Allegiant Air again interested in Gary/Chicago International Airport (KGYY)

 An Allegiant Air MD 80 plane is shown on the ramp at Fort Wayne International Airport in 2007. 

Allegiant Air is again expressing interest in Gary/Chicago International Airport, months after an announcement involving the airline and aiport was canceled.

Allegiant Air is again expressing interest in flying out of Gary/Chicago International Airport, just 2-1/2 months after hopes were raised and then dashed that the airline would soon begin Gary-to-Las Vegas flights.

Allegiant Director of Airports and Facilities Keith Hansen will be at the Gary airport Monday to discuss "future opportunities" with the airport authority board, according to Allegiant spokeswoman Kristine Shattuck-Cooper.

There will be no Allegiant flights out of Gary this year but "very possibly" there could be in the first quarter of 2012, Shattuck-Cooper said.

Allegiant offers low fares from small- and mid-size cities around the United States to major tourist destinations with a fleet of 51 MD-80 jets seating between 130 and 150 passengers.

In late September, airport workers were unfurling banners to welcome the airline to Gary and officials were promising a "major airline announcement." Then airport officials suddenly said they had learned that the "operational limitations" of Allegiant aircraft would prevent them flying out of Gary and called off the announcement.

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KGYY

http://www.nwitimes.com