Tag Archives: McDonnell Douglas DC-9

Allegiant Air posts its 45th consecutive profitable quarter

Allegiant Travel Company (Allegiant Air) (Las Vegas) reported net income of $34.2 million for the first quarter, up 7.2 percent from the same quarter a year ago. The travel company issued the following financial results for the first quarter 2014, as well as comparisons to prior year equivalents:

“We are very proud to report our 45th consecutive profitable quarter,” stated Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., Chairman and CEO of Allegiant Travel Company. “We are pleased to produce another profitable quarter despite significant operational challenges and unusually high one-time costs that impacted our overall financial performance. This was a very difficult operational quarter as we navigated through significant flight crew availability issues stemming from external factors that occurred last year. I am happy to report that our Team Members overcame this adversity and pulled together another solidly profitable quarter.”

Notable company highlights:

Integrated A320 aircraft into scheduled operations. Ended the quarter operating three A319 and seven A320 aircraft

A319 and A320 fleet accounted for 17.9 percent of total ASM production during the quarter

Integrated two MD-80 aircraft configured with 166 seats to the fleet in March. Ended the quarter operating 53 166 seat MD-80 aircraft

Completed the reconfiguration of the 757 fleet from 223 seats to 215 seats and added six Giant Seats per aircraft

Announced a seasonal base in Myrtle Beach, SC, which will support two aircraft beginning in late May

Announced 12 new routes to begin operation in the second quarter

Returned $114 million to shareholders through share repurchases and a special dividend paid in January
In April, prepaid $121.3 million term loan facility using unrestricted cash and proceeds from a new $45.3 million loan through Wells Fargo Bank, collateralized by 53 MD-80 aircraft

Read the full report: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N420NV (msn 49424) brings another group of vacationers to the Las Vegas base.

Allegiant Air:

Due to demand, Allegiant changes the new Cincinnati-St. Petersburg/Clearwater route to year-round service

Allegiant Air (Las Vegas) has expanded scheduled service between Cincinnati and St. Petersburg/Clearwater from seasonal summer service to year-round.

Nonstop flights from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG) to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) will begin on May 15, 2014.

Allegiant first took flight from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport on February 12, 2014, with service to Sanford (near Orlando), and shortly thereafter, celebrated the start of service to Punta Gorda on February 14, 2014.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-83 (MD-83) N868GA (msn 49554) departs from Las Vegas.

Allegiant Air:

Insel Air Aruba to introduce Aruba-Miami service on April 11

Insel Air Aruba (Aruba) will introduce a new route from Aruba to Miami on April 11 with six flights a week.

This will be followed by Aruba-Valencia service starting two days later on April 13.

Finally on June 18 the airline will launch a twice-weekly route to Georgetown, Guyana on June 18.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82) PJ-MDD (msn 49972) with “Aruba” titles taxies at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

American Airlines ends McDonnell Douglas DC-9-80 (MD-80) service at LaGuardia Airport

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.

American Airlines (current):

American Airlines (historic):

Allegiant Air announces 12 new routes and a new city: West Palm Beach

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, Iowa – begins June 6, 2014 with fares as low as $92*
Great Falls, Montana – begins June 6, 2014 with fares as low as $88*
Kalispell, Montana – begins June 5, 2014 with fares as low as $89*
McAllen, Texas – begins June 5, 2014 with fares as low as $99*

Seasonal Nonstop Service to Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) from:

Cincinnati, Ohio – begins May 30, 2014 with fares as low as $59*
Columbus, Ohio – begins May 29, 2014 with fares as low as $54*
Lexington, Kentucky – begins May 29, 2014 with fares as low as $54*
Syracuse, New York – begins May 29, 2014 with fares as low as $64*

Seasonal Nonstop Service to St. Petersburg-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) from:

Cincinnati, Ohio – begins May 15, 2014 with fares as low as $59*

Year-Round Nonstop Service to Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) from:

Asheville, North Carolina – begins May 5, 2014 with fares as low as $64*

Year-Round Nonstop Service to Phoenix-Mesa International Airport (AZA) from:

Colorado Springs, Colorado – begins May 15, 2014 with fares as low as $49*
Stockton, California – 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:

Orange Air plans to fly with a McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82 (MD-82)

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.

Delta operates its last DC-9 flight with N773NC, expands Boeing 717 operations

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

Read the full story from Time: 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:

Airline and Aircraft Galleries:

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. 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 officially announces it will retire its last Douglas DC-9 on January 6

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 – 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.

Delta Air Lines:

Video: Inside the cockpit of DC-9-51 N774NC:

Allegiant Air grounds half of its MD-80 fleet for emergency slide inspections

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:

Allegiant 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. 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

Read the full report from Reuters: CLICK HERE

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:

Allegiant to add Concord, North Carolina, its 99th U.S. city

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 99th 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.

Allegiant Air: