On Monday, U.S.-based startup Breeze Airways announced the addition of two destinations to its route network, boosting its route portfolio to a total of 18 destinations and 42 routes. Specifically, the airline is adding eight flights to Long Island’s MacArthur Airport in New York and Palm Beach International Airport near West Palm Beach, Fla.

New Offerings

From Feb. 17, Breeze Airways will initiate flights from Long Island, N.Y. to Norfolk, VA, four times a week on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays and Mondays. In addition, the airline will commence flights from Long Island, NY  to Charleston, S.C., two times a week on Fridays and Mondays, starting Feb. 18.

Meanwhile, from February 19, 2022, Breeze Airways will start six flights from West Palm Beach, Fla. to Akron/Canton, Ohio; Charleston, SC; Columbus, Ohio; Norfolk, VA; Richmond, VA and New Orleans. 

“Breeze’s business model is to add “nice, new nonstop” flights on routes where only connecting service is offered by other carriers,” Breeze’s Chairman and CEO, David Neeleman, said in a statement. “We’re excited to introduce Breeze service to South Florida and the New York area, and look forward to adding more routes from both Palm Beach and Islip.”

Long Island’s MacArthur Airport serves as a secondary airport in the New York City area near Islip, N.Y., primarily targeting travelers on Long Island in New York. Islip will see a new fourth carrier join its network and add two destinations, adding new options other than services on American, Frontier and Southwest. Meanwhile, Palm Beach International Airport serves West Palm Beach, Fla. and the surrounding South Florida area. The airport will gain a new carrier for a total of 16 airlines and add six destinations to its route network.

Based on schedule data, none of Breeze Airways’ new routes face any direct competition as part of the airline’s plan to serve underserved routes. In an interview with AirlineGeeks earlier this year, Neeleman detailed 700 unserved city pairs that Breeze Airways intends to target. 

Breeze Airways will launch these flights with its’ fleet of 13 Embraer E190s and E195s. The Embraer E190 features an Economy class configuration with 108 seats, while its Embraer E195 features an Economy class configuration with 118 seats. 

In mid-2022, the carrier will start services with its first Airbus A220s, broadening Breeze Airways’ range to transcontinental flights or even international flights across the Atlantic or the Pacific to Hawaii. These aircraft will feature 126 seats, including 36 first-class seats, ten extra-legroom seats and 80 economy seats.

Rise Of U.S. Airline Startups

Earlier this year in May, Breeze Airways revealed its initial route network, comprised of 39 routes and 16 destinations. Primarily, its announcement revolved around four major airports: Charleston, New Orleans, Norfolk and Tampa, Fla., flying to underserved destinations like Huntsville, Ala. and Bentonville/Fayetteville, Ark.

Over these past months, Breeze Airways tweaked its network to optimize its service and fleet. The airline cut routes from New Orleans and San Antonio to both Tulsa, Okla. and Oklahoma City, in addition to New Orleans to Huntsville, Ala. Moreover, Breeze Airways tinkered with its schedules by boosting and cutting frequencies to select routes like Charleston to Akron/Canton.

Breeze Airways is not the only airline startup in the United States making headlines. Avelo Airlines — An airline startup targeting secondary markets — launched its first flights from New Haven, Conn. on the East Coast in November. The Houston-based airline intends to launch six destinations from New Haven, one of which is West Palm Beach.

Avelo Airlines operates another base in Burbank, Calif., where it flies to underserved markets on the West Coast. In addition, American startup Aha! — formerly ExpressJet — launched flights from Reno, NV to a variety of airports on the West Coast. 

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Winston Shek

Ever since Winston was a toddler, he has always had a fascination for airplanes.From watching widebodies land at Washington Dulles to traveling the world, Winston has always had his eyes towards the skies.Winston began aviation photography in 2018 and now posts his photos occasionally on his Instagram account.He previously wrote for a blog.In his free time, Winston loves to play chess, do recreational activities, and watch sports.Looking into the future, Winston plans to service the aviation industry.

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