New JIA route: JAX-CLE

[ben says]

In a press release issued this morning, Allegiant announced new nonstop service from Jacksonville International Airport (JAX) to Cleveland-Hopkins International Airport (CLE). The new service will begin on February 16, 2017 with an initial introductory fare as low as $50.

http://flyjacksonville.com/jetstream/you-wont-believe-the-latest-nonstop-route-from-jax/

You won't be finding me on an Allegiant flight, but I'm definitely stoked at the amount of new non-stops out of JIA.

[ProjectMaximus]

what, it doesnt fit the bensays brand?  jk...I mean, I know it doesnt at all. 

Yeah, I still havent taken advantage of any of these new allegiant flights but I plan to do at least a couple next year.

[ProjectMaximus]

I was thinking Cincy would be a good place for our next trip, Ennis, but Cleveland could be a viable candidate as well...

[thelakelander]

I'm thinking skipping the flights altogether and doing a Charleston or Tampa/St Pete instead.

[spuwho]

Allegiant is phasing out their 25+ year old planes, albeit slowly.

And they don't usually stick their oldest planes on the newest routes. Cleveland will probably be an Airbus A318.

The routes that are marginal, but steady usually get the old MD-80's and those seem to be focused on their St Pete/Sanford/Las Vegas hubs..

My Allegiant flights out of JIA have been all Airbus.

Glad they have Cleveland service now, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame anyone?

[mtraininjax]

You won't be finding me on an Allegiant flight

Why not? Is this probably not the new "Valu-Junk" of the decade? One of our customers called to let us know he was stuck in Michigan and delayed an entire day due to his Allegiant aircraft being scrubbed. They are NOT a business carrier, purely leisure when you don't care if you get to your destination today or tomorrow or the next day, same coming back.

It took Value-junk a merger to get back its swagger and even with the new 717s, it wasn't enough before Southworst bought them, then sold off the 717s to sit in the Nevada desert.

[ben says]

You won't be finding me on an Allegiant flight

Why not?

Sarcasm?

Anyway, it has nothing to do with safety issues; I've flown some VERY sketchy airlines with terrible safety records, so that's a non issue for me.

My issues with Allegiant:

1. If I'm paying cash to fly from A to B, I want to earn points (and then redeem those points for first class flights elsewhere).
2. In the same vein, I'd rather stop in ATL/CLT/MIA to get to Cleveland - and earn points, or have the ability to fly first class - than fly Allegiant.
3. The airline is notorious for delays

I have no issue with the RyanAirs of the world, especially if that's the SOLE option for getting from A to B (as it is in much of Europe). But since we have options, I won't be flying Allegiant any time soon.

[Dog Walker]

I've been to Cleveland once and that was enough....or was it Cincinnati?

[thelakelander]

Both of them have more vibrant downtowns than Jacksonville now. However, if I had to pick one, I'd select Cincinnati. I love the rowhouse neighborhoods like OTR. You can't really find that type of urban environment outside of St. Louis and Chicago in the Midwest. Cleveland's inner city housing stock is single-family home dominated, similar to what you'll find in Detroit, Toledo and Buffalo.

Cincinnati



Cleveland

[ben says]

I've been to Cleveland once and that was enough....or was it Cincinnati?

lol

[spuwho]

You won't be finding me on an Allegiant flight

Why not? Is this probably not the new "Valu-Junk" of the decade? One of our customers called to let us know he was stuck in Michigan and delayed an entire day due to his Allegiant aircraft being scrubbed. They are NOT a business carrier, purely leisure when you don't care if you get to your destination today or tomorrow or the next day, same coming back.

It took Value-junk a merger to get back its swagger and even with the new 717s, it wasn't enough before Southworst bought them, then sold off the 717s to sit in the Nevada desert.

Actually Delta took the 717's off Southwest hands.  Many of the ALPA pilots moved over as well since many didnt want to  recertify on Boeing's flight deck.

While it was called a Boeing 717. It was really a McDonnell Douglas MD-98 and used the same glass cockpit as the MD-11.  Since Southwest is an all 737 fleet with the standard Boeing cockpit, they had no need for them.

Once the MD-11 freighters and 717's retire, the McD era will be over in commercial flight.  Military is something else.

The 717 has a great TCO and if it had been able to take advantage of the new generation of jet engines available today, it would done pretty good.