Allegiant is trimming some flights as U.S. and Canadian airlines continue to report a slowdown in travel demand between the two countries.
Cascadia Daily News reports that the ultra-low-cost carrier will reduce service to some markets from Bellingham, Washington. The city is located approximately 20 miles from the U.S.-Canada border, making it a popular option for Canadian travelers.
The Port of Bellingham’s public affairs administrator, Mike Hogan, told the outlet that Allegiant will suspend its service to Palm Springs, California, until the fall. According to Cirium Diio schedule data, this service will now resume in October.
In addition, the airline shifted its Bellingham-to-Las Vegas route to five days per week instead of daily. Starting in July, this service will no longer operate on Tuesdays.
Last month, Allegiant’s CEO Greg Anderson said the carrier will “continue to adjust capacity aggressively during the remainder of the year,” noting “broad economic uncertainty.”
An airline spokesperson did not confirm the cuts were specifically tied to changes in transborder demand, only adding that it is “not uncommon for us to change the frequency of a route,” in a statement to the outlet.
Hogan shared that Bellingham Airport has seen a decline in Canadian travelers. The airport relies heavily on transborder traffic with scheduled service from Allegiant, Alaska, and San Juan Airlines. Allegiant is Bellingham’s largest airline.
Despite these cuts, Allegiant’s scheduled capacity in July at the airport is still up by around 4% compared to the same period last year. The carrier inaugurated a new route between Bellingham and San Diego in May.
Other airlines – including Air Canada and WestJet – have substantially scaled back their transborder capacity amid political tensions between the two countries. Combined, the two carriers will offer around 10% fewer seats to the U.S. next month, according to Cirium Diio schedule data.
