DALLAS – Breeze Airways (MX) announced its first major network expansion since launching operations in May of 2021, including its first West Coast destinations.
The airline is adding 35 routes to 10 new cities, including San Francisco (SFO), Los Angeles (LAX), Las Vegas (LAS), and San Bernardino (SBD) on the West Coast; and Jacksonville (JAX), Sarasota (SRQ), Savannah (SAV), Nashville (BNA), and Syracuse (SYR) on the East Coast.
The new routes will continue to feed the core business model of MX, providing customers with low-cost fares and nonstop fares between underserved, secondary markets.
Additionally, the airline will connect secondary cities like Richmond, Charleston, Louisville, Providence, and Norfolk to major cities on the West Coast, routes in which the airline faces little to no competition.
In total, the airline will fly 77 routes between 28 cities in 18 states, putting MX in a better position to compete with major carriers and to develop its brand.
The “Game Changer” Aircraft
Facilitating the new routes will be the ongoing expansion of MX’s fleet, with the introduction of the airline’s new Airbus A220-300 jets. The new aircraft will provide the airline with the means to continue expanding, an important facet of MX’s ability to compete with existing airlines.
The A220-300, referred to as the “game-changer”, by MX Founder and Chief Executive Officer David Neeleman, will debut the airline’s newest seat class, ‘Nicest’. MX has ordered 80 of the type, with an option for 40 more, which will be delivered on a schedule of one A220-300 per month for six years.
This year, the airline will double its fleet from 13 Embraer aircraft to 30, with the incorporation of four more Embraer aircraft and 13 A220-300s.
Breeze’s A220s will initially feature 126 seats, with 36 First Class ‘Nicest’ seats in a 2-2 configuration, 10 Extra Legroom ‘Nicer’ seats, and 80 Standard Economy seats in a two-by-three configuration. However, the aircraft’s interior configuration will be “dynamic,” meaning that the number of seats in a given class can be changed based on demand and seasonality.
The interior will allow MX to adapt quickly to market conditions, an important metric for any carrier, but especially for a low-cost carrier.
Breeze Picks Viasat
In addition to the route network announcement, MX revealed their provider of WiFi on the airline’s Airbus aircraft to be Viasat.
Breeze and Viasat will provide passengers with the ability to “seamlessly stream TV or movies, check email, browse the internet, and stay connected via social media or messaging apps while inflight.”
The model of providing WiFi streaming services has become increasingly popular on many airlines, including competitors of MX, American Airlines (AA) and JetBlue (B6).
Featured image: Luke Ayers/Airways