Discount airline Allegiant adds nonstop flights from RDU to New Orleans

Discount airline Allegiant announced on Thursday a new nonstop flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to New Orleans beginning early next year.

Posted 3:02 p.m. Nov 17, 2016 — Updated 6:28 p.m. Nov 17, 2016

RALEIGH, N.C. — Discount airline Allegiant announced on Thursday a new nonstop flight from Raleigh-Durham International Airport to New Orleans beginning early next year.

The new year-round flights will begin Feb. 16, 2017, according to a news release from the company. Flights will operate twice weekly between RDU and Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

“We are delighted that Allegiant is expanding their unique brand of vacation flying at RDU,” Mike Landguth, president and CEO, Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority, said in the release. “New Orleans is a top leisure market and travelers are sure to enjoy their ultra-low fares and big comfy jets to the Big Easy.”

Parking reservations system rolled back

An initiative to implement a new online parking reservation system for RDU travelers ran into "several significant software communication issues," which forced the airport to put the project on hold.

In a blog post on RDU's website, the airport said the communication problem existed between the system that controls parking entry and exit gates and the software that would have enabled online reservations.

The online parking system is still in the works, the blog said, but no timetable was given. While the system is shelved, though, RDU will spend $20 million over the next five years to repair and upgrade the airports current parking facilities.

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