During Sunday’s episode of 60 Minutes on CBS, many of the problems that have plagued low-cost airline Allegiant Air throughout the years were highlighted in a segment that has caused major waves in the airline industry.
60 Minutes correspondent Steve Kroft revealed the results of an investigation that lasted seven months. Between January 1, 2016, and October 31, 2017, Allegiant flights reportedly experienced more than 100 serious mechanical incidents.
Some of the biggest issues that impacted the budget carrier and its passengers included aborted take-offs, flight control malfunctions, mid-air engine failures, rapid descents, smoke in the cabin and more.
The CBS show interviewed many passengers who experienced problems with Allegiant, including five people who spoke during the 60 Minutes segment about how the airline failed them in the past.
Former National Transport Safety Board member John Goglia also revealed that Allegiant’s 60 unscheduled landings and 46 in-flight emergencies were alarming considering the size of the airline.
While Allegiant has never experienced a fatal accident, Goglia compared the carrier to other airlines that have gone out of business due to safety issues. The 60 Minutes report referenced a 2015 report from the Tampa Bay Times that found the low-cost carrier made emergency landings at four times the rate of other airlines in the United States.
Part of the problem in 2015 when the initial investigation was launched was the planes Allegiant was flying. The Tampa Bay Times found that Allegiant’s fleet of MD-80s had an average age of 22 years old and required significant maintenance. In the years following, the airline replaced its entire fleet of aircraft at the St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport with Airbus models.
Allegiant officials immediately began dealing with backlash, releasing a statement that called out the CBS report for being “misleading.” They also claim the story gained traction due to a disgruntled employee currently locked in a lawsuit battle with the airline.
This is the response to the @60minutes piece that Allegiant is sending to customers (as a link to a PDF in a Dropbox folder). pic.twitter.com/lfhxOQOD5H
— Jon Ostrower (@jonostrower) April 16, 2018
“The story is outdated, bears no resemblances to the Allegiant I know, and shows a real and troubling misunderstanding of the FAA’s rigorous oversight of Allegiant and all U.S. airlines, which is truly the worldwide gold standard in transportation safety,” Allegiant vice president of operations Eric Gust said in the statement.
The low-cost carrier also released a statement to its employees about the 60 Minutes report:
Allegiant has provided an internal statement to employees regarding this evening’s #60Minutes segment: pic.twitter.com/f6HNm3VSRc
— AirlineGeeks.com (@AirlineGeeks) April 16, 2018
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