Breeze Airways

In June 2018, Neeleman planned for the establishment of a new United States airline under the tentative name "Moxy Airways",[5] with capital from former Air Canada CEO Robert Milton, former ILFC CEO Henri Courpron, former JetBlue Chairman of the Board Michael Lazarus, and himself.[4] They perceived that due to consolidation, all 11 major carriers in the country were profitable and had existed 20 years ago (except JetBlue, which Neeleman had co-founded in 2000) and that there was space for a new airline competitor.[4] They also determined that the country's four largest airlines carried 80% of domestic US seats in 2017,[6][7] and that due to the loss of service to smaller markets, US domestic air capacity had remained stagnant from 2007 to 2017 while the economy had expanded by 34%.[8]

To fill this perceived gap, the airline planned to offer point-to-point flights from smaller, secondary airports such as T. F. Green Airport (Providence), Fort Worth Airport, or Burbank Airport, bypassing larger airline hubs for shorter travel times.[8] The airline was also reportedly considering longer distance flights to South America and Europe.[9] It would offer spacious seats and free Wi-Fi, like Azul and JetBlue, but charge fees for snacks and advance seat assignments, like ultra low-cost carriers Allegiant Air or Spirit Airlines.[8] For the launch of operations, 60 Airbus A220-300s (previously known as the Bombardier CS300) were ordered, soliciting Chinese lessors to finance 18 to be delivered from 2021 onward.[8] However, in order to accelerate the airline's launch, it initially planned to utilize secondhand Embraer E195 aircraft from Azul in order to launch as soon as 2020.[7]

On February 7, 2020, it was announced that the airline had officially been named Breeze Airways,[10][11] as the previous "Moxy" name clashed with Marriott's "Moxy Hotels" trademark.[12] The airline's branding, such as its logo, colors and aircraft livery, was developed by the Brazilian airline marketing specialist Gianfranco "Panda" Beting, Azul's co-founder, who was also responsible for creating the branding of Azul, TAP Air Portugal and Transbrasil.[13][14] Additionally, Neeleman expressed the view that the airline would be known as the "World’s Nicest Airline".[15] On February 20, 2020, the airline established its headquarters in Cottonwood Heights, Utah.[16]

Breeze had originally planned to begin operations sometime in 2020 through the acquisition of Compass Airlines, though the launch was later pushed back to 2021, with the acquisition being cancelled.[17][18] The airline received its first Embraer E195 on December 30, 2020,[19] and later its first E190 in February 2021,[20][21] with which the airline would use to launch short-haul, regional services prior to the induction of the Airbus A220-300 for longer flights.[22] On March 10, 2021, the airline received federal approval from the United States Department of Transportation to begin operations,[23] and was later issued its air operator's certificate on May 14, 2021.[24] The following week, Breeze began selling tickets on May 21, 2021 with flights planned to start on May 27, 2021.[25]

Breeze's first Airbus A220-300 was delivered on October 26, 2021, with the aircraft type's entry into service planned for early 2022.[26]

Breeze Airways operates to the following destinations within the United States as of April 2022:[27]

As of April 2022, the Breeze Airways fleet consists of the following aircraft:[34][35]

Breeze had proposed intentions to offer both a low-cost and a first-class product, in contrast to the traditional all-economy business model of most low-cost carriers (LCCs). Proposals include some common LCC features such as a point-to-point route network, extra fees for additional services, and initially a single aircraft type, but the airline does not intend to operate a single cabin class of service.[9] Additionally, its aircraft would not feature seatback screens for its in-flight entertainment, instead opting to offer streaming of entertainment through personal electronic devices.[9]

In August 2021, Breeze announced plans for a no-frills "nice" ticket, and a "nicer" ticket type offering food, extra legroom and other amenity upgrades. The carrier also announced that all ticket types were eligible for itinerary changes without additional fees.[40] Breeze announced a "nicest" ticket type with the delivery of its Airbus A220-300 in October 2021, which would feature a business class seat and services, and launch with the aircraft's entry into service during 2022.[26]

• "The founder of JetBlue is about to start a new airline". The Economist. June 22, 2018.
• "America Is Getting a New Airline That Offers Something Passengers Have Been Crying Out For". Inc.com. July 17, 2018.
• "Coming Soon: Moxy Airways? - Live and Let's Fly". Live and Let's Fly. June 19, 2018.
• "JetBlue's Founder is Starting a New US Airline With $100 Million and 60 Planes". View from the Wing. June 18, 2018.

Media related to Breeze Airways at Wikimedia Commons

• Official website