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This May, travelers using the Springfield-Branson National Airport will have a new direct flight option. KSMU’s Missy Shelton reports.
Shelton: Los Angeles is the new destination for low-fare air carrier Allegiant Air. Kent Boyd is the spokesman for the Springfield-Branson National Airport.
Boyd: Starting May 3rd, Allegiant will fly from Springfield to Los Angeles International Airport twice a week.
Shelton: How significant is this announcement for the airport and for local passengers?
Boyd: When you look at the air service that we currently have, there are two obvious holes: the upper East Coast and the West Coast. To put it simply, this new service to LA plugs that hole. It’s a very big deal from an airport perspective. It’s the first regularly service to the west coast from Springfield in the history of the airport.
Shelton: So how will this announcement from Allegiant Air impact other airlines that fly out of the Springfield Branson National Airport?
Boyd: The traditional airlines tend to think Allegiant doesn’t affect them because Allegiant caters to the tourism crowd while the other airlines tend to cater to the business crowd. But I think that’s starting to change in Springfield because with the additional of LA, we’ll have 5 low cost destinations from Springfield. I already know there’s a large company in town using Allegiant to Phoenix on a regular basis. Are we going to get to the point where the other airlines start paying attention and think they need to lower their fares? I don’t know. They haven’t yet but it might come to that.
Shelton: Anything else you want to share about the significance of this news?Boyd: The wrap that the Springfield Airport always gets is that fares are too high. I’m just about to the point of saying, “Wake up.” Allegiant is offering low fares to 5 destinations.Shelton: I’ve been speaking with Kent Boyd, the spokesman for the Springfield-Branson National Airport about new air service beginning this May from Springfield to Los Angeles from Allegiant Air.
