American budget carrier Breeze Airways may soon be adding some international destinations to its flight network. According to a statement by the airline's chief commercial officer Lukas Johnson, Breeze is in talks with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regarding obtaining the necessary approvals to operate international flights. A formal announcement by the carrier is expected to come in the near future.
FAA approval
Speaking at the Skift Aviation Forum in Dallas, the airline executive stated that Breeze is currently working with the FAA to obtain an operating certificate, which certifies that the carrier is meeting federally prescribed safety standards. In addition, an essential component of the operating certificate is a flag certification, which allows the bearing airline to service routes outside the continental United States (i.e., to Alaska, Hawaii, and abroad). Breeze's acquisition of these two essential documents will mark a significant milestone in the carrier's journey to becoming a global airline as it will be legally permitted to begin international flights.
Any new routes will be serviced by the two planes in the carrier's fleet: the Embraer 195 and the Airbus A220-300. The Embraer features a seat pitch of 31 inches in Standard Economy, 34 to 39 inches in Extra Legroom, and 39 inches in first class, while the Airbus features 30, 32, and 39 inches, respectively.
America's seriously nice airline
Founded by aviation entrepreneur David Neeleman in 2018, Breeze Airways is based in Cottonwood Heights, Utah, and operates flights to 34 cities in the continental United States. The airline primarily targets underserved cities and has some of the most lenient policies of any airline, allowing passengers to change or cancel their flights without any fees up to 15 minutes before departure. As a result, it has branded itself a "seriously nice" airline.
Travelers looking to fly with the carrier can purchase tickets in one of three classes: Nice, Nicer, and Nicest. The Nice class is most comparable to other airlines' basic economy, while Nicer and Nicest can be compared to premium economy and business, respectively.
The low-cost carrier is the latest in a number of aviation ventures by Brazilian-American businessman and entrepreneur David Neeleman. In addition to Breeze, he has founded Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue Airways, and Azul Brazilian Airlines. The aviation mogul also owns 45% of Portuguese flag carrier TAP Air Portugal.
Breeze Airways' decision to pursue the addition of international destinations to its flight network ultimately comes at a time when demand for travel is finally recovering from pandemic-era levels. It also comes at a time when the airline is already rapidly expanding its flight network, having added three new routes just last week. FAA approval will mark the final step before the airline can start operating international flights. Whether or not the addition of international routes is a wise move for the airline in terms of profitability is something that will be revealed in due time, and other airlines will no doubt be watching closely to see if similar courses of action are worth pursuing. But for now, all that Breeze Airways can do is hope that the profits from international routes are as "seriously nice" as the airline.