Having bolstered its firm orders with Airbus for A220-300 twinjets, Breeze Airways plans to transition all scheduled operations to the aircraft type by the end of 2024, and is studying several international destinations. The low-cost carrier’s leased Embraer E-Jets will be relegated to charter flying by year-end.
Salt Lake City, Utah-headquartered Breeze used the occasion of today, February 20 (i.e. 2:20), to announce the transition plan, and reveal that it has converted purchase right options on a further 10 A220-300s, bringing its total firm orders with Airbus to 90 A220-300s, with 30 remaining options.
It currently operates 22 A220-300s and will have 32 in its fleet by the end of 2024. All firm orders are scheduled to arrive by the end of 2028.
“Looking at the difference in NPS scores, looking at the difference in having a first class cabin, it made all the sense in the world to make 100% of our scheduled service with the A220,” Breeze Airways founder and CEO David Neeleman explained during a media briefing today as the carrier kicked off its so-called “2.20 Celebration” including a “20% off” base fare promotion.
When Breeze transitions all scheduled flying to the A220-300, it will have the youngest fleet in the country with an average aircraft age of less than two years old, said Neeleman, noting that the carrier’s Embraer E190s and E195s will support its “significant” charter flying contracts. Breeze used the E-Jets to inaugurate service in 2021 and expand in underserved markets.
The Breeze CEO touted the A220 as a “game-changer”, noting that from a passenger experience perspective, the twinjet, which is configured 2-3 down back, “offers the tallest ceilings, the widest aisles, the biggest bin space [and] the largest windows in the category”.
Though Breeze’s A220s feature 12 ‘Nicest’ seats up front in a 2-2 layout, management is studying a bigger first class cabin “maybe even 16” seats, Neeleman revealed.
Notably, the carrier will complete the installation of Viasat-powered high-speed inflight connectivity on its A220-300s by early second quarter. Passengers flying in Breeze’s Nicer extra-legroom fare product and Nicest first class cabin will be able to avail of the onboard Internet service, as well as cached movies and TV shows, for free. Indeed, guests who purchase Nicer or Nicest will receive the complimentary Wi-Fi as part of the bundle.
Nice economy class passengers, meanwhile, will pay $8 or 800 Breeze loyalty points to access the service. Said Neeleman:
The difference about our Wi-Fi compared to everybody else is if you’re paying for it, everyone on your PNR – if you’re traveling with your wife and two kids – then everyone on that PNR for $8 gets free Wi-Fi.
Neeleman also celebrated the economics of the A220-300, saying it enables the carrier “to fly really long, thin routes profitability”. To wit, Breeze is presently mulling several international destinations, he said.
Additionally, Breeze used today’s event to announce Coastal Carolina Regional (EWN) in New Bern, North Carolina as its 50th city. It will fly from EWN to Hartford, Connecticut and Orlando, Florida (MCO) starting on 24 May. The carrier will also debut a new nonstop between Huntsville, Alabama (HSV) and Los Angeles, California (LAX) on 14 June.
“In the last decade, we’ve seen the legacy airlines retreat from regional flying and literally hundreds of airports losing 25 percent or more of their air service,” Neeleman said. “The Covid pandemic only accelerated that trend and Breeze is uniquely positioned to provide our affordable and elevated form of air travel to hundreds more airports like EWN in the coming years.”
Breeze is also debuting a new “simple, fun, functional” flight attendant uniform and is giving its 600 attendants the ability to “mix and match” pieces as part of the budget carrier’s casual approach to flying.
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