Denver Air Connection plans first Florida service. Service will begin early next year. Monday, November 02, 2026 at 11:53 AM ET Edited By: Key takeaways: Denver Air Connection will launch its first-ever service to Florida, and it will be outside the scope of any Essential Air Service (EAS) contract. The only other place in the carrier's network that isn't directly part of an EAS contract is its service to Telluride, Colorado, from both Denver and Phoenix. Beginning January 9, 2027, DAC will begin nonstop flights from Muskegon, Michigan, to Orlando Sanford, with service operating on Saturdays using the 50-seat Embraer E145XR. While Muskegon itself only has one other destination, Chicago O'Hare, which is also operated by DAC under the EAS contract, DAC will compete indirectly with Allegiant, as it has a sizable operation and a base in Grand Rapids, Michigan, which is located only about 45 minutes east of Muskegon. The 1,030-mile route from Muskegon to Orlando Sanford on the E145 will become the longest at-risk flight operated by any EAS carrier, and one of the longest commercial airline flights operated by an Embraer E145 in the country, overtaking the current record holder, United's 830-mile route from Washington Dulles to Mobile, Alabama, by almost 200 miles. That record for the E145 is a little bit of a technicality, as JSX does operate a handful of flights over 1,000 miles with its Embraer E145s, but the carrier is not considered a commercial airline, and is instead classified as a "public charter operation." Muskegon Airport director Ken Efting did have something to say about this new service: "This is a historic milestone for MKG and the communities we serve...This is exactly the kind of opportunity we've been working toward, and it's a testament to our growing community support and strong partnership with Denver Air Connection." This isn't the first time an EAS carrier has operated at-risk service to the state of Florida from an EAS community. These smaller carriers sometimes begin flights to leisure destinations like Florida and other leisure-heavy destinations to entice higher passenger numbers that boost the communities they serve. Muskegon will join the small but growing list of Essential Air Service communities that are now connected with nonstop flights to the state of Florida, but they will be the only EAS community in Michigan to have Florida flights. Joey has always been interested in planes for as long as he can remember. He grew up in Central New York during the early 2000s when US Airways Express turboprops ruled the skies. Being from a non-aviation family made it harder for him to be around planes and would only spend about three hours a month at the airport. He was so excited when he could drive by himself, the first thing he did with his driver's license was get ice cream and go plane spotting for the entire day. He graduated from Western Michigan University in 2022 with a B.S. in Aviation Management & Operations and a Minor in Business, and currently works for a major airline in his hometown.

Allegiant partners with UNLV's College of Hospitality to launch customer experience training for flight attendants. Published on 11/02/2026 at 04:01 am EST PRNewswire New Allegiant Training Program invests in flight attendant development through a first-of-its-kind collaboration with one of the world's leading hospitality schools. LAS VEGAS, Nov. 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is taking the next step in its customer experience journey through a new partnership with the University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) William F. Harrah College of Hospitality, bringing a customized customer experience training program to flight attendants across its network. The program leverages UNLV's expertise in service culture and training to strengthen Allegiant's customer experience as the airline grows. "Continuous learning is essential in a dynamic industry like aviation," said Tyler Hollingsworth, Allegiant's Chief Operating Officer. "This program encourages our teams to embrace new ideas and apply fresh insights that can make a meaningful impact for in-flight team members." The curriculum was developed in collaboration with hospitality experts at UNLV and tailored specifically to Allegiant's operation and customer experience goals. Through a two-day training delivered at flight attendant bases, crew members from Allegiant will explore hospitality best practices, emotional intelligence, communication strategies, and the impact of customer interactions throughout the travel journey - giving flight attendants across the airline tools for delivering consistent service, regardless of which aircraft or route they're working. "At the heart of exceptional service is human connection," said Finley Cotrone, Professor and Director of the Sands Center for Professional Development. "It has been a privilege to work with the humans who make up the flight attendant training team. Their passion, expertise, and commitment will be instrumental in bringing this program to life." This marks the first collaboration of its kind between Allegiant and UNLV, representing a unique partnership between the airline industry and one of the world's leading hospitality education programs. The training program launches in November, with an initial rollout at East Coast bases before expanding across the network through Spring 2027. "As Allegiant continues to grow, investing in our flight attendants remains one of the most important investments we can make," said Nani Binder, Allegiant's Vice President of Inflight. "This training builds upon the incredible work our crews already do every day. Programs like this help elevate customer experience while recognizing the strengths, professionalism, and care our team members bring to each flight." The launch comes as Allegiant continues the integration with Sun Country Airlines, following the completion of the acquisition on May 13, 2026. Together, Allegiant and Sun Country form a leading value-focused airline in the United States, with a combined fleet of nearly 200 aircraft serving almost 175 cities. That scale and commitment to customer experience, builds on a strong foundation of recognition: Allegiant was ranked the #2 U.S. airline overall and top-ranked value carrier in The Wall Street Journal's 2025 airline rankings, named 2026's Best Low-Cost Airline in North America by Skytrax's World Airline Awards for the third consecutive year, and recognized among the top three U.S. airlines - and the #1 ultra-low-cost carrier - in J.D. Power's North America Airline Satisfaction Study. About Allegiant - Together We Fly(TM) Las Vegas-based Allegiant (NASDAQ: ALGT) is an integrated travel company with an airline at its heart, focused on connecting customers with the people, places and experiences that matter most. Through Allegiant Air and Sun Country Airlines, the company serves approximately 22 million annual customers across scheduled passenger, charter and cargo operations. Together, the airlines operate more than 650 routes serving nearly 175 cities throughout the United States and select international destinations. Allegiant is committed to providing affordable travel options, operational excellence and long-term value for customers, employees, communities and shareholders. For more information, visit Allegiant.com. Media information, including photos, is available using the link below. Interview & B-Roll Package Media Contact Phone: 702-800-2020 Email: [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/allegiant-partners-with-unlvs-college-of-hospitality-to-launch-customer-experience-training-for-flight-attendants-302924505.html SOURCE Allegiant Travel Company (C) PRNewswire - 2026

Leave a reply. Allegiant orders six more Boeing 737 MAX jets for 2028 delivery. October 23, 2026, 20:42 PDT Allegiant Air has ordered six additional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft for delivery in 2028, exercising its first purchase options under an agreement signed with Boeing in 2021. The Las Vegas-based airline disclosed the purchase on October 23, 2026. The six 737-8s bring its firm purchases under the agreement to 56 aircraft, of which 22 had been delivered as of October 23. Allegiant retains options for another 74 jets. Allegiant listed the six aircraft's combined list price at more than $720 million before discounts and price adjustments through delivery. It did not disclose the negotiated purchase price. The order extends Allegiant's investment in new Boeing aircraft after years of building its low-cost operation largely around used jets. When it announced the original 50-aircraft purchase in January 2022, Allegiant operated 108 Airbus A319s and A320s. The original deal included the smaller 737-7 and higher-capacity 737-8-200, with options for 50 more aircraft. Allegiant said the new jets would allow it to replace retiring aircraft and expand its fleet while lowering fuel consumption. Allegiant originally expected to receive its first MAX in 2023 and all 50 firm aircraft by the end of 2025, but deliveries were delayed. Its first 737-8-200 arrived in September 2024. In November 2024, the airline amended its agreement with Boeing to reduce the number of aircraft arriving in 2024 and 2025 and extend deliveries of the original order through the end of 2027. Allegiant said that agreement also included benefits and other considerations related to the delays. The first Allegiant MAX entered passenger service in October 2024. In an investor presentation that month, Allegiant said delivery delays were costing it approximately $30 million annually and that it was working with Boeing to seek compensation. At the time of the original announcement, Allegiant said the MAX aircraft would burn approximately 20% less fuel than its older Airbus A320-family jets while offering more seats. The airline also signed a 12-year maintenance agreement with CFM International covering the new aircraft's LEAP-1B engines. The latest purchase leaves 34 firm aircraft still to be delivered under the Boeing agreement.