Why Is Allegiant Cancelling Flights To Florida

Why Is Allegiant Cancelling Flights To Florida Allegiant Air, a prominent carrier at Des Moines International Airport, finds itself at the bottom of the list when it comes to on-time arrivals, as per an August report from the United States Department of Transportation.

The report, based on self-reported statistics from domestic airline carriers, reveals that Allegiant ranks last among 17 major US air carriers for on-time arrivals from January to June.

Specifically, in June, Allegiant’s flights achieved on-time arrivals only 59% of the time. This performance lagged significantly behind Envoy Air, SkyWest Airlines, and Horizon Airlines, which claimed the top three positions.

Local data from Des Moines International Airport echoes this trend. Allegiant’s flights departing from Des Moines managed on-time arrivals just 74.46% of the time between January and June, placing the airline last in terms of punctuality among the six carriers operating in Des Moines.

Furthermore, Allegiant also had the highest percentage of flight delays in Des Moines during the same period in 2021, according to the provided data.

The primary reasons behind Allegiant’s delays in June were late-arriving aircraft, maintenance issues, and crew problems. Allegiant spokesperson Andrew Porrello cited labor shortages as a contributing factor to flight delays. When adverse weather conditions led crew members to reach their FAA-mandated flying hour limits, Allegiant faced staffing shortages for backup crews.

Porrello highlighted that this labor shortage is an industry-wide issue. Airlines initially downsized during the pandemic, but the resurgence of travel in the summer has strained their staffing resources. Many airlines have announced cuts and service reductions due to insufficient personnel.

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Despite these challenges, Allegiant also ranked last in on-time arrivals during the same period in 2021.

The overall report indicates a decline in on-time arrivals for all major US carriers in 2022 compared to the previous year. On-time arrival rates for flights departing from Des Moines also decreased by 4 percentage points from the previous year.

However, Allegiant performed well in other consumer metrics, with the lowest rate of mishandled baggage and the second-lowest rate of mishandling wheelchairs and scooters. The airline reported no involuntary denied boarding incidents due to overbooked flights from January to June.

In related news, Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller has joined a bipartisan group of state attorneys calling on Congress to empower them to enforce consumer protection laws in the airline industry. Currently, the US Department of Transportation handles violations of airline consumer protection.

Allegiant has gradually become a major airline carrier at Des Moines International Airport since it began service in 2003. The airline celebrated the opening of its $50 million base in Des Moines last year and has since expanded its service to various destinations across the United States.

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American Airlines currently holds the largest market share in Des Moines

With Allegiant and United alternating as the second-largest carrier, according to airport traffic statistics. It is expected that Allegiant will continue to grow in popularity, driven by its convenient non-stop services. The extent of Allegiant’s market share in the coming years will depend on the response of legacy carriers such as United, American, and Delta as they adapt their offerings post-COVID-19 pandemic service reductions.