Allegiant Air's inaugural Boeing 737 MAX may start carrying passengers by the end of this year

Allegiant Air plans to launch its first Boeing 737 MAX 8-200 in November, following over a year of delays, according to CEO Gregory Anderson's statement on Tuesday.

The Las Vegas-based budget airline received its first 190-seat MAX (registration N811NV) at Boeing Field near Seattle on September 9. The aircraft then proceeded to Allegiant's hub at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport (AZA) for "ditching exercises," part of the necessary training for staff on the new plane, Anderson mentioned at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce's 2024 Global Aerospace Summit in Washington, D.C.

The first MAX is expected to begin passenger service in November from either Orlando Sanford International Airport (SFB), Punta Gorda Airport (PGD), or St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE), Anderson noted. He emphasized that the aircraft's launch depends on the successful completion of staff proving runs and final approval from the Federal Aviation Administration.

"I anticipate having at least four aircraft in service by the end of this year," Anderson stated, referring to their availability in time for the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

Once Allegiant's fleet of MAX aircraft reaches a sufficient number, the airline intends to operate the 737s and its Airbus A320-family planes from separate bases to enhance operational efficiency. For instance, all flights to and from St. Pete-Clearwater could be operated exclusively with 737s, while all services at Orlando Sanford might use A320s.

The MAX marks Allegiant's first new aircraft model since it introduced its first A320-family jet in 2013. As of the end of June, the airline had a fleet consisting of 88 A320s and 34 A319s.

The 737 is pivotal to Allegiant's expansion strategy in the coming years and crucial for their current initiative to improve profit margins, which have dipped below historical averages. According to Anderson, the airline has about 100 pilots trained for the MAX who are currently on payroll but not flying, highlighting one of several financial challenges they face.

One 737 MAX is expected to be added monthly in 2025.

"Currently, we're anticipating about one MAX delivery per month in 2025," Anderson remarked regarding the airline's future delivery strategy. This could result in Allegiant operating at least 16 737 MAX aircraft by the end of next year.

The airline continues negotiations with Boeing to finalize the delivery timeline.

In early 2022, Allegiant placed an order for 50 737 MAX aircraft, evenly divided between the 7 and 8-200 variants, along with 50 options. The first aircraft was expected in 2023, but due to Boeing's production challenges and supply chain issues, this date has been pushed back multiple times into this year.

Since making the initial order, Allegiant has exchanged five 7s for the larger 8-200 model, bringing the total to 30 of the latter, and has added 30 additional MAX options to its order.

'Plummed' for onboard Wi-Fi services.

Allegiant's initial MAX aircraft will feature new seats from Acro, equipped with power outlets at every position. The 8-200 models will have 190 seats, which include 21 extra-legroom options branded as Allegiant Extra. Significantly, in today's always-connected world, these planes are also configured for inflight Wi-Fi — a first for the airline, according to Anderson.

While he didn't guarantee that Allegiant would implement connectivity on its MAX planes, he mentioned that the aircraft are set up for Wi-Fi should the airline choose to incorporate it.

"We probably won't have it activated from day one, but the setup allows for Wi-Fi to be turned on later," Anderson explained.

Allegiant is also considering the addition of Wi-Fi to its A320 fleet, he noted.

Budget airlines such as Breeze Airways and Spirit Airlines provide inflight connectivity on select aircraft, whereas Avelo Airlines and Frontier Airlines do not offer this feature.