Nascent U.S. low-cost carrier Breeze Airways in recent months has expanded its distribution to some key corporate channels, and founder and CEO David Neeleman sees an opportunity for a symbiotic relationship with the corporate travel industry as the carrier continues to grow.
Breeze, launched in 2021, was built on the model of connecting city pairs that do not otherwise have nonstop options, "flying places where others don't fly," Neeleman said in an interview with BTN following his appearance at the recent Phocuswright Conference. Its target customer is someone based in a place like Providence, R.I., Hartford, Conn., or Huntsville, Ala., who is accustomed to having to make a stop every time they fly, he said.
That model translates well to working with companies that have specific business travel needs not met by current scheduled services. Those operating their own private fleets are a ripe target, as scheduled Breeze service on their key routes would provide more capacity and take away the burden and cost of such operations, he said. As such, Breeze is ready to hear out those needs to see if they would also make operational and financial sense for the carrier.
"If access is a problem, just tell me where you need it," Neeleman said. "Tell me the cities we need, and we can look at operating those cities if you support us."
Breeze already has been drawing the attention of business travelers. Last month, Navan announced it had established a New Distribution Capability direct connection with the carrier, and Navan Travel CEO Rich Liu noted it was one of the platform's "most-requested airlines." Travel management company AmTrav in August announced it had added Breeze flights to its booking tools along with a bundle that includes full flexibility and refundability, which is now available through Navan as well.
The U.S. General Services Administration also added Breeze to its City Pair Program this year, and Neeleman said Breeze has become a top carrier for both men's and women's college basketball for the NCAA tournaments.
Even so, Breeze remains "primarily a leisure airline because of our frequency," with most routes operating two to four times per week, with a few exceptions, Neeleman said. "Primarily, we're not a daily model, and that's what business travelers want," he said. "But we're willing to take a risk, if somebody wants to do business."
Neeleman added that corporate discounts are not something the airline is considering. "Our airfares are already pretty discounted," he said. "Maybe we throw in some things like upgrades, but we're already lower than everybody else."
In its first three years of operations, Breeze has grown to about 200 seasonal and year-round nonstop routes across 66 U.S. cities. Neeleman said the carrier will continue to grow, though "I would suspect, instead of opening as many cites next year, we'll be connecting dots within the same cities," he said.
International service is on Breeze's roadmap as well. The carrier already does charter service internationally, but Neeleman said it should be certified to fly scheduled international service by the middle of next year.
"Our planes have a seven-hour range, so from Florida we can go deep into South and Central America, maybe hit the British Isles from the Northeast, and eventually Hawaii from the West Coast," Neeleman said.