Breeze sets the pace for value-first with Nicest cabin, Ascent

In Part One of this two-part Nose to Tail review, Breeze Airways’ standard Nice product was well, “nice”. The Safran economy seat was comfortable, the Airbus A220 remains my favorite narrowbody, and the operation was smooth from Cincinnati to Greenville Spartanburg. Now it was time to move up front to Ascent, aka Breeze’s Nicest product.

Breeze’s premium cabin branding is a little confusing at first because the fare and the seat have different names. Nicest is the fare bundle, while Ascent is the entire front-cabin experience inclusive of a recliner. But here’s the deal: you can purchase the Ascent package à la carte as an ancillary option, in true low-cost carrier (LCC) fashion!

As more value airlines introduce premium cabins, First Class has become an increasingly broad class. What Breeze is selling isn’t the same product you’ll find domestically on a global-network carrier, nor is it simply extra-legroom economy. Ascent occupies a category somewhere in between.

Identifying as a ‘premium leisure’ carrier, Breeze’s Nicest Ascent offering is similar to the late, great Big Front Seat on now-defunct Spirit Airlines, and a preview of what’s to come on Allegiant and Frontier Airlines. Going forward, we’ll use the words Nicest and Ascent interchangeably.

And speaking of value, the price is the nicest part of Nicest. This premium offering doesn’t break the bank, with a modest upgrade over the already nicely priced Nicer seat. A revenue driver, Ascent not available for free upgrades.

Now that the pre-flight briefing is complete, let’s fly!

Because I remained onboard in Greenville as a BreezeThru passenger, there was no opportunity to use BreezeBy priority boarding. Instead, I simply watched Greenville passengers step off before another group boarded around me. A few minutes later I picked up my backpack and walked from seat 21A to the front of the airplane.

Nicest class seating on the aircraft.

Breeze’s 137-seat A220 cabin is divided into three sections: 12 Ascent seats, 45 Nicer seats and 80 Nice seats.

That’s a very different LOPA (layout of passenger accommodations) than Breeze’s original concept, which envisioned as many as 36 premium seats and quick cabin reconfigurations depending on demand. Instead, the airline says demand for the premium cabin has exceeded expectations and that it plans to add more premium seating.

The Ascent seat, Safran’s Z600 for which Breeze is the launch customer, immediately felt different… in a good way.

Measuring 20.5 inches wide with 39 inches of pitch, the seat features cradle recline, an adjustable calf rest and footrest, AC power, USB-A and USB-C charging ports, a generous center console, tablet holders, a cup holder and a coat hook. It’s a clever design.

I slid my phone into the side console, and my tablet fit neatly into one of two device holders on the seatback. There was certainly enough room to spread out without feeling like the seat had been designed by committee.

The tray table is laptop sized with another device holder. Between the AC outlet and USB-C charging ports I never worried about battery life. Heck, I could’ve gone with a triple-screen experience had I wanted to.

But hmmm, something was missing. You guessed it! No curtain. No bulkhead. Nothing separates Ascent from the Nicer cabin immediately behind it.

Nicer cabin immediately behind Nicest

The lack of curtain doesn’t affect comfort, but it does make the premium cabin feel a little less distinct than passengers may expect. On the flip side, the airline feels a bit more egalitarian.

The forward lav is, however, free game for everyone onboard, particularly our “Nicer” cohorts behind us.

Importantly, given that these A220s have not been fitted with new flip-up overhead bins (Airbus is in the process of a production cutover), there is reserved space for Ascent customers in the pivot bins.

Cool blue LED light accents on the seat add snob appeal.

Then, I looked down. There were crumbs in the seat tracks and on the floor, along with more scratches and scuff marks than I expected on an airline operating such youthful A220s.

Wear and tear is evident on the seat.

Breeze’s famously quick turns probably explain why. Dedicated cleaning crews don’t always board the aircraft between flights. Instead, the flight attendants tidy the cabin themselves while preparing for the next departure.

It’s an efficient system that helps keep aircraft utilization high, but it also means the cabin doesn’t always feel quite as fresh as the premium branding suggests.

I also noticed exposed insulation around the forward cabin windows.

Unlike many legacy carriers, there was no pre-departure beverage waiting at the seat, no bottled water and no boarding music. We simply pushed back on schedule and departed for Fort Lauderdale. About 30 minutes after takeoff, the service began.

Although the A220 is equipped with ovens, Breeze doesn’t currently use them, so there are no hot meals. Instead, Ascent builds on the airline’s buy-on-board program. For Nicest passengers, nearly everything on the menu is complimentary.

Water, soft drinks, juices, Peet’s Coffee, black and green tea, beer, wine, spirits and the airline’s standard snacks are all included.

Only the premium snack boxes and a handful of upgraded snacks still carry a charge. There’s no meal service, per se, so an upcharge for certain snacks in a premium cabin was quirky, though not in a good way.

The menu is on the app and on old-fashioned paper. I expected tech-forward Breeze would offer ordering directly via the app, which is integrated with its portal. But maybe down the road?

The cabin crew members took my order without any sense of rushing despite the relatively short sector. Throughout the trip, they struck a nice balance between professional and personable… shades of JetBlue you might say?

I finally logged onto the complimentary Viasat-powered inflight Wi-Fi. Speeds were perfectly acceptable for email, messaging and web browsing, although I wouldn’t plan on editing large video files.

The IFE is bring-your-own-device (BYOD). Streaming entertainment is included through Breeze’s portal. The catalog is not the “A-level” recent releases. It includes many more full-length movies than TV shows which might work better on short flights.

One frustration remained from the first leg, though. Every time I switched away from the Breeze app, I had to log back in before accessing the entertainment portal or menu again. Make that two: the moving map still didn’t move.

One announcement did make me smile. “There goes the seatbelt sign.” It’s such a simple line, but somehow perfectly captures Breeze’s vibe. It became an ear worm much like those TV promos from ABC local TV stations: “There goes that Eyewitness News van again…” #IYKYK.

We arrived into Fort Lauderdale right on time, continuing the prompt operation that the airline has bought up in every conversation I’ve ever had with them.

My checked bag (no judgements, please) was waiting for me by the time I made it to baggage claim… In the typical purgatory of FLL’s baggage claim, this is no small feat.

Five years ago, I left Tampa aboard Breeze’s inaugural Flight 1 wearing a COVID-era face mask on a used Embraer 190. Catering consisted of a bottle of water and a bag of Utz potato chips. The airline itself felt like a placeholder while everyone waited for the Airbus A220.

David Neeleman and his wife on the inaugural aboard an E-Jet

Today, Breeze looks very different. The A220 has become exactly the airplane David Neeleman envisioned as the game-changing backbone of the airline.

Ascent is a genuinely comfortable premium seat, and while the service and soft product is modest, it feels right.

The airline still has some growing up to do. The app needs refinement. The cabin could be cleaner between flights. There are details that more established airlines simply execute better. But comparing Ascent to legacy First Class misses the point.

This is value airline First. Spirit proved there was demand for it. Allegiant, JetBlue, and Frontier are heading in the same direction. Breeze, one could argue, is setting the pace. Overall, my Breeze experience was (wait for it). Nice, very nice.