Breeze Airways plans transatlantic flights amid regulatory preparations

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Breeze Airways plans transatlantic flights amid regulatory preparations

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Simple Flying | Simple Flying

By Sky Industry News

Dec 21, 2024

Breeze Airways is progressing toward its goal of launching transatlantic routes, targeting Ireland or the UK as potential initial destinations. The airline anticipates receiving necessary regulatory approvals and aims to commence these international routes by the end of 2025.

In an interview with Airline Geeks, Breeze Airways CEO David Neeleman indicated that the carrier hopes to begin international flights by next summer, although this timeline might be "a little bit tight." He stated that announcing flights for late fall next year would likely be "the most prudent way" due to regulatory challenges.

The airline expects to attain flag carrier status in early 2025, a requirement for operating international flights. While specific airports have not been confirmed, Dublin is mentioned as a possible destination. Considering the range of the Airbus A220, departures from East Coast airports such as Boston or New York are probable due to their significant Irish populations.

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Currently, Breeze Airways operates domestically across 65 airports with 172 routes spanning 30 states. Notably, many of these routes face no direct competition. Fort Myers leads in flight volume among its bases, followed by Orlando, Charleston, Providence, and Hartford.

Neeleman also proposed using secondary UK airports and suggested a seasonal operational model: "Cancun all winter and Ireland all summer." Although initially planning Caribbean destinations before expanding transatlantic services, Breeze aims to include Hawaii in its network. Despite being domestic, Hawaii requires ETOPS certification for overwater operations.

With 35 Airbus A220s in its fleet and another 55 on order, Breeze ranks among the top five global A220 operators alongside Delta Air Lines and JetBlue in the US. The airline's expansion capabilities are enhanced by its growing fleet; it can reach Western Europe from Florida bases with the A220-300's range.

Since its inaugural flight from Tampa to Charleston in May 2021 using Embraer aircraft, Breeze has rapidly expanded its fleet and network. By integrating new aircraft into service, Breeze continues to focus on underserved routes through secondary and tertiary airports across the United States.