dailynewsnblog
Utah based low-cost-carrier Breeze Airways recently welcomed three new Airbus A220-300 aircraft from Airbus under a lease agreement with regional aircraft lessor TrueNoord. The aircraft are part of a long-term sale and leaseback agreement between the carrier and the Dutch aircraft lessor.
Delivered in February, these three aircraft became the first A220 and largest type and first Airbus aircraft under TrueNoord ownership, with its fleet predominantly composed of the ATR, Embraer and De Havilland Canada. The Dutch lessor maintains offices in Amsterdam, Dublin, London and Singapore, and has more than 100 aircraft on lease to more than 30 carriers worldwide.
Three More Airbus A220s For Breeze
With the A220 integral to Breezes’ operations, this allows the airline to operate a network of flights to Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities, providing sufficient seat capacity while enjoying lower operating costs when compared to larger aircraft. These aircraft allow Breeze to serve routes profitably that other larger aircraft and airlines have been unable to sustain.
The three new aircraft take the total operating fleet to 49 (as per ch-aviation), supporting the carriers’ nearly 300 year-round routes across the United States, Mexico, and the Caribbean. For True Noord, its first A220 joining its ownership was a celebratory moment, as highlighted by the lessors Cheif Executive Officer, Anne Bart Tieleman (as reported by Breitflyte):
The A220 complements TrueNoord’s existing Embraer E2 order book and highlights our appetite for new generation 100-150 seat class aircraft. This important announcement sets the tone for the months ahead as we continue on our strong upward growth path into 2026 and beyond.”
Supports Affordable Air Service To 86 Cities
Since Breeze’s first flight back in May 2021, the airline has grown to serve a total of 300 routes across 86 cities in the United States, Mexico and The Caribbean. Operating in 76 cities in the US alone, Breeze provides convenient low-cost flights to more than 34 states in the contiguous United States.
For passengers, they enjoy no change or cancellation fees, with customizable booking options, while onboard, they can sit back and relax with fast WiFi and free family seating. A range of onboard meal and drink options is available for purchase with most major credit cards. The carrier maintains operating bases at Akron/Canton, Charleston (SC), Fort Myers, Hartford, New Orleans, Norfolk, Orlando, Providence, Provo, Raleigh/Durham, Tampa, and Vero Beach. Its fleet is made up of the following aircraft:
|
Aircraft |
Active In Fleet |
Historical |
|---|---|---|
|
Airbus A220-300 |
50 |
– |
|
Embraer 190 |
Eight |
Five |
|
Embraer 195 |
– |
Six |
Breeze was founded as Moxy Airways in 2018, before launching operations in May 2021 as Breeze Airways with its inaugural flight from Tampa (TPA) to Charleston (CHS). It is the brainchild of David Neeleman, who is well known in the aviation industry for founding other popular carriers WestJet, JetBlue and Azul Linhas Aereas.
What Should Breeze Do Next?
Breeze Airways burst onto the scene in 2021, and has deftly navigated the post-pandemic surge in leisure travel to become the fastest-growing carrier in the US. With 52 Airbus A220s in the fleet and a further 38 on the way, it has been adding new routes and cities at a prodigious rate, and just yesterday Simple Flying reported on its latest round of expansion.
The airline hit profitability last year, and with David Neeleman at the helm, surely has a lot more growth ahead of it. But if you were him, how would you steer Breeze through the next few years — more routes, greater frequency, fleet changes, international expansion, or something else? In short: What should Breeze do next?
Who Is TrueNoord?
TrueNoord holds a diverse portfolio of 120 owned or committed aircraft across ten aircraft types. The lessors’ average fleet age is around ten years of age. The lessor has a portfolio value of more than $.14 billion according to its website. The lessor is based on several investment partners including BlackRock, Flexstone Partners, Flandrin Coinvest, and Capital Dynamics.
Its debt financing is secured by major banks including Airbus Bank, BNP Paribas, Bayern LB, Societe Generale, Deutsche Bank, Cathay United bank and MUFG (please note this list is not exhaustive). TrueNoord supports a wide range of airlines around the world with flexible, durable and interchangeable regional aircraft with key airline partners including (but not limited to) Philippine Airlines, Air Canada, Wideroe, IndiGo, Ethiopian Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines, Emerald Airlines, Helvetic Airways, BA Cityflyer, Porter Airlines, AirSerbia, Wings Air, and SKYHigh.
For airlines, leasing an aircraft supports their ability to maintain financial flexibility and allows them to conserve capital for operations instead of asset ownership. This avoids high upfront costs and provides access to newer and usually more fuel-efficient and faster airplanes. This reduces the risks by able to adjust fleet sizes to meet fluctuating market demand.
