Breeze Airways bringing new service to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport

Officials at Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport announced Tuesday that a recently-created low-cost airline based in suburban Salt Lake City will provide service from Springfield to Orlando and Tampa Bay beginning in December.

Breeze Airways, created in 2018 and beginning service in May of 2021, will provide non-stop service to the two major central Florida airports – Orlando International Airport and Tampa International Airport – starting Dec. 1, just in time for the holiday season.

Breeze's service to Orlando will kick off on Dec. 1 with flights departing from Springfield Monday and Friday, switching over to Wednesday and Saturday on Jan. 10. Service to Tampa will begin on Dec. 4, also departing from Springfield on Monday and Friday.

The airline is also offering introductory fares of $49 per person for their Nice package for the next six days for all flights until April 30, 2024. The airline provides three different ticket prices – Nice, Nicer and Nicest – along with a first class option, Breeze Ascent, providing recliner-type seating and complimentary snacks and drinks. The airline will fly on a series of Airbus A220-300 aircraft to both destinations.

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Mark Hanna, executive director of the Springfield Airport Authority – who operates the airport – said that bringing Breeze to Springfield is another way that the airport is boosting the city's economic development, by connecting the city with two major Florida hubs.

"We know that air service is a critical point for economic development, quality of life and to help you do what you have to do day in and day out with your business, conducting commerce and recruiting," Hanna said. "We are working as hard as we can in a very difficult environment to look for more opportunities such as this and we thank you for your commitment (and) interest, your commitment to the community and all that you do day in and day out."

This isn't the first time that Capital Airport has provided service to those areas of the country, with Hanna pointing out that Allegiant Air provided service to Orlando Sanford International Airport and Direct Air provided service to Lakeland Linder International Airport in the past. Direct Air went bankrupt in 2012, while Allegiant dropped the central Florida route in 2017.

Before then, Ozark Airlines provided service to Orlando and Tampa for many years until they were bought out by Trans World Airlines in 1985 and dropped their Springfield jet service.

Hanna said he understands times have been tough for airports like his, particularly this year, when American Airlines shifted flights from Dallas-Fort Worth to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport and United Airlines ended service. Even through those challenges, Hanna said the airport and the airport authority didn't give up on trying to find more ways to serve the many passengers who cross through Capital Airport on a daily basis.

"We leave no stone unturned as we are constantly out selling and promoting Springfield, the community, and the region to different air carriers and service providers," Hanna said. "Big data, regional population base, geographic location, strength of local economies, local, organic demand to certain destinations, and pressures from investors and stockholders all play a part in air service development efforts.

However, the one thing that really makes a project work are the relationships."

Ryne Williams, a spokesperson for Breeze present at the ceremony, said that the goal of the airline was to bring back a sense of ease to people's travel, without as much hassle and stress.

"When you talk about affordability, we bring in lower fares," Williams said. "We're starting with a $49 promo fare to both of those destinations. With that comes flexibility – we offer no change or cancellation fees until 15 minutes before departure time, which is great because if something happens – some sort of emergency or you can't make that trip that day, no need to stress. That is something that you can take advantage of."

Williams also praised the simple design of the airport, which can allow people to get from the parking lot to the gate in 5-10 minutes thanks to free parking and fewer Transportation Safety Administration gates. He said that it could be an advantage for people who normally drive to St. Louis or Chicago to fly out to those Florida destinations.

"That added convenience for our guests is huge," Williams said. "That's really where we see service taking off. Instead of having to travel an hour-and-a-half south or three hours north, you have great service right here in Springfield."

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Springfield Mayor Misty Buscher also praised the possible advantages of the partnership with Breeze, saying that it could make her grandchildren's and others' voyages to places like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando Resort, SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens a little bit easier.

"We needed continued air service in our community and I'm so excited that Ryne Williams is here to bring that gift to us," Buscher said. "My grandchildren are arriving home today from Disney World. Their parents are part of the Disney Vacation Club and they drive right now from Springfield to Disney World.

Now, think about all these families in the community that are part of the Disney Vacation Club that can come out here to Abraham Lincoln Capital Airport, park their cars, get right in on the Breeze Airbus and go right to the Orlando International Airport directly from Springfield. (I) will make sure that I'm on one of those Orlando flights very soon."

With a tough early part of the year, adding the Orlando and Tampa flights to Capital Airport once again provides hope to Hanna that he can get more people through the doors of the terminal and prove to Breeze that a city like Springfield can be a good option in the Midwest for their passengers.

"Hopefully, it means more people will be looking to SPI as an option to fly," Hanna said. "The more people that fly and book to help this new service to Orlando and Tampa, the more that people look to that and make it work and demonstrate to Breeze that the market's going to grow. They may add more flights, there may be more activity and potential new routes.

We're working for the community and trying to add more service options to improve the quality of life and also to take some of the burden off of those travelers that feel they have to drive to another airport to get the service that they want. The data is telling us that the service that people want is Tampa and Orlando and that's what we have today."

This article originally appeared on State Journal-Register: Springfield Airport Authority, Growth Alliance to announce new service