‘World’s Nicest Airline’ From JetBlue Founder Eyes Hudson Valley
A new budget airline from JetBlue's founder that promises to be the "World’s Nicest Airline" is hoping to offer non-stop flights from the Hudson Valley.
On Friday, JetBlue founder David Neeleman officially launched his much-discussed airline start-up, Breeze Airways.
“Breeze will fly non-stop service between places currently without meaningful or affordable service,” Breeze’s CEO and President Neeleman said. “20 years ago, we brought humanity back to the airline industry with JetBlue. Today, we’re excited to introduce plans for the World’s Nicest Airline."
Breeze will be Neeleman’s fifth airline, including Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue and Azul. Breeze’s initial markets will be mid-sized U.S. city pairs that currently have no nonstop service.
The airline start-up plans to connect these cities with low-fare, high-quality nonstop flights, with new consumer technology innovations, improving the flying experience while saving travelers both time and money, officials said in a press release.
"Over the last decade, the major U.S. airlines have consolidated and concentrated their efforts at fortress hubs, resulting in diminished air travel options for entire segments of the country, with many routes now only served by connecting flights," Breeze Airways wrote in a press release.
Breeze's strategy will likely be similar to Allegiant Air and other budget airlines like Spirit and Frontier, according to The Points Guy.
“I think we could serve a market two days a week or serve it four days a week. Or we could serve it daily,” Neeleman said, according to The Points Guy. “It just depends on the time of the year. There’ll be markets we’ll serve in the summer and those other markets we’ll serve in the wintertime.”
Go Local reports Neeleman is interested in flying out Stewart Airport in Newburgh. A spokesperson from New York Stewart International Airport has not responded to Hudson Valley Post's request for comment.
Breeze has ordered 60 brand-new Airbus 220-300 aircraft, with deliveries beginning in April 2021, and has leased 30 Embraer 195 aircraft from Azul, which will be to be delivered starting May 2020.
The company has applied for an airline operating certificate with the Federal Aviation Administration and US Department of Transportation and hopes to start flying by the end of 2020.
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