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| - I wasn't expecting much when I flew Allegiant Air, but they failed to live up to even those low expectations. Considering the dirt-cheap airfare, I wasn't exactly expecting a first class experience. I did, however, expect a less than miserable experience. With little exception, Allegiant was miserable from beginning to end.
Ticketing: Okay, so Allegiant obviously competes on price. I mean, $35 from Phoenix to Las Vegas? That's not the price point of a concern differentiating themselves on service. But ticketing is where the bad starts. They CHARGE an extra ten bucks (per leg) if you buy your ticket online or over the phone. Over the phone I can understand (since you have to pay someone to staff a call center), but come on, at ten dollar charge to buy online?!? Most places WANT you to buy online since that's typically the least expensive transaction to run. Not these guys. However, if you want to avoid the ten dollar charge, you can go out to the airport and buy your ticket in person. I figured I'd drive out there to save the $20 since I had nothing better to do, and on my first trip out I found they ONLY do ticketing at the counter for a two hour window twice weekly. That should have tipped me off right there, but I dutifully returned the following day during that window. I arrived a half-hour before ticket sales started only to find a huge line. Then, once the big moment started (ten minutes late) and they started selling tickets, they only had ONE ticket agent. I was there for over FOUR freaking hours. By the time I got my ticket, paid the $8 for parking because it took so long, and factored in my gas costs for two trips to Mesa-Gateway, I saved like three or four dollars. Unless you have to buy tickets for a bunch of flights, a large group, or a flight with many legs, it isn't worth standing in line at the counter. Oh, and they don't take cash, or checks, OR AMEX. I had to go back to my car to grab a Visa. Seriously, a freaking airline that doesn't take AMEX? I don't know if they take AMEX online (I assume they do), but they don't take it at the counter. Hell, they let me buy a cocktail in-flight with my AMEX. Sigh, no points for me. If you still insist on subjecting yourself to Allegiant, just bite the bullet and buy online.
On-line Check-in: You can't do it unless you PAY them for the privilege of checking in online. If you don't want to fork over just to check in and SAVE THEM TIME at the airport, you'll stand in line to get a boarding pass just like in the olden days. Even if you're only doing carry-on. There's no automated check in. It seems like they want to have their cake and eat it too since they charge you for things that save them money, and if you're not willing to pay up, they'll increase their personnel costs and waste your times, narrowing their profit margins. Dumb, but whatever floats their boat. Or plane. Whatever.
Travel Day Outbound: My flight was delayed inexplicably by three hours. Apparently this is all too common for these guys. The cost for me to fly to Vegas was about the same as the cost to drive, but I figured I'd relax, and save a couple of hours. The delay negated the time savings. Every flight they had that day was delayed. I got in several hours later than I thought I would.
The Flight: The only good thing about this airline. The flight attendants were very nice and professional, and the plane was modern and clean and comfortable. I didn't see that one coming. Sodas are two bucks (which you'd expect on a bargain basement airline), and cocktails are five bucks (pretty standard). However, if you want a mixer with your mini bottle of whisky, you'll be paying seven dollars because they're still going to charge you for the soda. Oh, and as previously mentioned, they inexplicably take AMEX in-flight, but you can't buy your ticket at the counter with one.
Return Flight: Once again, flight was inexplicably delayed, as were all the other Allegiant flights that night. I got home four hours later than expected. Oh, and my carry-on bag that was apparently fine as a carry-on when I left Phoenix? It apparently WASN'T fine as a carry-on to the people at the ticket counter in Vegas. I had to check my bag. Usually they charge extra for this, too, but they waived the charge since they let me carry it on during my prior flight. Though they gave me a stern talking to about my bag. So, on top of a delayed flight, I had to wait for baggage claim when I got home.
I'm not knocking them because they nickel and dime. That's their business model. What they don't need to do is make the entire experience miserable. Oh, and now they're going to start charging $35 for carry-on bags! Seriously! They compete on price, but now that you have to pay to carry-on a bag, the value proposition is gone. It's the same price in many cases as Southwest, but at least Southwest is pleasant to fly!
Avoid Allegiant if you can. You'll be glad you did.
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