Breeze Airways took delivery of its first A220 last week, with another on the way in the coming days. CEO David Neeleman has talked up the possibilities of the regional aircraft, including modular cabins for different markets. Here's what to expect from the airline's first A220.
When will we see it?
Despite the first A220 being handed over to Breeze on December 15th, the airline doesn't plan to start operations until Q2 of 2022. This means there are at least 3-4 more months of preparations to go before the aircraft takes to the skies. Until then, the airline will take delivery of more aircraft to create a robust network.
In total, the airline will take two A220s in December, followed by another 12 over 2022 and 2023. Breeze plans to have 6 A220-300s by the time commercial operations with the type begin. In a statement, AerCap CEO Aengus Kelly said,
"AerCap is excited to welcome Breeze Airways as a new customer, but an old friend in David Neeleman, with the delivery of the first of 14 new A220s. Equipped with the latest engine technology which has 25% lower fuel burn over previous-generation aircraft, as well as maximum operational flexibility with its longer range, the A220 is the ideal aircraft for Breeze’s fast-growing operations.”
The airline has a total of 80 A220s in total, a significant number for the startup airline. However, Neeleman has some interesting plans for the airline.
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Expect anything
What makes Breeze's A220 special is its variable cabin design. The layout allows the airline to rapidly swap up the front half of seats to be replaced with a premium cabin or economy seats depending on the routes. This means passengers can expect several configurations of the A220 on their journeys.
In a special event in October, the airline showed off its first A220 with 36 recliner-style seats in the front of the plane (2-2 layout). The aircraft features 126 seats in total, with 80 economy seats in a 2-3 configuration. However, Breeze plans to make the premium cabin accessible to as many as possible.
Rather than charging thousands of dollars for a domestic first class seat, Breeze has other plans. Speaking to Simple Flying at the Future Flying Forum in November, he talked about the target market for these seats, saying,
"Definitely leisure market. Usually to upgrade it’s like five times the amount of flying; if it’s $1,000, it’s $5,000, or if it’s $500, it’s $2,500. What we’re saying is that maybe with the lie flat or whatever the real estate is, it may be two times. So if you’re spending $250, would you spend $500? I think a lot of people would spend that extra money to make travelling more convenient, more fun, more enjoyable."
Overall, the A220s could feature cabins ranging from economy to recliner to even lie-flat seats in the future! For now, there's no word on launch routes, but the A220s could be flying 3+ hour flights, increasing the airline's reach.
What do you think about Breeze's plans for the A220? Let us know in the comments!