation's
fastest-growing centers for technology innovation and business
enterprise.
"The announcement of Allegiant's selection of Austin as a base city is just the kind of news
our community and the tourism industry needs right now," said
Austin City Council Member Vanessa Fuentes, who represents District
2 – where Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is located. "The
potential for added flights will bring more travelers into the area
and offer Central Texans extra options when it comes to their own
travel plans. The airport is an economic driver in our local
economy, and I'm excited to see growth and activity in the district
and beyond during such a critical time."
"We are thrilled that Allegiant is making Austin a base city and with that, bringing
more jobs to our region," said Doug
Driskill. "As Chair of the Chamber's Air Service Task Force,
I know landing more non-stop flights to serve our growing region is
our top priority. We look forward to continuing to work with
Allegiant as they build up their presence."
"Allegiant has been a fantastic partner of the South Terminal
since our operations began in April of 2017," said Jeff Pearse, chief executive officer, Lone Star
Holdings. "We share their commitment to offering convenient, and
low cost access to air travel. We are honored to expand this
relationship and serve as a trusted partner for this investment
into the future."
Allegiant began operating at AUS in October 2013 with service from Austin to Las
Vegas and currently offers 14 nonstop routes – to
Orlando-Sanford and Destin-Fort Walton
Beach, Fla.; Cincinnati,
Ohio; Memphis and
Knoxville, Tenn.; Albuquerque, N.M.; Pittsburgh, Pa.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Des Moines, Iowa; Asheville, N.C.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Bozeman, Mont. (new service starting
May 27, 2021) and Bentonville, Ark. (new service starting
July 2, 2021) as well as Las
Vegas. Since establishing service, Allegiant has flown more
than 1.1 million passengers through Austin.
"AUS is excited for this investment in our community and
the South Terminal's ability to accommodate Allegiant's growth,"
said Mookie Patel, AUS chief of
business and finance. "Allegiant establishing Austin as a base provides strong economic
support to Central Texas and even
more convenient and affordable ways to travel."
Unlike most other airlines, Allegiant operates an "out-and-back"
network, with exclusively nonstop flights - meaning each day's
flying starts and ends at a base, rather than connecting traffic
through busy hub airports. The base at Austin-Bergstrom
International Airport will bring additional flexibility for flight
times and future route opportunities, as locally-based crew members
return home nightly to Austin.
Allegiant, which employs more than 4,200 team members
across the U.S., plans to immediately begin hiring pilots, flight
attendants, mechanics and ground personnel to support the
operations. Available positions will be posted on Allegiant's
careers website, where interested applicants may
apply online.
Allegiant – Together We Fly™
Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an
integrated travel company with an airline at its
heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places
and experiences that matter most. Since 1999, Allegiant
Air has linked travelers in small-to-medium cities to
world-class vacation destinations with all-nonstop flights and
industry-low average fares. Today, Allegiant's all-Airbus fleet
serves communities across the nation, with base airfares less than
half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip ticket. For more
information, visit us at Allegiant.com. Media information,
including photos, is available
at http://gofly.us/iiFa303wrtF
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
Owned and
operated by the City of Austin,
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport is an economic engine in
Central Texas, supplying over
74,000 direct and indirect jobs in the Central Texas region. Its reflection of local
food, music, art, and customer service has earned Austin-Bergstrom
recognition—including Runner-Up for Best U.S. Airport in Fodor's
2019 Travel Awards.
The South Terminal
The South Terminal, opened in
April of 2017, proudly provides Austin residents and visitors with efficient
access to low-cost and convenient air travel. Passengers are
provided close-in onsite parking, charging stations, grab and go
food and beverage options, Wi-Fi and outdoor seating to enjoy a
local Austin food truck. The South
Terminal, owned and operated by LoneStar Airport Holdings, LLC, has
been recognized across the country and industry as an innovative
and progressive public-private partnership. For more information
visit www.austinsouthterminal.com.
Media Contacts:
Allegiant – 702-800-2020,
mediarelations@allegiantair.com
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport – 512-715-4287,
ausmedia@austintexas.gov
The South Terminal – Scott
Dunaway, The Monument Group – 512-870-7212,
scott@themonumentgroup.com,
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SOURCE Allegiant Travel Company