Thursday, August 24, 2017

Louisville International Airport (KSDF), Jefferson County, Kentucky: Allegiant adding eighth nonstop flight

Low-cost carrier Allegiant Airlines is adding another nonstop flight option out of Louisville International Airport.

Allegiant announced Thursday morning that it will operate a twice-weekly flight from Louisville International to McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, starting Nov. 16. One-way fares for the flight will start at about $54.

"We know that Las Vegas is a popular destination for many in this community, and we are excited to offer convenient, nonstop service at a fare that everyone can afford," Lukas Johnson, Allegiant senior vice president of commercial, said in a news release.

Southwest Airlines also offers nonstop service between Louisville and Las Vegas.

The new flight will give Allegiant eight nonstop routes from Louisville International Airport. Allegiant previously announced flights to Phoenix and Savannah, Ga./Hilton Head, S.C., on top of five Florida leisure destinations: Destin/Fort Walton Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers/Punta Gorda, Orlando/Sanford and Tampa/St. Petersburg. You can find out more on fares, flight days and flight times for those routes at Allegiant’s website. The Phoenix flight goes live in early October.

Jessica Wheeler, director of marketing and communications for Allegiant, said the airline has expanded quickly in Louisville because its flights have been well-received.

"All have been very popular," she told me. "The community has really embraced the service."

She said the Las Vegas flight from Louisville is expected to run initially on Thursdays and Sundays, but that schedule could be altered, based on market demand, customer feedback and seasonality.

Tom Tyra, director of marketing and air service development for the Louisville International Airport, said Las Vegas is one of the airport's top 10 destinations, so a nonstop flight will better accommodate more passengers.

"Louisville people go to the beach, and they go to Vegas," Tyra told me. "We see a lot of demand. The flights are full going out there."

Allegiant continues to expand its routes as the demand for more destinations continues from the Louisville business community, particularly for nonstop flights to cities such as Boston, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

A group of Louisville area community and business leaders recently formed Louisville Regional Airlift Development Inc., which is raising almost $4 million in public and private funding to help incentivize nonstop flights to Boston and Los Angeles.

The air coalition would enter partnerships with an airline to help cover costs for a particular route to ensure the flight is profitable and successful.

Tyra said he hopes the Allegiant flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix show other airlines that West Coast destinations are fertile markets for nonstop flight growth.

Scott Stuckey, general manager of the Omni Louisville Hotel, said during Louisville Business First's Access Louisville panel discussion Wednesday morning that it is imperative for Louisville to add not only more nonstop flights to more destinations but also bigger planes to various cities.

Original article can be found here ➤ https://www.bizjournals.com

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