Allegiant Announces New Aircraft And Crew Bases In Flint, Michigan And Appleton, Wisconsin

"Flint and Appleton have been incredibly successful cities for Allegiant, where we've grown our operations steadily over the years," said Drew Wells, senior vice president of revenue and planning. "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."

At Flint Bishop International Airport (FNT), Allegiant will begin base operations with three Airbus A320 aircraft and at least 89 crew members, maintenance technicians and support staff on February 16, 2022 - an investment of $75 million.

"This announcement is the culmination of a great relationship with Allegiant, our community and the region as a whole," said Nino Sapone, chief executive officer, Flint Bishop International Airport. "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 operating at FNT in 2016 and currently offers eight nonstop routes - to Orlando-Sanford, Fort Lauderdale, Punta Gorda, St. Pete-Clearwater and Sarasota, Florida.; Nashville, Tennessee; Las Vegas, Nevada and Phoenix/Mesa, Arizona (new service starting Nov. 18, 2021). In 2019, Allegiant carried nearly 197,000 passengers through Flint.

At Appleton International Airport (ATW), a $50 million investment will include two locally-based Airbus A320 aircraft and bring at least 66 new jobs to the community. Allegiant will begin base operations at ATW on March 2, 2022.

"Allegiant understands our state's passion for travel and we are thrilled to partner on this expansion right in the heart of Wisconsin," said Abe Weber, Appleton Airport director. "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."

Allegiant began service at ATW in 2008 and currently offers seven nonstop routes - to Orlando-Sanford, St. Pete-Clearwater and Punta Gorda, Florida; Nashville, Tennessee; Phoenix-Mesa, Arizona; Savannah, Georgia and Las Vegas. Allegiant in 2019 carried nearly 147,000 passengers through ATW.

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 Appleton International Airport will bring additional flexibility for flight times and future route opportunities, as locally-based crew members return home nightly to the area.

Allegiant, which employs more than 4,200 team members across the U.S., plans to begin hiring pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and ground personnel to support base operations in Flint and Appleton. Available positions will be posted on Allegiant's careers website, where interested applicants may apply online.