Newcomer budget airline Breeze, close to its first anniversary, is celebrating with a significant route addition—the first flights crossing the country, using its new A220s, which are arriving at a one-a-month pace.
Following the airline's plan of largely filling gaps in mainline service left by the major airlines, it's starting with a New York area base at Westchester County Airport (HPN), which is 30 miles north of New York LaGuardia and another dozen or so miles from JFK.
Breeze's first HPN routes will start in September to Los Angeles, Las Vegas and San Francisco. All three are routes that can't be flown non-stop from LGA because of airport rules. Flights from JFK are available, but for the million-plus population of Westchester County and for passengers from surrounding areas, it's a long, expensive trek to use JFK, and Breeze expects to find a sizable niche.
In addition to the three daily long-hauls, Breeze will fly several times a week from HPN to Charleston, Norfolk, Jacksonville and Savannah. Savannah starts in September; the others fly in June.
While HPN has a relatively short runway, limiting weight at take-off, the A220's low fuel consumption will allow the airport to handle trans-continental traffic for the first time, and could put some pressure on FAA to scrap LaGuardia's 'perimeter rule' that allows few flights over 1,500 miles from there.
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