Pensacola welcomes 8th air carrier, Breeze Airways, and flights to Tampa & Norfolk, Va.

Pensacola International Airport welcomed its eighth airline when Breeze Airways' first plane touched down in Pensacola Friday morning.

Breeze Airways is a fast-growing budget airline that began service in May 2021 with a focus on providing efficient and affordable flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times.

Breeze's new services at PNS will include nonstop flights to Tampa and one stop/no change of plane service to Norfolk, Virginia (ORF). Travelers interested in booking flights between Norfolk, Tampa and Pensacola can book online at flybreeze.com.

Friday marked the beginning of Breeze's twice-weekly service, offered on Mondays and Fridays. This will also be PNS’s first jet service to Tampa, though Silver Airways has been providing flights to Tampa already using their prop planes.

Breeze’s debut at PNS had travelers and staff alike eagerly awaiting the plane’s arrival, with groups lining along the airport’s windows to get a good view of its entrance and the water cannon salute that greeted the plane. The airline’s passengers were met with smiles, cupcakes and even furry friends at a “gate party” set up by PNS staff in celebration of the new partnership.

PNS making parking spots on Tippin Ave: Pensacola hopes to add 434 parking spaces at airport before Thanksgiving

As the plane’s last passengers walked through the event, Airport Director Matt Coughlin discussed his excitement about their growth and plans to continue improving the airport for travelers.

“It gives our customers choice in their travel requirements for where they want to go. Hopefully it grows into an even larger business relationship where they’re flying other routes,” he said. “The growth here (at PNS) has been crazy… we have to grow to meet that demand.”

Fiscal year 2023 saw an 8.6% increase in the airport's passenger counts from 2022, a 17% increase over 2021 and an 87% increase over 2013.

PNS has been working on different renovation projects to address the airport’s needs, including things like capacity and parking.

The airport will begin construction on a new parking lot on Tippin Avenue next month, according to Coughlin, which will add about 434 parking spots to the airport.

PNS is also looking to build a new parking garage, likely next to their existing one, which Coughlin projects will add about 1,000 parking spots to the airport.

They are also working on a project to expand the passenger terminal at PNS, which could add a larger security area, five new gates (which will increase the airport’s capacity by almost 50%) and new concessions. The project has been years in the making, stretching back to the tenure of former Pensacola Mayor Grover Robinson.

The construction phase of the project is estimated to cost $70 million, but that figure could change by the time its designs are finalized. PNS is receiving $5 million to help fund the project from the state budget next year.

The city is seeking both state and federal funding for the project. The more funds it can get in from state and federal grants, the less it will need to bond out against airport revenue.

“There’s a saying in the airport industry: it’s one big project, one continuous project that never ends,” Coughlin continued. “To meet that demand and the growth, we need to continue with all of those projects.”

Breeze Airways is the first airline that’s started services at PNS since D.C. Reeves became the city of Pensacola’s Mayor. He shared his excitement for the city’s continued growth with the News Journal on Friday morning.

“I think you see it everyday that you’re here, we’re busier than ever and anytime we get another carrier it shows that the airline industry is bullish on Pensacola,” Reeves said.

“I look at new airline service being the best indicator you can have that people believe in your city, in your airport and your community,” he continued.

For more information about Pensacola International Airport, visit flypensacola.com.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Breeze Airways starts services from Pensacola International Airport