SAVANNAH, Ga., April 3, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- State and
local officials joined executives from Allegiant Travel
Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) today as the company announced plans to
establish a two-aircraft base at Savannah/Hilton Head
International Airport in Savannah,
Georgia. Allegiant's growth plans in the state include
creating at least 66 new, high-wage jobs.
The Las Vegas-based company is investing $50 million to establish its new base of
operations, which will house two Airbus aircraft. The company,
which focuses on linking travelers in small-to-medium cities to
world-class leisure destinations, plans to begin its base
operations at Savannah/Hilton Head
International Airport on June 6,
2019.
Known for its rich history, Antebellum architecture, picturesque
city squares and renowned culinary scene, Savannah has experienced an urban revival in
recent years, and is increasingly known as an epicenter for art and
music festivals. Home to a wide variety of recreation
opportunities from haunted history tours to golf and beaches, the
Savannah and Hilton Head Island
areas are a favorite for visitors of all ages.
Hilton Head Island is a classic
American resort destination recognized as the #1 Island in the U.S.
by the readers of Conde Nast
Traveler and Travel + Leisure in their
coveted reader's choice awards. Its burgeoning culinary scene, lush
tropical setting and notable arts and cultural offerings have made
the island a favorite for travelers in search of a beach
destination with a laid back luxe vibe.
"We are excited that Allegiant will grow its presence in
Georgia by establishing a base in
Savannah," said Governor
Brian Kemp. "Our logistics
infrastructure is one of Georgia's
greatest assets, and we are excited that Allegiant will not only
create 66 jobs in Savannah, but
will offer more travel options for travelers who want to visit or
do business in the Peach State."
"Savannah has been an
outstanding city for Allegiant, and we've continued to grow our
presence to accommodate the ever-increasing demand by leisure
travelers for everything this special region has to offer," said
Keith Hansen, vice president of
government affairs for Allegiant. "It's a perfect location for a
permanent base, where having locally-based aircraft and crews will
mean a whole world of expanded options for new service and more
expansive hours. The result will be even more convenient and
affordable travel for visitors and residents, and will further
establish Allegiant as a hometown airline for the Savannah/Hilton Head area."
"From a tourism perspective, Allegiant has had an incredibly
positive impact on our visitation numbers over the last five
years," said Joe Marinelli,
president, Visit Savannah. "By opening up 15 new markets, we
are attracting leisure visitors, business travelers and convention
attendees from places that were not easily or affordably available
to us in the past. And because of Allegiant's aggressive marketing
efforts, the awareness of Savannah
as a place to visit is greater than ever before in those
cities. This next step, with the creation of a new base at
SAV, shows the continued commitment and dedication that Allegiant
is making to our community – and we thank them for that."
Allegiant began operating at Savannah/Hilton Head
International Airport in 2015 and with today's
announcement now offers 15 non-stop routes – to Albany,
Niagara Falls and Newark in the
New York region; Cincinnati, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio; Grand Rapids, Michigan; Indianapolis, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; Nashville, Tennessee; Pittsburgh and Allentown, Pennsylvania; Portsmouth, New Hampshire; Providence, Rhode Island and Baltimore, Maryland.
Allegiant currently carries more than 240,000 annual passengers
through Savannah.
"In 2015, Allegiant Air made a commitment to Savannah with establishing flights to
Cincinnati, Akron and Columbus
Ohio and now more than 6,500 passengers fly in and out of
Savannah/Hilton Head International
Airport with up to 44 flights a week and more than 15
destinations," said Trip Tollison, Savannah Economic Development
Authority CEO and president. "Today's announcement of establishing
a base in Savannah is the next
step in the growing relationship between Allegiant Air and the
Savannah region. We applauded and
congratulate Allegiant Air for continuing to invest in Savannah."
"Allegiant's move to a year-round presence at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport
speaks volumes about their confidence in the marketplace and the
ever-growing appeal of both Hilton Head
Island and Savannah with
travelers," said Bill Miles,
president and CEO, Hilton Head
Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce. "It's not just about
visitors, it's also about new jobs and more travel options for our
residents. That's good news for our vibrant economy and a testament
to the power of tourism in the Lowcountry."
Savannah will become the
airline's 17th aircraft base, which will allow Allegiant
to expand its service to and from the city, offer more new
non-stop routes in the future, and further connect Savannah visitors, residents and businesses to
destinations around the world.
"We greatly appreciate Allegiant's decision to establish a
year-round base here at our airport. This represents a significant
vote of confidence that travelers throughout their network will
want to visit Savannah, Hilton
Head, the Lowcountry and the Golden Isle Region," said Stephen S. Green, chairman, Savannah Airport
Commission.
"We realize that this is a significant investment on Allegiant's
part, and we will work hard to ensure that they will be
successful," he continued. "We appreciate the valuable state
and regional partnerships that we have established to help achieve
our service successes such as this."
Allegiant, which employs more than 4,300 team members
across the U.S., plans to immediately begin hiring pilots, flight
attendants, mechanics and ground personnel to support the
operations. The majority of the new positions are expected to offer
salaries that are more than double the state's average wage.
Interested applicants may apply online.
"Allegiant's decision to establish a year-round base and add
more routes here at Savannah/Hilton Head International says a lot
about our region as a destination and about our strong partnership
with the Allegiant team. We greatly appreciate their investment
here," said Gregory B. Kelly,
executive director, Savannah Airport Commission. "Our partners at
the state, Hilton Head Chamber,
SEDA, Visit Savannah and the Savannah Chamber were instrumental in
making this possible."
Allegiant®
Las
Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is focused on
linking travelers in small-to-medium cities to world-class leisure
destinations. The airline offers industry-low fares on an all-jet
fleet while also offering other travel-related products such as
hotel rooms and rental cars. All can be purchased only through the
company website, Allegiant.com. Beginning with one aircraft
and one route in 1999, the company has grown to more than 80
aircraft and 400 routes across the country with base airfares less
than half the cost of the average domestic roundtrip
ticket. For downloadable press kit, including photos,
visit http://gofly.us/iiFa303wrtF.
Media Contacts:
Allegiant – 702.800.2020,
mediarelations@allegiantair.com
Savannah/Hilton Head International
Airport – 912.313.1332, marketing@flySAV.com
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SOURCE Allegiant Travel Company