Allegiant Air will relocate 10 routes from Florida's Orlando-Sanford International airport to Orlando International airport between February and March of next year as Orlando International becomes the leisure carrier's eighth base overall and fourth Florida base.
However, the airline will maintain existing service to 21 other cities from Orlando-Sanford, which will continue to function as a base as it has since May 2005.
Orlando International is roughly 33.6 miles (54.07km) south of Orlando-Sanford, and is closer to the vacation attraction of Walt Disney World than the Orlando-Sanford facility.
"Moving these markets from Orlando-Sanford to Orlando International accomplishes two things for Allegiant," Allegiant VPof planning Robert Ashcroft says is a statement. "First, it allows us to be responsive to the many Orlando travellers who prefer the proximity of Orlando International to the most prominent attractions in the Orlando area, including, most obviously, Walt Disney World. Second, it improves our position relative to competitors with service to Orlando International."
Effective 1 February, Knoxville, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky flights will move to Orlando International from Orlando-Sanford.
Allentown, Pennsylvania and Greenville/Spartanburg, South Carolina service will relocate effective 8 February, and Grand Rapids, Michigan service will switch on 12 February followed on 15 February by flights from Springfield, Missouri and Tri-Cities, Tennessee. Flights from Huntington, West Virginia to Orlando-Sanford will relocate on 16 February.
Youngstown, Ohio and Des Moines, Iowa operations will round out the shift on 4 March and 5 March, respectively.
In addition, the Boeing MD-80 operator will base five aircraft at Orlando International by 5 March.
Allegiant's plannedrelocation does not appear driven by incentives or lower landing fees, as was the case with Allegiant's 2008 move to Oakland, California from nearby San Francisco due to lower landing fees at Oakland.
Orlando International will not provide any incentives to Allegiant for the forthcoming service, an Orlando International spokeswoman says.
Long-term lease carriers such as Allegiant have landing fees of roughly $1.44 per 1,000lb (453.6kg) of maximum gross landing weight, she says, adding that the airline will likely sign a lease through 2013 but that has not been finalised.
Meanwhile, Orlando-Sanford's landing fee is about $1.08 per 1,000lb of maximum gross landing weight, Orlando-Sanford CEO Larry Dale says.
Allegiant also has bases in Las Vegas, Nevada;Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Bellingham, Washington; Phoenix, Arizona; Los Angeles, California; and St. Petersburg/Clearwater, Florida.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
