“This wasn’t just a bad investment — it was a catastrophic miscalculation,” said Captain Rob Skiles. “And while pilots have been terminated for far less, not one executive has been held accountable. If we flew planes the way they run this company, we’d be grounded.”

A central concern is the retention bonus, estimated at over $200 million, which management committed to in order to retain pilots during a period of below-industry wages and stalled contract negotiations. Now, after four years without a deal, pilots say the security of that bonus is in serious doubt.

“We have every reason to fear our bonus will be the next fire-sale discount — if it’s ever paid at all,” said Captain Kevin Winter. “If leadership can accept 28 cents on the dollar for their own failures, we must demand full payment of what we’ve earned before it vanishes into C-suite compensation and other vanity projects.”

The Union also emphasized that pilot morale is at an all-time low, citing mounting pressure from front-line supervisors to overlook safety concerns and fly while fatigued — all while negotiations stagnate and operational demands intensify.

“We’ve been asked to do more with less while they gambled with this company’s future,” said Captain Skiles. “When those gambles failed, they turned around and blamed the Union. That’s not leadership — that’s deflection.”

Pilots also expressed frustration with the lack of corporate governance from Allegiant’s Board of so-called “Independent Directors” — including Chairman Maury Gallagher and Director Ponder Harrison, both of whom previously held leadership roles at ValuJet, the ill-fated Florida budget carrier whose history ended in tragedy. Most on the board appear to be long-time associates of Gallagher, raising serious concerns about whether true independence or accountability exists within the Board of Directors. Pilots are now calling for new leadership that prioritizes accountability, safety, and sustainable airline growth. “It’s time to take a hard look at who is leading this company,” said Winter. “We deserve a management team whose accountability matches the dedication and professionalism we bring to the flight deck every day.”