COLUMBUS, Ohio — Breeze Airways, a new low-cost airline, has selected John Glenn International Airport in Columbus for five new nonstop routes that'll launch in July, officials announced Friday morning.
What You Need To Know
- The low-cost airline plans to service 39 nonstop routes
- The airline is focused on the southwest, midwest, southeast and eastern U.S.
- Officials said the news is a sign that Columbus is a great city for business
The airline is a start-up from entrepreneur David Neeleman, who is the founder of JetBlue and three other airlines.
The Columbus Regional Airport Authority said the five destinations will be Charleston, South Carolina (July 8), Hartford, Connecticut (July 22), New Orleans, (July 16), Norfolk, Virginia (July 22) and Tampa, Florida (July 3).
Breeze Airways is also coming to northeast Ohio. The Akron-Canton Airport announced Friday morning that nonstop service to Charleston, New Orleans and Tampa will begin June 26.
The low-cost airline plans to service 39 nonstop routes between 16 cities in the southwest, midwest, southeast and eastern U.S., the airline said.
Breeze is marketing no change or cancellation fees and low-fares starting at $39. Like other budget airlines, Breeze will add additional charges like $20 carry-on baggage fees for customers who are traveling with luggage.
The airline was supposed to launch in late 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic disrupted those plans.
Columbus Mayor Andrew Ginther said the news is another sign that the city is a great place for business.
“Businesses are gaining direct access to all these cities, expanding opportunities to connect, grow and thrive, further positioning Columbus as America’s Opportunity City,” he said in a statement.
The airport authority said the launch will bring an estimated $81 million annual economic impact to Columbus.
Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement the additional service is welcome news for Ohio’s residents and businesses.
“This investment is another indicator that Ohio’s economy is strong, and we are on the road to recovery,” the governor said.
Breeze Airways said Friday that it will begin flying in the U.S. May 27, targeting secondary cities that are largely overlooked or abandoned by bigger carriers. Neeleman says 95% of Breeze’s early routes have no other nonstop flights.
Neeleman said that Breeze will achieve trip costs 20% to 25% less than those of bigger airlines, allowing it to serve smaller markets and still become profitable by year end.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.