Allegiant Again Canceling Flights To Check MD-80s

September 23, 2013

Allegiant Air said it is still on schedule to finish inspecting the emergency slides in its fleet of MD-80 jets by the end of the month. The inspections have caused delays and cancellations for thousands of passengers. In the four days since the inspections began, the airline says more than 56,000 passengers have seen their flights cancelled. Spokesman Brian Davis said that is10 percent of Allegiant’s entire passenger load over that time.

"Areas impacted the worst were Las Vegas, Orlando-Sanford and Bellingham, Wash. largely, because those are three locations where many of our aircraft live," Davis said.

On Monday Allegiant cancelled 12 more flights, including service to and from Phoenix-Gateway and Wichita, Kan. Davis said 32 of 49 jets will be back in service by Tuesday morning.

The emergency slides on Allegiant’s entire fleet of MD-80s came under scrutiny last week, when the airline discovered they were not being inspected often enough.