This topic has been mentioned on and off for years, but I thought it was interesting and encouraging that it finally appears in some sort of print. I personally think this would be a huge step forward for allegiant. Thoughts...?
(If you have a subscription to aviation week you can read the whole article).
Allegiant Air Preparing For International Route Launches | AWIN_Commercial content from Aviation Week



Aviation Daily
Allegiant Air Preparing For International Route Launches
Feb 21, 2017 Madhu Unnikrishnan | Aviation Daily
INSHARE



COMMENTS 0

Joe Pries
LAS VEGAS—Allegiant Air plans to launch international flights in 2018, provided it can update its reservations system to handle foreign bookings. Allegiant operates an in-house reservations system, and is currently updating the software in order to handle international routes and foreign currency sales, said Lukas Johnson, senior vice president of commercial. “For foreign sales, we’ll have to either rewrite the code for our reservations system, or will explore using ...

 

For the love of baby Jesus, will you stop posting links to articles that require a subscription! Paste the whole article for Budah's sake!

 

ha! unfortunately for this one I can't; can't even see it all myself. Fun comments by the way!

 

" provided it can update its reservations system to handle foreign bookings"

This is the key right here. This was the reason we cancelled our plans for Mexico a few years ago, we will see if they can get it working this time around.

 

Gang...

Whats being based in Vegas like? I understand it's an MD80 base... when might it change to 320's? And what are the scheds like there... e.g., mostly turns, or some overnight trips etc.? Does LAS go senior, mid or jr?

Thanks

Kap

 

LAS is fairly junior as a new hire on the MD80. It's a big base as well so I imagine schedules are pretty good with seniority but I am not based there. Someone else can chime in on that.

They are getting their first Airbus in November, however it will not be an all airbus fleet until 2019. They are the last base to make the transition.

Right now, nobody is doing overnights, all out and backs. That's the way this company works. Having said that, we have a handful of 757s and they are based in LAS as well. I think they are doing overnights because they fly to Hawaii.

Just wanted to reply and get you some information, but there are others on this forum who are actually based in LAS that could probably give you better info.

 

Vegas is not bad. If you're junior (and I mean junior) you'll be on reserve and reserve is what it is. You'll do a lot of rescue flights.

If you can hold a composite line it's not to bad. The flying is either morning flights, back by 2 to 7pm (long day).

Afternoon flights usually start between 2 and 4pm. Those flights tend to be a pain in the rump bc usually the morning crew will have something to write up, so you'll usually be delayed.

I personally like Vegas as a city bc if you get out of the strip area, vegas has some pretty nice housing, not to expensive and everything is fairly nearby.
Plenty to do in the city as well.

The crews are all pretty good. On the captain side, you'll meet quite a few senior guys, and they're all very professional and have quite a bit of experience with allegiant, their ops, and the airplane. Like any place there's only a few sourpusses. I've only flown with two, and I got along great with them because regardless of their "stale" personality, they had good command.

Day trips are pretty much all we do. If you overnight somewhere it's because you broke down somewhere or got stuck due to weather. It does happen but not to often. I suggest ALWAYS bring at least a tooth brush and deodorant.

If you're chasing the Airbus then Vegas is not where you currently want to be based. But then again, it'll all depend on what is awarded to you during your first week. But if you want Vegas, then your best bet is being on the 80. If you want to avoid the 80 bc you rather "not fly" a plane, then be ready to go to LAX, FLL, PIT or VBD on the bus.

 

Is AVL a junior or a senior base?

 

Hard to say, probably somewhere in the middle. I think there is only 1 airplane based there, most junior pilot is an August hire. That base is scheduled to transition from MD80 to Airbus at the end of the year. You would have to get the Airbus.

 

HNL is a turn as well for the 757... Around 15 hour duty day and 12ish hours of flying..