Pilots say they are concerned with Allegiant Air's bare bones approach to safety and maintenance

Pilots for Allegiant Air are calling into question the safety of the planes they fly, saying the company's cost-saving measures are putting passengers at risk.

The union representing the pilots sent a letter to Allegiant's board saying that the company does the bare minimum to maintain planes, CBS News reports. The letter goes into detail about 38 potentially perilous incidents that took place between January and March of this year involving smoke in cockpits, pressurization issues, engine failures, and radar problems. This month, a plane had to make an emergency landing at the Clearwater airport in Florida after smoke filled the cabin, and passengers had to stand on the wing of a jet in Boise after smoke was possibly spotted outside of the plane.

The airline has cheap fares and charges high fees, and it flies a fleet of older planes, which can be purchased at lower prices. The company is undergoing contract negotiations with its pilots, and Allegiant calls the union's claims "an effort to manipulate the public."

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