Local officials joined executives from Allegiant Travel Co. today as the company announced plans to establish an aircraft and crew base at Appleton International Airport. The $50 million investment will locate two Airbus A320 aircraft in Appleton, bringing at least 66 new, high-wage jobs to the community. The Las Vegas-based carrier will begin base operations at ATW on March 2.
“In many ways, today’s announcement is the culmination of a 13-year relationship between Allegiant and Appleton International Airport, where we started with nonstop service to Las Vegas and have since steadily grown our operation to meet increasing demand,” said Keith Hansen, Allegiant’s vice president of government affairs. “Having locally based aircraft and crews will open up a host of options for new routes and even more flights during expanded hours throughout the day.”
Unlike most other airlines, Allegiant operates an “out-and-back” network, with exclusively nonstop flights, meaning each day’s flying starts and ends at a base, rather than connecting traffic through busy hub airports. The base at ATW will bring additional flexibility for flight times and future route opportunities, as locally based crew members return home nightly to the area.
Allegiant began service at ATW in 2008 and offers seven nonstop routes to destinations in Florida, Tennessee and Georgia, as well as Las Vegas. In 2019, Allegiant carried nearly 147,000 passengers through ATW.
“Allegiant understands our state’s passion for travel, and we are thrilled to partner on this expansion right in the heart of Wisconsin,” said Abe Weber, Appleton Airport director. “This new Allegiant crew and aircraft base at Appleton Airport will enable us to offer even more nonstop destinations and future travel options. And, equally as important, it further delivers on our mission of quickly, easily and conveniently connecting our community to the world, giving our travelers more time for what matters most.”
Allegiant, which employs more than 4,200 team members across the United States, plans to begin hiring pilots, flight attendants, mechanics and ground personnel to support the operations. Available positions will be posted on Allegiant’s careers website, where interested applicants may apply online.
