Allegiant’s record is well-documented

It’s hard to believe The Herald, in its Sunday editorial “Over-the-top rhetoric won’t serve county well,” actually takes the side of a Las Vegas-based company with a reputation for deserting mid-sized communities like Everett.

Yes, many of us don’t want commercial passenger service coming and going from Paine Field. But none of us in the community should want a partner with a well-documented questionable reputation.

In this debate there is no “emotional rhetoric” as The Herald claims, but a long list of newspaper articles outlining the history of Allegiant Air, which now wants to bring its bad business to Paine Field.

I find it interesting that The Herald said headlines and direct quotes from newspapers around the country could be characterized as “inaccurate or misleading.” An e-mail sent to Snohomish County residents from the Save Our Communities group outlined a number of communities who suffered after Allegiant Air left town. We’re not trashing their reputation, we’re citing facts. We’re protecting our community.

The fact is, Allegiant Air has pulled out of several communities after short stays, often reducing flights or changing routes. Newspaper stories from around the U.S. document reunions never attended, family vacations missed and trips postponed because Allegiant Air left town or permanently changed routes, sometimes with little or no warning.

The county is obligated to negotiate with Allegiant in good faith, but based on the facts, I am not at all confident Allegiant Air possesses the good faith owed to the residents of Snohomish County.

Don Doran

Mukilteo