Las Vegas-based Allegiant Air will operate two of its new Boeing 757 jets this summer on routes between Las Vegas and McAllen, Texas, and Rockford, Ill.
The airline is acquiring six 757s with plans to initiate nonstop service between the West Coast and Hawaii sometime next year.
A spokeswoman for Allegiant said today that the airline would use the planes domestically while the company pursues extended twin-engine operations certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is required for Hawaii routes.
McAllen and Rockford consistently have high demand to Las Vegas, which is why those cities were chosen for the 757 usage. Allegiant routinely flies smaller-capacity MD-80 jets on its domestic flights.
“Both are likely to be temporary until we get our (certification) and then they’ll be utilized on Hawaiian routes,” said spokeswoman Jordan McGee in an email.
Allegiant is acquiring six 757s, the two that will be used this summer, two that are on lease to other companies and two that will be delivered to the company early next year.
The Monitor of McAllen, Texas, reported that Allegiant would begin flying its Las Vegas routes with the 757 next month.