Allegiant Travel Chairman Urges Eagles to Think Differently

Maurice J. Gallagher, Jr., the majority owner and chairman of the board for Allegiant Travel Company, shared with Embry-Riddle students how he has built a successful career around being different.

Allegiant Air’s initial success came from being “the antithesis of everybody,” he said at a Presidential Speaker Series event held Feb. 13.

Addressing an auditorium of students, faculty and staff, Gallagher, who co-founded two airlines and was chief executive officer of Allegiant Travel Company from 2003 to 2024, discussed how he built Allegiant Air.

“The biggest risk was me,” he told the crowd. “I’d never run anything big.”

Gallagher spoke about the carrier’s beginnings and most valuable differences.

Gallagher answers questions posed by Embry-Riddle student Jonathan Strange. (Photo: Embry-Riddle/David Massey)

Early in Allegiant Air’s history, Gallagher said he recognized that “you can’t make any money selling first class at the level of a startup.” Instead, “you design the airline around cost first and foremost.”

For Allegiant Air, this meant building a low-cost leisure travel approach that included purchasing used planes, flying into secondary airports, and adopting an out-and-back schedule that ensured airline crews were home each evening, as well as launching ancillary products such as seat selection and priority boarding.

He also discussed entrepreneurship and the airline industry. Gallagher innovated throughout his entire career, from early success with his first business, WestAir Commuter Airlines, to creating traffic though ultra low-cost fares on ValuJet Airlines.

The student-moderated portion of the event included questions posed by Jonathan Strange. A sophomore in the Aeronautical Science program, Strange touched on a variety of topics, from the success of ancillary revenue streams to artificial intelligence in travel.

“It will revolutionize — certainly evolutionize — what we do as an industry,” Gallagher said of AI. Gallagher said he expects that AI will have positive impacts when it comes to airline scheduling, noting that AI offers powerful optimization benefits.

Gallagher also sees benefits for the consumer. “Everybody’s going to be an individual,” he said, referring to airlines’ use of AI to personalize product offerings according to a consumer’s preferences.

One of Gallagher’s keys to success has been his passion for the business and entrepreneurship fields. “I always wanted to work,” he said. “My brain was always on.”

He offered advice to students who hope to follow in his footsteps, as well as those who are looking to balance demanding careers with family.

“First and foremost, you’ve got to take care of (yourself),” he said. “Because if you aren’t healthy and don’t take care of yourself, you can’t be right there to support others.”

Embry‑Riddle’s Presidential Speaker Series welcomes industry leaders, prominent alumni and trailblazers in aviation, aerospace and related fields to the Daytona Beach Campus.

In opening the Feb. 13 event, Dr. Kelly Austin, senior vice president for Academic Affairs and Provost, noted that the Presidential Speaker Series has brought “incredible talent to” Embry-Riddle.

“The conversations often stay with our students long after they leave campus,” he said.

Video from past Speaker Series events can be found online.

Posted In: Aviation | Business | Institutional News