Breeze Airways is planning to expand its operations by exploring potential routes to Hawaii from the West Coast. The airline, known for connecting underserved markets and secondary cities, is in the process of obtaining necessary approvals for overwater flights. The goal is to start long-haul services by the end of next year.
The airline has added 29 new cities and 89 routes in 2024, resulting in a significant increase in available seats compared to last year. A spokesperson stated that more than 85% of Breeze's current routes operate without direct competition.
To facilitate international and transoceanic flights, Breeze Airways is working on achieving ETOPS certification for its Airbus A220-300 planes. This certification allows an aircraft to fly a certain distance from a diversionary airport with only one operable engine during emergencies. Founder and CEO David Neeleman mentioned that Hawaii is on their shortlist: “We have to go to work on ETOPS … because I’d like to go to Hawaii from secondary and tertiary cities, but obviously we need to get that ETOPS done as well."