Spread the knowledge with a share:

Once again, those traveling on budget Allegiant Air are finding themselves scrambling to get where they need to go because the airline apparently sold seats, on planes that they didn’t yet have.

Really?

Yes, Allegiant Air is reporting that their transition from the MD-80 to Airbus fleet is not going smoothly. Expected planes just didn’t arrive.

As our readers may recall, we wrote of Allegiant Air when they were the subject of a 60-minutes piece which skewered the airline for a poor maintenance record. That episode of 60-minutes was the impetus for Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) to request the Department of Transportation to look into Allegiant Air’s current state of affairs.

No Allegiant Air planes = No seats

While many are suggesting that Allegiant Air should not have sold seats on planes they did not yet have possession of, the air travel industry doesn’t work that way. The majority of travelers purchase seats more than a week out and the airline, says, it had every expectation the planes would be where they needed to be, when they needed to be there. It didn’t happen. Think of it as that package you ordered for your favorite niece or nephew’s birthday and it arrives late because the order was bollixed.

The Tampa Bay Times tells us that the cancellations will continue into next week. Allegiant Air is contacting affected passengers and Allegiant Air spokesperson Krysta Levy told the newspaper, “We are in the process of transitioning to an all-Airbus fleet. We have offered options to our passengers on canceled flights including re-accommodations to other flights or refunds.”

If you’re flying Allegiant Air … check that your plane exists.

At least for the next few weeks.