Allegiant Airlines has already announced that it will be leaving Loveland-Fort Collins Airport by mid-October, effectively robbing local residents of inexpensive flights to Las Vegas and Phoenix.  But the airline hadn't really given much of an explanation for the sudden decision...until now.

Allegiant CEO Maury Gallagher said in an interview that safety was the reason for the airline's abrupt decision to drop our little airport.

“The returns there were reasonable, but you have no tower there, and there are lots of small airplanes flying around, and you don’t know where they’re at,” Gallagher said, according to Las Vegas Inc. “It’s a delicate issue, and we appreciate that it has been a great market for us over the years. We like the market, but we made a business decision, hard one as it is, that this is better for the traveling public and for Allegiant.”

This response only served to further confuse airport manager Jason Licon.  He pointed out that the President of the United States just flew in to Loveland-Fort Collins Airport; so if it's safe enough for the President, how is it not safe enough for Allegiant passengers?

The Coloradoan also reports that the need for a control tower is decided by the FAA, and Licon says the airport isn't busy enough to need one.

Do you think Allegiant's reasoning is legitimate?  Or is there something else going on they don't want the public to know about?  Leave a comment below.

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