The Allegiant Vote 4 Vacation campaign bus rolled into Chattanooga early Wednesday morning giving locals a chance to vote for their favorite Florida vacation destination.
WUSY–FM and Chattanooga Airport hosted the live remote event in the BI-LO parking lot on Lee Highway where dozens of excited contestants cast their votes in the hopes of winning a free trip, and enjoyed breakfast while posing for pictures in front of the campaign bus.
Judy Carpenter, from Decatur, Tn., rolled into the parking lot at 5:30 a.m., hoping to be the first one in line. Carpenter said she is a frequent flyer who uses Allegiant’s nonstop service Orlando / Sanford almost monthly. “We used to drive, but Allegiant saves us so much time,” Ms. Carpenter said.
Airport officials credit Allegiant Airlines with attracting new leisure travelers into the Chattanooga Airport, which has traditionally been a business-focused market. “Allegiant’s big jets and nonstop service to Orlando and Tampa were just what our community had been asking for, said Terry Hart, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Airport Authority. “Six years after their first flight into Chattanooga they are still enjoying huge support from our community.”
Two roundtrip tickets were given away at Wednesday’s event and each voter also picked up a coupon for $21.60 to cover their taxes on their next flight. The Vote 4 Vacation campaign will continue through the month of September. At the conclusion of the campaign one grand prize winner will be selected and will receive free flights for four years.
According to airport officials, Allegiant will continue offering weekly nonstop flights from Chattanooga to Orlando-Sanford and the Tampa Bay area in October. The airline’s schedule changes seasonally and suspends service in the month of September, officials said.
Residents who were unable to attend this Wednesday’s event can still enter to win the grand prize by completing an absentee ballot at www.vote4vacation.com.