DESTIN

Allegiant Airlines gets new Airbus jet

Airline serves Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport

staff report
Executives and employees of Allegiant Air and Airbus celebrate the Wednesday delivery of Airbus’ first U.S.-produced A320 jetliner for Allegiant Air at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. [AIRBUS PHOTO]

Allegiant Airlines, which began service at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport two years ago and recently added some new routes here, is now getting some new jets.

Allegiant added its first U.S.-produced Airbus A320 to its fleet this week. The airplane was assembled at the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. A team of Allegiant employees and executives from the company’s headquarters in Las Vegas joined Airbus’ leadership team recently at the plant for a ceremony to officially mark the delivery.

"It’s exciting to see the progress we’ve made in our transition to an all-Airbus fleet,” Maury Gallagher, Allegiant's president and CEO, said in the news release. “Operating a single fleet type will increase efficiency in teams across the company — including training, scheduling, and maintenance — while bringing economic benefits like greater fuel efficiency and additional seat capacity."

The A320 comes in a number of versions, which can be configured to seat anywhere from 100 passengers to as many as 240 passengers.

Allegiant's latest Airbus acquisition is the 11th of 13 A320 jets scheduled for purchase directly from Airbus. Previously, Allegiant's A320s were assembled in Airbus facilities in Toulouse, France, and Hamburg, Germany.

The most recent Airbus delivery marks another step in Allegiant’s plan to transition to the Airbus A320 by the end of this year. Allegiant currently has 99 Airbus aircraft either in service or committed for future delivery, the release noted.

Bob Lekites, an executive vice president at Airbus Americas, said the company's "partnership with Allegiant Air, coupled with our commitment to producing innovative aircraft, has allowed Allegiant to expand their ... flight options.

"We are proud to deliver Allegiant their first Airbus aircraft manufactured in Mobile," Lekites said in the release, "and we look forward to providing them more aircraft. ..."

Allegiant's service at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport began with six routes in 2016 and jumped to 16 cities last year. The company’s latest growth, which includes some $50 million in investment at the airport, is anticipated to bring $418 million in tourism revenue to the region over the next five years.

The Okaloosa County Commission approved $1 million in bed tax-funded incentives last October to help Allegiant expand its operations at Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport.

In February, Allegiant announced that it would establish a two-aircraft, year-round base at the airport, add five seasonal routes and provide more than 65 new jobs.

Beginning early next month, Allegiant's newest routes will provide service to Bentonville, Arkansas; Concord, North Carolina; Lexington, Kentucky; Evansville, Indiana; and Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. The routes will operate twice weekly.

Beginning with one aircraft and one route in 1999, Allegiant has grown to more than 80 aircraft and 350 routes across the country, according to the news release.