Allegiant Air defends safety record after '60 Minutes' report

Allegiant Air was on the defensive Monday after a scathing report on CBS’ 60 Minutes that blasted the airline’s safety record after reviewing 100 mechanical problems from January 2016 to October 2017.

Allegiant had three times as many mechanical problems with flights as six competing airlines during a year of reports filed with the Federal Aviation Administration, which 60 Minutes obtained under a Freedom of Information Act request.

“Public documents show an alarming number of aborted takeoffs, cabin pressure loss, emergency descents, and unscheduled landings,” correspondent Steve Kroft said in the Sunday report. “Yet for the most part, allegiant's difficulties have managed to stay under the radar of the flying public.”

But Allegiant’s vice president of operations, Capt. Eric Gust, issued a statement after the program that said the story was outdated and shows a “troubling misunderstanding” of the Federal Aviation Administration’s safety oversight of airlines.

“I want to tell you personally that I am outraged and astounded by the irresponsible, grossly misleading story aired by CBS 60 minutes,” Gust said in a statement to customers. “To you, a member of our Allegiant family of travelers, I want to be very clear: safety is at the core of every aspect of our operation, every day.”