American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) today (March 5) is ending scheduled McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82/83 (MD-82/83) “Super 80” service at New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA) according to Airline Route. The aging type was being deployed on the Chicago (O’Hare)-LGA route.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. The older AA aircraft are now being repainted in the new livery as they will be replaced. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) N3507A (msn 49801) departs from runway 27R at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport.
Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) today announced new, nonstop jet service on 12 routes, including a new destination in the Allegiant network – Palm Beach, Florida.
New routes announced include:
Seasonal Nonstop Service to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) from:
Cedar Rapids, Iowaย – begins June 6, 2014 with fares as low as $92*
Great Falls, Montanaย – begins June 6, 2014 with fares as low as $88*
Kalispell, Montanaย – begins June 5, 2014 with fares as low as $89*
McAllen, Texasย – begins June 5, 2014 with fares as low as $99*
Seasonal Nonstop Service to Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) from:
Cincinnati, Ohioย – begins May 30, 2014 with fares as low as $59*
Columbus, Ohioย – begins May 29, 2014 with fares as low as $54*
Lexington, Kentuckyย – begins May 29, 2014 with fares as low as $54*
Syracuse, New Yorkย – begins May 29, 2014 with fares as low as $64*
Seasonal Nonstop Service to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) from:
Cincinnati, Ohio –ย begins May 15, 2014 with fares as low as $59*
Year-Round Nonstop Service to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) from:
Asheville, North Carolinaย – begins May 5, 2014 with fares as low as $64*
Year-Round Nonstop Service to Phoenix-Mesa International Airport (AZA) from:
Colorado Springs, Coloradoย – begins May 15, 2014 with fares as low as $49*
Stockton, Californiaย – begins May 15, 2014 with fares as low as $58*
Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N420NV (msn 49424) prepares to land in Las Vegas.
Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) yesterday (February 28) commemorated the 15thย anniversary of the carrier’s first scheduled service from Fresno, California to Las Vegas, Nevada on February 28, 1999.
Starting with just one plane, Allegiant has grown to a fleet of 68 planes, flying over 7 million passengers last year. Allegiant now serves 99 cities, more than any other domestic low cost carrier.
Over the years, Allegiant has carried over 40 million passengers, and the Company continues to grow, offering more nonstop service in more communities. In 2013, Allegiant announced service in 15 new cities and added 39 new routes to its network, at a time when many airlines are consolidating and cutting service. The company recently announced its 44th consecutive quarter of profitable operation while keeping its average one-way fare under $100.
Allegiant differs in many ways from other U.S. airlines. The Company is focused on low-cost, nonstop leisure travel, providing customers with low base fares while giving passengers the option to pay for the amenities they want, like luggage, seat assignments and priority boarding, without including the cost of things they don’t need in the price of the ticket.
Allegiant operates under the ultra low-fare model and charges extra for additional services.
Copyright Photo: Norbert G. Raith/AirlinersGallery.com. The pictured former SAS Douglas DC-9-21 N127NK (msn 47361) in the original 1998 colors was leased by Allegiant in June 1998 when it received its FAA Part 121 and DOT certification.
Orange Air (flyorangeair.com) (Sanford, Florida) is a new paper airline that is in the process of obtaining its Air Operators Certificate (AOC). The airline on its website is advertising as “Coming Soon” although no announcement has been made. The would be airline has reportedly taken delivery of the former Spirit Airlines (N804NK) and Belle Air (ZA-ARD) McDonnell Doug;as DC-9-82 (MD-82) as N918AV (msn 49104). N918AV was ferried from Sanford to Opa-locka on January 30 with an Orange Air tail logo according to Skyliner.
Allegiant Air‘s (Las Vegas) business plan is to enter a small market and initially fly twice-weekly to a vacation destination. If it fills up the airplanes, it adds additional days of the week. If the new speculative route does not pan out, the airline quickly drops the airport and the route.
This is the case for both Charlottesville, Virginia and Manhattan, Kansas, both university towns. Allegiant began flying to Charlottesville in November to Sanford, Florida (near Orlando). This route did not work and the ultra low-fare airline is dropping the route on February 23, 2014 according the USA Today and pnj.com.
Manhattan received Allegiant service on November 7, 2013 to Mesa, Arizona (near Phoenix). It too will be dropped on February 23.
In other news, Allegiant Airย today announced a month-long campaign to spotlight local travelers, commemorating the 15thย anniversary of the carrier’s first scheduled service. According to the carrier, “The campaign will celebrate Allegiant’s success and commitment to making leisure travel possible with real stories from loyal customers who have changed the way they travel because of the carrier’s unique brand of low-cost, nonstop service.”
Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N424NV (msn 49421) approaches the runway at the Las Vegas base.
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) yesterday (January 6) as planned and previously announced, operated its last DC-9 flight. The pictured McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 N773NC (msn 47775) (above) and crew had the honor of operating the very last DC-9 revenue flight as flight DL 2014 between Minneapolis/St. Paul and Atlanta.
With the cold temperatures in both MSP and ATL there was not the traditional water cannon salute.
N773NC was originally delivered to North Central Airlines on October 26, 1978. With the merger with Southern Airways it became Republic Airlines on July 1, 1979. With the Republic merger into Northwest Airlines it took on the red tail on October 1, 1986. Finally it joined the Delta fleet on October 29, 2008 with the Delta-Northwest merger.
Delta operated 13 DC-9-51s in January up to the last flight operated by N773NC. Five DC-9-51s were retired in 2013, six in 2012 and 10 in 2011 according to Airliners.net. One DC-9-51 will be reserved for a museum. Delta is reportedly holding on to two DC-9-51s as spare aircraft for a few days while the newer Boeing 717s replace the DC-9-51s. The other DC-9-51 will end up in the desert where they will be broken up for the parts and the recyclable metal.
Read the full story from the Associated Press: CLICK HERE
In other news, Delta is expanding the number of routes served by the new Boeing 717. The airline is introducing the 717 from Atlanta to Augusta (April 1), Chicago (Midway) (April 1), Dallas (Love Field) (October 13), Fayetteville (April 1) and Houston (Bush Intercontinental) (April 1) per Airline Route.
Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 N773NC (msn 47775) faithfully served four airlines right up to the last flight. N773NC arrives at MSP.
Delta Air Lines:ย
Airline and Aircraft Galleries:ย
Bottom Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. The Boeing 717 started operating to Baltimore/Washington (BWI) yesterday (January 6) with the DC-9-51 retirements. Delta painted the first ex-AirTran Airways Boeing 717 in September 2013, namely the pictured N935AT, which is pictured arriving at BWI.ย Delta is leasing the entire AirTran fleet of 88 Boeing 717s from Southwest Airlines (Dallas). The new type was introduced on September 19, 2013 between the Atlanta hub and Newark. The DL 717s feature 12 seats in First Class, 15 seats in Economy Comfort and 83 seats in Economy. N935AT was originally delivered to TWA as N402TW on April 11, 2000.
Delta Air Lines (Atlanta) has now officially announced on what we previously reported. The airline today issued this statement on the last Douglas DC-9 flight in the history of the airline.
Delta Air Lines on January 6, 2014 will retire its remaining Douglas DC-9 aircraft following flight DL 2014 scheduled to depart Minneapolis/St. Paul for Atlanta at 4:20 p.m. (CST) (1620), the last scheduled commercial flight of the DC-9 by a major U.S. airline.
“The DC-9 has been a workhorse in our domestic fleet while providing a reliable customer experience,” said Nat Pieper, Delta’s vice president โ Fleet Strategy. “The aircraft’s retirement paves the way for newer, more efficient aircraft.”
Since 2008, Delta has removed or retired more than 350 aircraft from its fleet including 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200s; SAAB 340Bs and McDonnell Douglas DC-9s; while adding economically efficient, proven-technology aircraft such as the Boeing 777-200 LR; two-class, 65 and 76-seat regional jets and variants of the 737 and 717, largely on a capacity-neutral basis.
The DC-9 retirement comes just months after Delta began taking delivery of its orders of 88 Boeing 717-200 aircraft and 100 Boeing 737-900 ER aircraft, which began entering service in October and November, respectively. Each aircraft features a First Class cabin and slim-line seats throughout Delta’s Economy Comfort and Economy cabin along with Wi-Fi connectivity and in-seat power ports. Additionally, the Boeing 737-900 ER offers on-demand entertainment throughout the cabin. Delta also recently announced its order for 40 Airbus aircraft including 30 narrowbody A321s, which will begin to be delivered in 2016.
Delta was the launch customer for the original 65-seat version of the DC-9-14 in 1965 as the airline replaced propeller aircraft on high-frequency, short-haul domestic routes. The twin-engine plane was removed from the Delta fleet in 1993, but larger variants reentered service following the merger with Northwest Airlines; those aircraft joined Northwest after it acquired Republic Airlines in 1986. Delta has flown a total of 305 DC-9s since 1965.
To acknowledge the DC-9’s retirement, the last flight has been tagged DL 2014 noting the final year of service, while the preceding flight operating from Detroit to Minneapolis/St. Paul will be flight DL 1965, the aircraft’s initial year of service.
The last DC-9 to be operated by Delta is the pictured DC-9-51 (top). It is unclear at this time which aircraft will be flown on the last historic flight.
Well done Delta for recognizing and honoring your rich history.
Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-51 N787NC (msn 48149) arrives at the MSP hub.
Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) yesterday (September 20) grounded upwards of 30 McDonnell Douglas MD-80s (DC-9-80s). The cancellation of flights was due to an inspection of the emergency chutes of its 52 MD-80s.
Allegiant issued this statement:
Allegiantย announces it has discovered a compliance issue which will require immediate re-inspection of many slides in its MD-80 fleet. The Company has already begun the re-inspections and expects to complete the process by the end of September. MD-80 aircraft will be placed back in service as soon as possible after the slides pass re-inspection.ย In the meantime, Allegiant will take as many as 30 MD-80s out of service and delay, reschedule or cancel a number of flights over the next several days.
“We apologize for the disruption to our passengers and ask that they please remain patient as we work to correct the issue, reschedule affected flights and accommodate any passengers impacted,” said Andrew Levy, Allegiant Travel Company President. “Allegiant is committed, above all else, to the safety of our passengers and crew, and we are dedicated to working around-the-clock to ensure that all of our fleet meets the highest standards.”
At this time, it is unknown how long the disruption in flight schedule will last.
The company has secured sub-service on seven aircraft from other carriers to assist in operating its Sunday and Monday flight schedule and expects to have 22 MD-80 aircraft in service by Saturday. Allegiant expects delays and reschedules to continue, but is working around-the-clock to re-accommodate and update passengers.
During a thorough incident review earlier this week, Allegiant maintenance became aware of a discrepancy in its slide maintenance schedule. In 2007, the original manufacturer recommendation for slide maintenance schedule changed from once every three years to once a year for slides older than 15 years. Allegiant discovered that many of the slides had not been inspected within the last year and did not comply with this recommendation. This prompted Allegiant to proactively remove aircraft from service until all slides could be brought into compliance. To inspect and overhaul the slides, the slides must be removed and sent to a regulated inspection and maintenance facility.
Allegiant teams are working to accommodate all affected passengers and will offer the following compensation:
Flights delayed less than four hours: $100 voucher for future travel
Flights delayed 4-6 hours: $150 off voucher for future travel
Flights delayed 6 or more hours: $200 voucher for future travel
Reschedule flights: Full refund and $200 voucher for future travel
For passengers delayed overnight, hotel accommodations and meals will be provided. For travel and compensation questions, please call Allegiant Customer Care at 702-505-8888
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Officially designed as a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83), N417NV (msn 53347) prepares to depart from Long Beach.
Allegiant AIr (Las Vegas) has announced new, nonstop jet service between Concord, North Carolina (near Charlotte) and Sanford, Florida via Orlando-Sanford International Airport, beginning on December 20, 2013. Concord will be the 99thย U.S. city served by Allegiant.
The new flights will operate twice weekly between Concord Regional Airport (JQF) and Orlando-Sanford International Airport (SFB) year-round.
Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N420NV (msn 49424) prepares to land at Los Angeles International Airport.
Austral Lรญneas Aรฉreas‘ย (Buenos Aires)ย DC-9-81 (MD-81)ย LV-WFNย (msn 48025) was retired from service on February 2, 2012 and flown to Cรณrdoba International Airport-Pajas Blancas on March 16, 2012 for preservation.ย It was one of the oldest (if not the oldest) DC-9-81 in service.
LV-WFN performed its final flight between Cรณrdoba to Morรณn Air Force Base in Buenos Aires (MOR) on February 26. The aircraft was donated by Austral Lรญneas Aรฉreas to Museo Nacional de Aeronรกutica, as it was the first of the DC-9 Super 80 airliner to enter service with Austral in 1981. This plane was retired from service on March 2012 and was preserved waiting for a decision about its fate. Lately the aircraft was being readied before being ferried to Morรณn as AU 2080, unpressurized and with landing gear deployed.
Copyright Photo: Alvaro Romero. LV-WFN looks forlorn atย Cรณrdoba while waiting for its final fate. Now it will be preserved.
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