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I would NEVER complain about an airline canceling a flight for mechanical reasons. And when people do complain about cancellations for mechanical issues--not talking about the OP as a person, I'm talking about a behavior I have seen--they often just come off as whiney and entitled.
Further, I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts that if the airline had flown and crashed and killed a bunch of people, including their loved ones, the very same people complaining that the flight was cancelled would now be blaming the airline for flying a non-airworthy plane--and rightly so.
That's how I feel about it. A few years back I was flying back to Seattle from the east coast... and my connection from Houston was cancelled due to a "mechanical issue." This was on United. It was also the last flight of the day and I had to be to work the next morning. They put me up in a hotel and gave me a $300 voucher. I called my boss and said I'd be a day late.
Considering the alternatives I had no problems spending the night in a Houston hotel.
The one Allegiant Flight I took was a brand new Airbus...I had looked first.
Given any choice, I would not fly on those 30-40 year old MD's they (and some others) use. Sure, the odds are still with you, but they are far worse than with a modern aircraft....IMHO.
Some former FAA officials say they won't - and won't have family - fly Allegiant.
There are some old aircraft, among the oldest MD-82s still active, but they are only a year older than some operated by American Airlines.
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (DC-9-82)
Line Number 1179 Date of Manufacture 17. Dec 1984 African Express Airways
Line Number 1183 Date of Manufacture 21. Jan 1985 Canadian Airways Congo
Line Number 1244 Date of Manufacture 19. Nov 1985 Allegiant Air
Line Number 1252 Date of Manufacture 06. Jan 1986 Zagros Air
Line Number 1272 Date of Manufacture 26. Mar 1986 Venezolana
Line Number 1283 Date of Manufacture 27. May 1986 Allegiant Air
Line Number 1284 Date of Manufacture xx. xxxx 1986 Allegiant Air
Line Number 1300 Date of Manufacture xx. xxxx 1986 Taftan Airlines
Line Number 1314 Date of Manufacture 08. Sep 1986 Zagros Air
Line Number 1321 Date of Manufacture 02. Oct 1986 American Airlines
Line Number 1325 Date of Manufacture 16. Oct 1986 American Airlines
Average Age (number)
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (9) 29.1 Years American
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (25) 28.6 Years Allegiant
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 (101) 28.0 Years Delta
There are some old aircraft, among the oldest MD-82s still active, but they are only a year older than some operated by American Airlines.
Average Age (number)
McDonnell Douglas MD-82 (9) 29.1 Years American
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 (25) 28.6 Years Allegiant
McDonnell Douglas MD-88 (101) 28.0 Years Delta
As you know, American Airlines has a much more sophisticated program for upkeep.....and many more planes to dig out when something goes wrong.
My guess is that American has owned many from the start (new) while Allegiant buys them dirt cheap as "used aircraft"....
Companies like Allegiant are under more pressure to get their flights in the air.
I'd bet dollars to donuts that American hasn't had nearly the failures that Allegiant has.....and, of course, many of these failures have been engines (have these planes had newer engines installed??).....
I don't like to fly the MD's or DC-9's in any case. I flew some with Spirit way back in the late 90's and looked at the tags on them....very old. Maybe they were DC-9's (forerunner)....yes, I looked it up and they were DC-9's. Old ones from Atlantic City to Florida. One flight I was sitting next to an older hispanic woman who didn't speak English. That plane started shaking and dropping (T-storm were visible, we were flying around them) and she, without words, grabbed onto me for dear life and held onto me. I guess she figured she wanted to die with a human connection!
Probably superstition, but given the choice I'd fly a 737 - even the same age. Companies like SW have all 737's so their servicing is much more focused and Boeing is still in business, etc......
"Allegiant's planes were four times as likely to fail during flight as those operated by other major U.S. airlines, and another that focused on FAA's lax oversight of Allegiant."
Still probably better than Russian aircraft....but I'd rather be 4X less likely to experience a failure...even one your recover from (most of them!).
As you know, American Airlines has a much more sophisticated program for upkeep.....and many more planes to dig out when something goes wrong.
My guess is that American has owned many from the start (new) while Allegiant buys them dirt cheap as "used aircraft"....
Companies like Allegiant are under more pressure to get their flights in the air.
"Allegiant's planes were four times as likely to fail during flight as those operated by other major U.S. airlines, and another that focused on FAA's lax oversight of Allegiant."
... and that's why if I wanted to die in a plane crash I'd start booking flights on Allegiant over American. I've seen enough Air Disasters episodes to feel confident betting on the airline with an aging fleet pressured to get flights in the air. Much more likely to skip out on maintenance.
As you know, American Airlines has a much more sophisticated program for upkeep.....and many more planes to dig out when something goes wrong.
My guess is that American has owned many from the start (new) while Allegiant buys them dirt cheap as "used aircraft"....
Companies like Allegiant are under more pressure to get their flights in the air.
I'd bet dollars to donuts that American hasn't had nearly the failures that Allegiant has.....and, of course, many of these failures have been engines (have these planes had newer engines installed??).....
I don't like to fly the MD's or DC-9's in any case. I flew some with Spirit way back in the late 90's and looked at the tags on them....very old. Maybe they were DC-9's (forerunner)....yes, I looked it up and they were DC-9's. Old ones from Atlantic City to Florida. One flight I was sitting next to an older hispanic woman who didn't speak English. That plane started shaking and dropping (T-storm were visible, we were flying around them) and she, without words, grabbed onto me for dear life and held onto me. I guess she figured she wanted to die with a human connection!
Probably superstition, but given the choice I'd fly a 737 - even the same age. Companies like SW have all 737's so their servicing is much more focused and Boeing is still in business, etc......
"Allegiant's planes were four times as likely to fail during flight as those operated by other major U.S. airlines, and another that focused on FAA's lax oversight of Allegiant."
Still probably better than Russian aircraft....but I'd rather be 4X less likely to experience a failure...even one your recover from (most of them!).
Craigirl, I'd just like to say thank you for your contribution to this thread. This information you're providing is invaluable and I appreciate it. Is there a specific website or group of websites that you find this information on (or is it just a personal database that you keep)? I'd love to be able to look up this type of information on future flights of all the airlines I travel.
My guess is that American has owned many from the start (new) while Allegiant buys them dirt cheap as "used aircraft"....
I think that is true. I was surprised at how many of Southwest's planes were purchased second hand at over 20 years of age. I would favor some transparency on this subject.
I wish I knew the answer. Allentown PA urban area has a population of 650,000 and the nine gate airport is has an asphalt runway 7,600 by 150 feet . Instead of flying to Miami, American Airlines operates the shortest schedule commercial jet service in the contiguous US operates between ABE and PHL which has a flight distance of 55 miles.
Allegiant Air flies to
Fort Lauderdale,
Orlando/Sanford,
Punta Gorda (FL),
St. Petersburg/Clearwater,
Seasonal: Myrtle Beach
Looking at January 2018 stats Allegiant offers two daily flights, one to Orlando and one to elsewhere in Florida with 178 seats. Delta offers a daily flight on a 110 seat B717, and United had one flight all month with a 166 seat aircraft. Other than that it is all regional jets,
Avg seats - % Seats - Operator
178 33.1% Allegiant Air
50 20.7% SkyWest Airlines Inc.
76 14.3% PSA Airlines Inc.
110 10.0% Delta Air Lines Inc.
50 9.4% Air Wisconsin Airlines Corp
75 9.2% ExpressJet Airlines Inc.
50 2.2% Trans States Airlines
76 0.5% Republic Airline
166 0.5% United Air Lines Inc.
If Allegiant shuts down, a mid size city would be reduced to 6 commuter routes to nearby hubs. The only other urban population of this size with worst air service is on the Texas-Mexico border.
Last edited by PacoMartin; 07-22-2018 at 03:22 AM..
Your experience is why I will never fly Allegiant. I don't care how cheap the fare is. If they cancel the one flight that day to my destination, it will end up being far more expensive than if I had selected a more expensive fare at the start.
One mile? Try millions of miles! As a non-pilot frequent flyer, I've had flights cancelled for probably every summary reason possible. So I am well aware of the OP's "truth", as I have experienced the same problems, both for myself as a traveler and for family members for whom I booked travel. Because I love my loved ones, and I love myself as well, I would NEVER complain about an airline canceling a flight for mechanical reasons. And when people do complain about cancellations for mechanical issues--not talking about the OP as a person, I'm talking about a behavior I have seen--they often just come off as whiney and entitled.
You travel millions of miles--so you are familiar with what can happen in the day to day life of flying.
Others, not so much. I think people come to the Airport with a plan. They have probably had the plan in their head for awhile. They get to the Airport and are in total shock that their plan has been ripped away from them. Whiney and entitled--I don't think so, they are just in shock. If you stay and watch them long enough they simmer down. Everyone just has to revamped their plans. You also have to realize not everyone is their for a business trip or vacation. There are some really sad stories out there to why someone is flying that day.
As you know, American Airlines has a much more sophisticated program for upkeep.....and many more planes to dig out when something goes wrong.
My guess is that American has owned many from the start (new) while Allegiant buys them dirt cheap as "used aircraft"....
Companies like Allegiant are under more pressure to get their flights in the air.
I'd bet dollars to donuts that American hasn't had nearly the failures that Allegiant has.....and, of course, many of these failures have been engines (have these planes had newer engines installed??).....
I don't like to fly the MD's or DC-9's in any case. I flew some with Spirit way back in the late 90's and looked at the tags on them....very old. Maybe they were DC-9's (forerunner)....yes, I looked it up and they were DC-9's. Old ones from Atlantic City to Florida. One flight I was sitting next to an older hispanic woman who didn't speak English. That plane started shaking and dropping (T-storm were visible, we were flying around them) and she, without words, grabbed onto me for dear life and held onto me. I guess she figured she wanted to die with a human connection!
Probably superstition, but given the choice I'd fly a 737 - even the same age. Companies like SW have all 737's so their servicing is much more focused and Boeing is still in business, etc......
"Allegiant's planes were four times as likely to fail during flight as those operated by other major U.S. airlines, and another that focused on FAA's lax oversight of Allegiant."
Still probably better than Russian aircraft....but I'd rather be 4X less likely to experience a failure...even one your recover from (most of them!).
The DC9 series is an incredibly well built plane. You can lose all electric and hydraulic power and still fly the airplane. All flight controls are connected by cables to their respective control surfaces as is the engine fuel controls. It's all mechanical. Slats and first stage flaps out at 280 knots. Gear at 300. Nothing like it around today.
AA got spanked big time by the FAA for a maintenance issue on their '80s. They were fined millions. All because they tie wrapped cables at 2.5" instead of 2" on some planes in some areas. It was a total BS issue yet he FAA lets Allegiant get away with murder. Just watch the recent 60 Minutes interview with the FAA on the subject, they are practically in bed with each other. Absolutely disgusting after all the high level failures Allegiant has had.
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