JetBlue Founder David Neeleman has announced the name of his new airline startup: Breeze Airways. Previously, the startup had been known by the provisional name “Moxy.” The company is currently applying for its airline operating certificate with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and it hopes to begin flying by the end of 2020.
Breeze will be Neeleman’s fifth airline startup, following Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Azul. Plans call for the airline’s initial markets to be mid-sized U.S. city pairs that currently have no nonstop service, according to the latest statement from the new airline. Breeze said that, as the major U.S. carriers have consolidated their route networks around hub airports over the past decade, many of these routes are now only served by connecting flights.
Breeze has ordered 60 brand-new Airbus 220-300 aircraft, with deliveries beginning in April 2021, and has leased thirty Embraer 195 aircraft from Azul, which are expected to be delivered starting May 2020. The airline said that the A220 is ideally suited for nonstop flights between the mid-size markets that it expects to serve, while the E195s can connect smaller markets cost-effectively.
The airline has also promised “new consumer technology innovations” that will improve the flying experience and save travelers time and money, although it has released no further details at this time. Breeze will fly under the tagline “The World’s Nicest Airline.”
Related Stories
What the Global Entry Suspension Means for Travel Advisors
SAA Changes Route Network as Part of Restructuring
Punta Cana International Airport Updates Tech, Wellness
American Extends Hong Kong Flight Suspension Through March 27