Allegiant Air adds 19 cities to 'ultra' low-budget route schedule

Feb. 12 (UPI) -- Budget carrier Allegiant Air announced 19 new routes Tuesday that will begin in the spring, adding a mix of new large and small markets.

The new routes will run from Los Angeles and Pittsburgh to Savannah, Ga.; Columbus, Ohio; and Knoxville, Tenn. Allegiant said it will operate two flights per week to the areas, which is typical for "ultra" low-cost carriers.

The abbreviated weekly schedules allow Allegiant to fly to locations that have light or unproven demand. The airline, though, has diversified its destinations and added more vacation stops like New Orleans, Nashville, Las Vegas and several destinations in Florida.

"With today's announcement of nonstop flights to Pittsburgh, Allegiant continues to expand its base of operations at McGhee Tyson Airport with nine nonstop destinations," Eddie Mannis, chairman of the Metropolitan Knoxville Airport Authority, said in a statement Tuesday.

The seasonal routes will be added in May and June and include departures from Nashville, Fort Walton Beach, Fla., and Charleston, S.C.

"Albany and Providence not only represent large population centers, but they are the capitols of their respective states which adds to the new opportunities before us," Savannah Airport Commission executive director Gregory B. Kelly said in a statement.

Allegiant announced new service last month to Savannah from Allentown, Pa.; Grand Rapids, Mich.; Niagara Falls, N.Y.; and Portsmouth, N.H.