Allegiant Air has taken delivery of its first U.S.-produced A320 aircraft from the Airbus U.S. Manufacturing Facility in Mobile, Alabama. On hand for the occasion were executives from Airbus and Allegiant Air, a team of Allegiant employees, and representatives of the more than 380 Airbus employees at the production facility.
Bob Lekites, Executive Vice President of Customers for Airbus Americas said, “Airbus is committed to developing and producing fuel-efficient, passenger-friendly aircraft that are leaders in the evolving airline marketplace. Our partnership with Allegiant Air, coupled with our commitment to producing innovative aircraft, has allowed Allegiant to expand their ultra-low cost consumer flight options. We are proud to deliver Allegiant their first Airbus aircraft manufactured in Mobile, and we look forward to providing them more aircraft that exceed customer expectations.”
“Today’s delivery is an exciting milestone for Allegiant and our ongoing commitment to providing access to affordable, safe and reliable air travel for many people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to fly,” said Maury Gallagher, CEO and chairman, Allegiant. “This delivery is also an important step in our transition to an all-Airbus fleet, increasing efficiencies across our entire operation, and bringing economic advantages in fuel savings, higher seat capacity and more.”
The Airbus Manufacturing Facility in Mobile is delivering A320 Family aircraft at a rate of four per month – with the Allegiant delivery marking the facility’s 69th aircraft delivered since operations began in 2015.
The entire operation requires a team of dedicated employees of which more than 80 percent of are from the Gulf Coast region with nearly one third being U.S. Military Veterans. In addition to supporting hundreds of local jobs, the Mobile area has seen many Airbus suppliers open new facilities in the region, providing even more employment and a parallel boost to the local economy.
Demonstrating the adage “The Sun Never Sets on Airbus Manufacturing” – Airbus aircraft are now produced around the clock, 24 hours a day, at facilities in Mobile, Alabama; Hamburg, Germany; Toulouse, France; and Tianjin, China.