Allegiant Air under investigation over in-flight breakdowns

Allegiant's planes were four times as likely to make unexpected landings after mechanical problems than other US airlines, the newspaper calculated. 60 Minutes considered more recent records and established Allegiant aircraft are 3.5 times more likely to have mid-air breakdowns.

After one of the airline's McDonnell Douglas MD-83s aborted take off at Las Vegas in 2015, the FAA accidentally sent its unredacted report to the Tampa Bay Times, revealing "deliberate and systemic acts of noncompliance" in the airline's maintenance procedure. The FAA found that the aircraft had flown 261 flights without a pin part necessary for safe flight causing an "unacceptable safety risk" and that the airline was "casual to the flights flown in an unairworthy condition".

The FAA launched a review into Allegiant, finding problems with the airline's maintenance paperwork, but, having concluded the investigation, gave the carrier a clean bill of health.

The Aviation Herald, which logs aircraft incidents from around the world, records Allegiant's most recent incidents as an MD83 over-shooting a runway in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on April 8, with no injuries, and an engine fire 10 minutes from landing on the same model of aircraft as it descended into Dayton, Ohio, in March last year.

Why has Allegiant had so many emergencies?

Allegiant's fleet has been identified as one of the reasons behind its safety record. The airline has 40 McDonnell Douglas MD-83 on its books, with an average age of 28 years, according to the website AirFleets. Only two other US airlines, American and Delta, use the aircraft. Other carriers to fly the model include Caspian Air, based in Iran, and Venezolana from Venezuela.

Older aircraft need more meticulous attention to remain airworthy, with parts becoming harder and harder to find over time. The last new MD-83 was delivered in 1999.

60 Minutes found that the airline's safety performance improved as it phased out its ageing planes. Allegiant will replace all of its MD-83s by 2019, the carrier said, with Airbus A320s.

However, John Goglia, an aviation expert with more than 40 years of experience, including nine on the National Transportation Safety Board, said the airline's safety culture might also be to blame.

60 Minutes alleged that an aggressive business model, with margins approaching 30 per cent, "requires the airline to keep costs down and 'push the metal' - keep the planes flying as often as possible".

"[Allegiant doesn't] have the number of mechanics," Mr Goglia told the programme. "And we've seen some problems with the contractors that they've used.

"We're seeing problems that require feet on the ground, people looking at the airplances when they're being worked on so that these problems are caught during maintenance and not caught by the crew... as a surprise and emergency."

Another incident that drew attention to the airline's approach to safety was when it fired Captain Jason Kinzer after he evacuated an aircraft following an emergency landing at St Petersburg, Florida, after cabin crew reported smoke in the cabin.

According to 60 Minutes, Kinzer was let go for an "evacuation that was entirely unwarranted [and for not] striving to preserve the company's assets".

Loretta Alkalay, who has 30 years experience at the FAA prosecuting enforcement cases, said the termination was "really outrageous" and that the FAA should have stepped in to "look at the safety culture".

The FAA said it was not asked to investigate. Kinzer filed a claim of wrongful termination against Allegiant.

What does the FAA say?

The programme says that a shift in the governing body from enforcement to compliance meant that Allegiant did not receive the full force of sanctions.

John Duncan, the executive director of flight standards, told 60 Minutes that the FAA looks at every safety incident. "We look for the root cause, and... then we address that root cause, and assure that a fix in put in place to make sure that problem is resolved and doesn't reoccur," he said.

"We're satisfied that... we are... taking the appropriate actions with regard to Allegiant and every other carrier that we work with to make sure that those problems... have been appropriately dealt with."

Following the incident at Las Vegas in 2015, the FAA inspector recommended strong enforcement action and maximum fines, however, 60 Minutes says superiors at the body "citing the new compliance philosophy, ignored the recommendations and closed the case".

Mr Duncan said the incidents have been addressed.

What does Allegiant say?

"The FAA exercises rigorous oversight of Allegiant, as they do all airlines operating in the United States. Allegiant complies with all FAA requirements and participates in numerous voluntary safety programs to ensure we operate to the highest standards," it said in a statement released after 60 Minutes aired.

"If 60 Minutes had been interested in current information, they would have reported that today, according to just-released Department of Transportation data, Allegiant is a leader in reliability, with the second-lowest cancellation rate among all US airlines."

In a separate statement, Captain Eric Gust, vice president of operations, said: "All of us at Allegiant are proud of our strong safety record, as noted in the most current, comprehensive FAA audit."

The Telegraph, London

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