“60 Minutes” report on Allegiant should raise eyebrows

I was not surprised to learn of the safety issues revealed by “60 Minutes” with regard to Allegiant’s maintenance practices. CEO Maurice Gallagher’s previous stint as CEO at ValuJet Airlines ended in disaster.

That company was alone in the practice of not paying its pilots when they deemed it unsafe to fly due to the condition of the plane or if weather conditions were below FAA minimums. Imagine boarding a plane piloted by someone making decisions based on whether or not he or she will be paid.

The fact that Allegiant pilots are afraid to sometimes act in the name of safety or openly speak about safety issues speaks volumes about the draconian company culture.