Las Vegas-based Allegiant takes flight formula to Los Angeles

By Richard N. Velotta

Friday, March 20, 2009 | 2 a.m.

Allegiant Air is taking its successful formula of linking small towns with resort destinations to the West Coast, announcing new service to Los Angeles International Airport.

In May the Las Vegas-based airline will roll out flights from 12 cities it already serves to LAX, the nation’s busiest origination and destination airport.

Allegiant won’t offer flights between Las Vegas and Los Angeles. But it will begin new flights between Los Angeles and Grand Junction, Colo., and Medford, Ore. (both beginning May 1); Bellingham, Wash., and Missoula, Mont. (May 2); Monterey, Calif., and Springfield, Mo. (May 3); Billings, Mont. (May 22); Fargo, N.D.; Sioux Falls, S.D., and Wichita, Kan. (May 23); and Des Moines, Iowa, and McAllen, Texas (May 24).

The company’s Allegiant Vacations will offer hotel packages with Sheraton Universal, Westin Bonaventure Hotel & Suites, Hyatt Regency Long Beach, Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, Marina del Ray Marriott and Westin Los Angeles Airport. The company also has a partnership for car rentals with Alamo Rent A Car.

Allegiant developed the concept of connecting small-town America to Las Vegas when it was founded in 1997. Today Allegiant has flights between Las Vegas and 40 cities and partnerships with several Southern Nevada resorts.

Over time, Allegiant expanded the concept to the Florida cities of Orlando, St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale and to Mesa, Ariz., and it flies to 70 cities. The company also operates charter flights to the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Some aviation industry officials were surprised by the announcement, expecting that if Allegiant were going to develop a niche in Southern California it would do so at one of the suburban Los Angeles airports. Allegiant flies to less-busy Sanford International Airport in Orlando, St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport instead of Tampa and Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport instead of Sky Harbor International in Phoenix.

Allegiant spokeswoman Tyri Squyres said some of Los Angeles’ suburban airports would limit growth because of existing congestion and flying restrictions.

“We looked at Ontario (International Airport), but its costs were slightly higher than LAX,” Squyres said in an e-mail.

In addition, LAX will offer greater exposure for Allegiant and its location is more centrally located than the suburban airports.

Allegiant will base two of its 150-seat MD-80 series twin-engine jets in Los Angeles. The airline has 41 jets in its fleet and will operate from a common-use gate controlled by Los Angeles World Airports, the city department that owns and operates LAX. The agreement is similar to one Allegiant has at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport in Florida.