Allegiant Air adds new Orlando nonstop to Akron-Canton Airport; fills void soon to be left by Southwest dropping some routes

There's good news for passengers wanting to fly to see Mickey Mouse and Harry Potter.

Low-cost carrier Allegiant will be adding a new nonstop flight to Orlando from Akron-Canton Airport.

The new flight starts on May 19 and will operate twice a week -- on Thursdays and Sundays. Specific flight times were not available, but will appear on the website, www.allegiant.com, today.

The new destination for Allegiant comes at a great time for Akron-Canton Airport since Southwest Airlines is ending nonstop service from the airport to Tampa, Orlando and Las Vegas on April 12. The only Southwest destination will be Atlanta, which will gain one more daily flight for three nonstops a day. Airline officials have said travelers will have access to 125 daily departures to 100 cities from Atlanta.

In the fall when Southwest announced it would end the three nonstop routes, airport Senior Vice President Kristie Van Auken said getting another carrier to pick up the nonstop flight to Orlando would be a priority for the airport because of its popularity with travelers heading to Disney World and Universal Studios Orlando.

"It was a huge deal," said Van Auken of the new Allegiant route. "It's very important to us that we're able to get Northeast Ohio travelers where they want to go most. Orlando is the No. 1 leisure destination"

Van Auken said she thinks Allegiant's low fares -- even with its add-ons such as fees for checked bags -- will be lower than other carriers, including Southwest.

Allegiant specializes in packaging with hotels and car rentals, which can also drive down vacation costs, she said.

In a news release, Allegiant's Chief Operating Officer Jude Bricker said: "We're very excited to announce new, nonstop service to Orlando from Northeast Ohio, a region that has certainly embraced Allegiant's low-cost, nonstop flights to vacation destinations."

To celebrate its newest route from Akron-Canton Airport, Allegiant is offering one-way deals as low as $39. It is also kicking off its $1 Million Summer campaign, pledging to give away $1 million in airfare from now through the end of the summer. As part of that promotion, the airline said the first 22 travelers who book their new Akron-to-Orlando tickets will receive a refund for their round-trip airfare.

In a statement, airport President and Chief Executive Officer Rick McQueen said "Allegiant is simply the best airline for affordable Florida vacations ... We are thrilled that Allegiant will offer nonstop flights to families who prefer to spend their time at the theme park, not at a connecting hub."

Allegiant first landed at Akron-Canton Airport last May, offering seasonal service to Myrtle Beach, S.C. (also returning on May 19) and Savannah-Hilton Head, S.C. (coming back on April 8), as well as service to Tampa/St. Petersburg. The airline quickly added more nonstop destinations, including Fort Lauderdale and Punta Gorda (Fort Myers), Fla.

Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ and see all her stories at www.ohio.com/betty

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