History of Breeze Airways in Timeline
Breeze Airways is a low-cost American airline headquartered in Cottonwood Heights, Utah. Founded by serial airline entrepreneur David Neeleman (also a co-founder of Morris Air, WestJet, JetBlue, and Azul), Breeze began operations on May 27, 2021. Its first flight was from Tampa to Charleston. The airline aims to provide affordable and convenient travel options.
2000: JetBlue Co-Founded
In 2000, JetBlue, which David Neeleman co-founded, was noted as the only major profitable carrier in the US established in the last twenty years.
2007: Stagnant Air Capacity
From 2007 to 2017, US domestic air capacity had remained stagnant while the economy had expanded.
2017: Airline Consolidation
In 2017, it was noted that the country's four largest airlines carried 80% of domestic US passengers, and US domestic air capacity had remained stagnant from 2007 to 2017.
June 2018: Neeleman Plans New Airline
In June 2018, David Neeleman planned to launch a new American airline, tentatively named Moxy Airways, with capital from various investors, identifying an opportunity for a competitive carrier due to airline consolidation and stagnant domestic air capacity.
July 17, 2018: Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus
On July 17, 2018, Breeze Airways signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for 60 A220-300 aircraft.
January 2019: Order with Airbus Firmed
In January 2019, the order with Airbus for 60 A220-300 aircraft was firmed.
February 7, 2020: Airline Name Announced
On February 7, 2020, the airline's name was announced as Breeze Airways, abandoning the "Moxy" name.
February 20, 2020: Headquarters Established
On February 20, 2020, the airline established its headquarters in Cottonwood Heights, Utah.
December 30, 2020: First Embraer E195 Received
On December 30, 2020, Breeze Airways received its first Embraer E195 aircraft.
2020: Projected Operational Launch
In 2020, Breeze had projected its operational launch through the acquisition of Compass Airlines.
2020: Accelerated Launch Plans
In 2020, to accelerate the airline's launch, the company initially planned to use secondhand Embraer E195 aircraft from Azul.
February 2021: First Embraer E190 Received
In February 2021, Breeze Airways received its first Embraer E190 aircraft.
March 10, 2021: Federal Approval Received
On March 10, 2021, the airline received federal approval from the United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) to begin operations.
April 26, 2021: Order for Additional A220-300 Aircraft
On April 26, 2021, it was announced that Breeze had ordered an additional 20 A220-300 aircraft.
May 14, 2021: Air Operator's Certificate Issued
On May 14, 2021, Breeze Airways was issued its air operator's certificate.
May 27, 2021: Breeze Airways Launches Operations
On May 27, 2021, Breeze Airways launched its operations with its inaugural flight from Tampa International Airport to Charleston International Airport.
September 13, 2021: Announcement of Airbus Order
On September 13, 2021, Breeze Airways announced the order for 20 additional A220-300 aircraft.
October 2021: "Nicest" Ticket Type Announced
In October 2021, Breeze Airways announced the "Nicest" ticket type, which introduced the airline's first class seating.
October 26, 2021: Delivery of First Airbus A220-300
On October 26, 2021, the airline's first Airbus A220-300 was delivered.
2021: Delivery of Aircraft Planned
In 2021, the company planned to start receiving delivery of 60 Bombardier CS300s (later known as the Airbus A220-300).
March 2022: Plans to Offer Inflight Wi-Fi
In March 2022, Breeze Airways announced plans to offer inflight Viasat Wi-Fi internet access from October 2022 on its A220 aircraft.
May 25, 2022: Airbus A220-300 Enters Service
On May 25, 2022, the Airbus A220-300 aircraft entered service for Breeze Airways.
June 9, 2022: Tom Doxey Appointed as President
On June 9, 2022, Tom Doxey was appointed as company president of Breeze Airways.
October 2022: Postponement of Wi-Fi Implementation
From October 2022, ongoing delays postponed the initial implementation of Viasat Wi-Fi internet access on Breeze's A220 aircraft to 2023.
2022: Alternative Seating Configuration
In 2022, Breeze Airways announced an alternative seating configuration for its A220s depending on route or seasonal demand, with fewer first class seats and additional "extra legroom" seats.
2022: Introduction of "Nicest" Ticket Type
In 2022, the "Nicest" ticket type was introduced to coincide with the launch of its Airbus A220-300 service.
May 2023: Application to Operate International Flights
In May 2023, Breeze Airways began the process to operate international flights, submitting an application to the USDOT to operate flights to Mexico.
November 2023: Intention to Operate Flights to Europe
In November 2023, Neeleman announced that Breeze Airways also intended to operate flights to Europe.
2023: Wi-Fi Implementation Delayed
In 2023, the initial implementation of Viasat Wi-Fi internet access on Breeze's A220 aircraft was postponed with completion of Wi-Fi access on its entire A220 fleet later expected in 2024.
February 20, 2024: A220-300 Purchase Options Converted
On February 20, 2024, Breeze announced it converted 10 A220-300 purchase options into firm orders, and its Embraer fleet would transition from scheduled passenger services to charter operations and reduce from 16 aircraft to 10 by the end of 2024.
March 2024: "No Flex Fare" Ticket Type Introduced
In March 2024, the "No Flex Fare" ticket type was introduced, which did not allow for itinerary changes and offered partial credit for cancellations.
August 2024: Tom Doxey Transitions to Advisory Role
In August 2024, Tom Doxey announced that he was transitioning to an advisory role at Breeze Airways.
2024: Expected Completion of Wi-Fi Access
In 2024, the completion of Viasat Wi-Fi internet access on Breeze's entire A220 fleet was expected.
March 2025: Aircraft in Operation
As of March 2025, Breeze Airways operates a specific list of aircraft.
