On May 27, Breeze Airways, the new U.S. carrier from JetBlue founder David Neeleman, started operations, with a planned fleet of 13 Embraer jets. The first flights operate between Charleston, SC, Tampa, FL and Hartford, CT, with remaining destinations to be added each week through July 2021. Breeze will take delivery of all 13 leased jets through the summer, to reach an initial fleet of ten E190s, and three E195s, with plans to grow the fleet further before the end of the year. The E190 jets will be configured to seat 108 guests while the E195 aircraft will have 118 seats.
Neeleman, CEO and Founder of Breeze Airways, said, “Embraer’s E-Jets are phenomenal at building out new airlines, and growing and supporting new routes. They are the masters at doing this, as proven by my previous airline ventures – and, no middle seats! The flexibility the family of aircraft provides, allows us to meet fluctuating demand profitably – exactly what all airlines need right now. Having the E-Jets as a core part of our team gives me enormous confidence.”
Earlier this month Breeze signed a long-term pool program agreement with Embraer to support a wide range of repairable components for the airline’s E190s and E195s fleet. The agreement included full repair coverage for components and parts, as well as access to a large stock of components at Embraer’s distribution center, which will support the start of the airline’s operation.
