Here's some non-inflammatory (hopefully) numbers taken from the respective airline websites and investor relations documents. I think it shows that as you increase in size you can get multiples of improvement in many areas due to redundancy, training efficiency, natural backup alternatives. Of course the business model for Allegiant is completely unlike the other airlines listed, but everyone always like to compare to them anyway. And for things like on-time performance, flight completion factor and customer service there should be no difference in expectations.


Allegiant Air

Approx 84 aircraft (48 various MD-80 models, 5 Boeing 757, 31 Airbus models). There are 7 Airbus aircraft on order for 2016 and the 757 models are going away. Allegiant has approx 711 pilots.

For the month of May 2016 these aircraft flew 6,250 scheduled flights plus 274 charter/fixed-fee flights, for an average of 210 flights per day. This is up 20% from May 2015. Load factor for May 2016 was 85%, down approx 1% compared to May 2015. On days where 20 flights are significantly delayed for several hours or cancelled that represents about 10% of the total flight ops that day. Delta would have to have nearly 600 daily flights cancelled or significantly delayed for several hours to reach the same level of service. The Allegiant website did not list their on-time performance but FlightStats.com put it at 48%.

As of April 2016 year over year total revenue is down 11.5% but expected to improve by end of summer season.
__________________________________________________ ___________________________________


For comparison of scale here are some other airline numbers:

Delta Airlines has 809 mainline aircraft and 447 regional aircraft, employees 13,188 pilots, conducts approx 3,300 mainline flights per day (and an additional daily 2,600 Delta Connection flights). For May 2016 they boast a 99.9% mainline scheduled flight completion factor and an 88.6% on-time factor (flights arriving within 14 minutes of scheduled time). As of June 16th they have gone 81 continuous days without a single domestic flight being canceled. (this is impressive, and their fleet avg age is older than AA). Their May 2016 domestic mainline load factor was 87.7% and 82% for regional operations.

American Airlines has 963 mainline aircraft (plus 578 regional aircraft) and 14,254 pilots (with additional 900 on furlough). Total daily flights are approx 2,800 mainline and 3,400 regional flights. The completion factor was 98.9% with an on-time factor of 68.4%. The May 2016 domestic mainline load factor was 82% and 79% for regionals.

United Airlines has 715 aircraft (plus 24 new aircraft being delivered) and 521 regional aircraft (with plans to drop 25 regional aircraft). They employee 11,377 pilots. It operates approx 2,400 mainline flights and 2,600 regional flights per day. Their May 2016 on-time performace was 68% (10 points higher than May 2015) and a completion factor of 98.9%. The May 2016 load factor was 82% mainline and 85% regional.

.