Published 12 Sep, 2013
As new routes kick off, workers ask: “Will Allegiant Be There?” Discount carrier has track record of cancelling routes and abandoning entire communities
ST. PETERSBURG, FL –Members of the Transport Workers Union, representing more than 600 flight attendants at Allegiant Air, will leaflet passengers at the St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport on Thursday, Sept. 12th from 11 am to 3 pm. The event will call attention to company actions which workers believe have a negative impact on employees, passengers and communities.
Who: Members of TWU Local 577 and Local 556
What: Informational Leafleting, asking “Will Allegiant Be There?” and informing passengers of Allegiant’s record of abandoning routes and cancelling service Where: St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport 14700 Terminal Blvd, Clearwater, FL 33762
When: Thursday, Sept. 12, 11 am to 3 pm (Eastern Time)
Allegiant, a discount carrier which claims low fares but has been reported to add fees which can double the price of a ticket, recently added six new destinations from St. Petersburg/Clearwater, including cities in New York, Ohio, North Dakota and South Dakota.“We’re always glad to see our company add new service,” said Debra Petersen-Barber, an Allegiant flight attendant who is lead negotiator for TWU Local 577. “We’re convinced that the success for our company depends on mutually beneficial long-term relationships with employees, passengers and communities.”
Leaflets passed out during tomorrow’s event will inform customers about Allegiant’s track record of cancelling routes and abandoning entire communities.
“Allegiant claims it’s a ‘badge of honor’ when they abruptly cancel a route or completely abandon service to a community,” said TWU International Vice President Thom McDaniel referring to comments made by a senior company official during a June 5, 2013 interview on Fox Business News. “The question for passengers in the St. Petersburg and Clearwater area is: will you be the next ‘badge of honor,’ or will you enjoy consistent, reliable service?”
An ‘UnRoute Map’ on a TWU website, WillAllegiantBeThere.org, shows a dozen communities where Allegiant has completely abandoned service, even when flights were full and taxpayers had invested in airport facilities.
Allegiant has been reported to add fees for items like using a credit card when buying a ticket, added McDaniel. Passengers have endured reported mechanical failures and other eventswhich have caused inconvenience, emergency landings, and delays up to 52 hours.
The leafleting at the St. Petersburg/Clearwater airport is not a work stoppage, nor a request for any individual or group to take action.
A majority of flight attendants at Allegiant voted in favor of TWU representation in December 2010. Union representatives began negotiations with company officials in June of 2011. More than two years later, Allegiant has yet to reach a first contract agreement with flight attendants.