Oakland International Airport Carrier Allegiant Air Receives Two Prestigious Awards
– Meets with Success at OAK and Adds Economic Impact to San Francisco Bay Area Tourism –
Oakland, Calif. —Sept. 3, 2010— Allegiant Air, one of Oakland International Airport’s (OAK) newest and most successful airlines, was named the Top-Performing Airline in the low-cost/niche category by Aviation Week. Allegiant was also named one of FORTUNE Magazine’s ‘100 Fastest-Growing Companies.’ Allegiant is ranked No. 25 on FORTUNE’s 2010 list. The airline provides service between OAK and both Eugene, Oregon and Bellingham, Washington, which is a US gateway to Vancouver, British Colombia.
Allegiant moved operations to OAK from SFO in February 2009 in order to lower costs as well as improve reliability and customer service. Since then, more than 48,000 passengers have arrived at OAK via Allegiant with most visiting San Francisco as a tourist destination. The economic impact to the Bay Area is estimated to be over $45 million for OAK, hotels, rental cars, and other tourism related businesses.
“Allegiant’s winning combination of products and services designed for inbound tourists have been successful at Oakland International Airport with load factors routinely in excess of 90%. This indicates that the savvy traveler understands the value proposition of service, reliability and affordability that both OAK and Allegiant offer,” said Deborah Ale Flint, Aviation Director for the Port of Oakland, which owns and operates OAK. “The airline’s success with flights from both Eugene and Bellingham provides a clear-cut example of how OAK air carriers contribute to the San Francisco Bay Area tourism business,” she continued.
Allegiant Travel Company partners with three area hotels: W San Francisco, The Westin San Francisco, and The Four Points San Francisco Bay in Emeryville. “Allegiant is a fantastic partner for W San Francisco, helping to give access to the whimsical world of W to Oakland-inbound travelers. The air and accommodation packages that they put on the market drive additional revenue to the hotel,” said Michael Pace, General Manager of W San Francisco.
"Partnering with OAK has helped us significantly lower our operating costs and we, in turn, pass those savings on to our customers by offering affordable travel packages to the Bay Area," said Andrew C. Levy, Allegiant President. “Due to the airport management team's extraordinary efforts in managing costs, we have been able to expand our service and we believe Oakland offers great potential for future growth. We thank the airport, our hospitality partners and our customers for their continued support of our service."
Las Vegas based Allegiant Travel Company (NASDAQ: ALGT) is focused on linking travelers in small cities to worldclass leisure destinations. Through its subsidiary, Allegiant Air, the company operates a low-cost, high-efficiency, all-jet passenger airline offering air travel both on a stand-alone basis and bundled with hotel rooms, rental cars and other travel related services. ALGT/G SOURCE Allegiant Travel Company
About the Port of Oakland and Oakland International Airport
The Port of Oakland oversees the Oakland seaport, Oakland International Airport and 20 miles of waterfront. The Oakland seaport is the fifth busiest container port in the U.S.; Oakland International Airport is the second largest San Francisco Bay Area airport and fourth largest airport in California, offering over 140 daily flights; and the Port’s real estate includes commercial developments such as Jack London Square and hundreds of acres of public parks and conservation areas. The Port of Oakland was established in 1927 and is an independent department of the City of Oakland. Visit portofoakland.com and oaklandairport.com.
Become a fan of OAK on Facebook by searching Oakland International Airport.
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