The young Breeze Airways will be suspending many of its routes through early December as it anticipates a significant decline in demand. The airline will also cancel one of its transcontinental routes connecting Charleston International Airport (CHS) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The route has seen multiple suspensions since it launched earlier this year. The rise in route suspensions is likely the result of several factors.

Terminated route

The route between CHS and SFO will be terminated on January 4th. When it was launched in May, the airline was ecstatic about the route that would connect one of its East Coast hubs to the West Coast. Flown on an Airbus A220, the route has seen several suspensions throughout the year due to a lack of consistent demand. While currently operating, it will be once again suspended; this time, the suspension will begin in early November and persist through the first half of December.

The service will resume during the busy holiday season, and the airline anticipates that it will see high levels of demand for the route. Following the holiday rush, the route will be retired until further notice. There is a strong possibility that it may be resumed during Summer 2023, as it saw strong demand throughout Summer 2022, but Breeze has made no official statements concerning the routes reopening.

Passengers looking to fly between the two cities will still be able to do so on Breeze. However, it will require them to catch a connecting flight at Richmond International Airport (RIC) or Louisville International Airport (SDF). The airline will soon offer passengers a connection between the two cities through Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG).

A second route that the airline will terminate is the Tulsa International Airport (TUL) to Nashville International Airport (BNA) route. This route was initially scheduled to be terminated in January along with the SFO to CHS route. However, the termination date has been moved to late November as the airline does not expect sufficient demand through the holidays for this route. This will end all Breeze services to TUL until March when it plans to launch a TUL to Orlando International Airport (MCO) route.

Get the latest aviation news straight to your inbox: Sign up for our newsletters today.

Suspended routes

In addition to the two routes scheduled for extermination, 13 additional routes will undergo temporary suspension in early December. From December 1st to the 14th, Breeze flights between Tampa International Airport (TPA) and SDF will be suspended. From the 1st to the 15th, flights connecting Provo Airport (PVU) with Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), LAX with CHS, CHS with John Glenn Columbus International Airport (CMH), and CMH with Palm Beach International Airport (PBI) will be suspended.

From December 1st to 16th, flights connecting Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX) with PVU and PHX with CHS will also be suspended. Beginning at the start of December and carrying through to the 19th, the route connecting Hartford's Bradley International Airport (BDL) to CMH will be suspended. Flights between Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) and SDF, Las Vegas's Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and CHS, and LAS and PVU will be suspended through the 21st.

The other two routes that will be suspended are the Norfolk International Airport (ORF) to PBI and BDL to BNA routes. These suspensions will begin on December 1st and last until the 22nd. The airline is limiting suspensions to the first half of the month as it anticipates very little demand during these first two weeks. The latter half of the month will bring high demand for air travel during the holiday season, which the airline plans to capitalize on.

Breeze Airbus A220 Aircraft
Photo: Airbus

Get all the latest aviation news right here on Simple Flying.

Probable cause

Breeze Airways has not issued any official statements regarding the cause of these suspensions. The decrease in demand and rising operating costs have likely led the airline to cut less profitable flights to increase profit margins. The airline has seen a significant rise in operating expenses, from fuel prices to wages.

This past month Breeze substantially increased pilot pay following the regional airline's decision to double pilot pay. Regardless of the reason for suspending flights, Breeze is continuing to expand its network and services by taking deliveries of additional aircraft, hiring more staff, and announcing new routes.

What do you think of these route cuts and suspensions? Let us know in the comments below.

Source: Ishrion Aviation