Allegiant expansion a Pittsburgh success story
Pittsburgh-area families visiting Disney World soon will have another — and possibly cheaper — option to get there.
Discount carrier Allegiant will offer nonstop service between Pittsburgh International Airport and Orlando Sanford International Airport starting Nov. 5.
Allegiant, which entered the Pittsburgh market in February, said it will base a 156-seat Airbus A319 plane at the airport in Moon starting Dec. 24, adding up to 40 flight crew and airport jobs.
“Having an operational base here definitely sets Pittsburgh up for added growth going forward,” said Justin Ralenkotter, spokesman for Las Vegas-based Allegiant Travel Co.
The airline will fly two days a week — on Sunday and Thursday — to Sanford, a secondary airport serving the Orlando metro area. It also plans to start charter flights between Pittsburgh and Punta Cana and Cancun for Apple Vacations in the fall.
Allegiant's local expansion was spurred in part by the success of the company's flights from Pittsburgh to three Florida destinations — Tampa-St. Petersburg, Punta Gorda and Jacksonville — 10 times weekly and seasonal summer flights to Myrtle Beach, S.C., Ralenkotter said.
“Our (Pittsburgh) flights have done extremely well,” Ralenkotter said. He declined to give specific information on Allegiant's performance in Pittsburgh but said that the company aims to fill 90 percent of seats on its flights.
Allegiant will compete with Southwest Airlines and Delta Airlines for passengers who want to fly nonstop from Pittsburgh to the Orlando area.
Southwest and Delta fly nonstop to Orlando International Airport, which is about 30 miles away from the smaller hub airport in Sanford. Delta offers seasonal nonstop service only. Several other airlines offer service to Orlando but do not fly nonstop.
Allegiant said introductory fares to Sanford will start as low as $49 each way. The airline's average one-way airfare in the second quarter was $76 one-way, Ralenkotter said. Its website listed a fare of $54 Tuesday for travel from Pittsburgh to Sanford on Nov. 5. The lowest published online fare for a nonstop Southwest flight from Pittsburgh to Orlando on the same day was $118. Delta's lowest fare was $199 for a nonstop flight to Orlando on Aug. 15, the last day for its seasonal service.
Orlando is the top destination for travelers from Pittsburgh International Airport, said Bryan Dietz, vice president of air service development for the Allegheny County Airport Authority.
Pittsburgh International has been gaining momentum in filling the underserved flight needs of the area, said Christina Cassotis, chief executive officer of the airport authority.
The airport this year has added or announced nonstop service to 15 destinations, said Bob Kerlik, spokesman for the airport authority. Nonstop flights added this year include Delta's service to Cancun, Mexico; Vacation Express' service to Cancun, Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic and Freeport Grand Bahama Island; and One Jet's service to Indianapolis and Milwaukee.
Tory N. Parrish is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. She can be reached at 412-380-5662 or tparrish@tribweb.com.
