The Secret to David Neeleman’s New U.S. Startup? The Airplane.
Photo Credit: Allegiant Air had a lot of range-limited MD-80s when Lukas Johnson ran its network. Allegiant Air Facebook
Skift Take
Network planners often salivate over new-generation aircraft, and with good reason. New technology allows airlines to profitably fly routes that might not have worked in the past.
When Lukas Johnson led the group that chose routes for Allegiant Air, his team couldn't schedule MD-80s to fly more than 200 miles from their Las Vegas base on hot, summer afternoons.
The old airplanes, which were retired last month, had serious performance limitations. But Johnson, a wizard of network planning, made them work, finding the right mix of markets to produce big margins for Allegiant, one of America's most profitable airlines.
At his next job, Johnson won't be so limited. As I wrote Tuesday, Johnson is leading commercial strategy for David Neeleman's new U.S. airline, which should fly by 2021. Neeleman has committed to 60 Airbus A220-300s, the best-performing single-aisle aircraft available.
"This is a plane that can do seven or eight types of different network missions,” Johnson said. “It’s super economical. It is also smaller gauge than a 320 or 737, and it also has better runway performance. You basically have the most flexible narrow-body plane out there
