Allegiant bases two A320s in Pennsylvania to boost Florida service

Ultra-LCC Allegiant Air has invested $50 million to establish a base of operations at Lehigh Valley International Airport (ABE) in eastern Pennsylvania, according to the airport.

The new base became operational on Feb. 12. Allegiant is basing two single-class 177-seat Airbus A320 aircraft at ABE, which serves Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton, three mid-size cities. The Lehigh Valley is home to a number of colleges and universities—including Lafayette College, Lehigh University and Muhlenberg College—that help generate air traffic demand.

Las Vegas-based Allegiant has operated to ABE since 2005 and recently announced it will start ABE-Chicago Midway flights on May 14. The aircraft crew base is the 18th in Allegiant’s network, according to ABE.

Allegiant operates nonstop flights from ABE to Clearwater/St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, Punta Gorda and Orlando Sanford, all in Florida. It also operates nonstop flights from ABE to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Nashville, Tennessee; and Savannah, Georgia.

The Morning Call of Allentown reported that Allegiant will use the two A320s primarily to fly additional flights to Orlando Sanford and a seasonal route to Sarasota, also in Florida.

Photo credit: Allegiant Air

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.