Second flight: Breeze Airlines, airport improve Vero Beach service after only few months
The two roundtrip Breeze Airways flights my family took from Vero Beach to Hartford, Connecticut, about four months apart are tales of two very different experiences.
Both flights had the conveniences we expected from a flight out of our adopted hometown of nearly two decades: a short drive to the airport, free parking, walk-up service and not busy.
Our March flight was riddled with problems, exposing the domino effect when one issue turns into multiple delays at a small airport. Some of these issues could have been growing pains; Breeze’s inaugural flight was in February.
Our flight in August was everything we had hoped for from commercial air service in Vero Beach. The airline lived up to its Breeze (emphasizing the EZ) name.
Timeline: From Eastern to Elite to Breeze, here's a short history of the Vero Beach Municipal Airport
Airport convenience
I’m not sure what was done after our first flight, but every step of the boarding process in August seemed more organized and streamlined.
We arrived at the airport about 90 minutes before our flight, purposely earlier than needed just in case there were delays.
We breezed through baggage check and security in about 20 minutes. With the 10-minute drive to the airport, we went from our driveway to waiting in the terminal in 30 minutes. We can’t drive north out of Indian River County in that time.
In March, passengers from two Breeze flights crowded the small terminal. It was standing room only as we waited for the four-hour, non-weather-related delay. Passengers to New York said issues with their plane caused the delays for both flights.
This exposed the potential problem with a small airport.
Most seats were taken in the waiting area in August, but it didn’t feel overcrowded like it did in March when passengers for two flights crammed together.
This time, the airport used a public address system to update everyone about the flight. All passengers clearly heard important announcements throughout the terminal. In March, very few heard the Breeze employee shouting information over a loud waiting area.
Plane packed again, boarded fast
The boarding process took 13 minutes from when the first general boarding passengers left the terminal to the “boarding complete” announcement on the plane. I’ve never been on a flight that completed boarding that quickly — even on planes with fewer than 100 seats like Elite Airways.
The Vero Beach-Hartford ticket advertises a three-hour flight. But both round-trip flights were about 30 minutes shorter from takeoff to touchdown.
Both August flights were more than three-quarters full for summer Monday, off-season departures. In comparison, our Saturday-to-Saturday flights during spring break in late March were full.
A few months after Breeze’s launch from Vero Beach, the company told the city flights were 89% full — higher than expected.
There’s no surprise Breeze last month announced an additional stop from Vero Beach to Providence, Rhode Island, beginning in November. This is Breeze’s fourth destination from Vero Beach, along with Hartford, Connecticut; White Plains/Westchester, New York; and Norfolk, Virginia.
Breeze Airways values families
Our family of five flies multiple times a year, using different airlines in various airports. We were impressed with Breeze’s family accommodations.
There were only two other families on our flight, which is a stark difference from any Orlando flight because of the theme parks. Breeze caters to families just as well, if not better, than other airlines.
We were among the first passengers on the plane. Breeze’s policy lets families with small children preboard with those who need additional assistance before the general boarding. This is very helpful for parents to get their kids situated with snacks, drinks, toys, electronic devices and anything else before others board.
Normally, Breeze passengers pay for assigned seats. But the airline offers free family seating together. We didn’t mind the family area was near the back of the plane, as it’s where most families usually sit.
Tickets right price
Cost was a factor when we decided to try Breeze again.
Roundtrip tickets were under $150 each, after using the five $50 vouchers Breeze gave us for the issues we had in March. It’s difficult to find direct, roundtrip flights for that price from any airport.
I was reluctant to use the vouchers because of the difficulties I had getting them for my family. Breeze required everyone to have separate accounts — including my 4-year-old.
As expected, booking children’s tickets with vouchers was clunky. The airline made us book the flights as separate, one-way tickets to use all the vouchers. Breeze customer service had to help through the process.
The separate tickets also meant separate check-ins, which was a minor inconvenience. As I said in the initial column, this process stands to be improved.
Overall, this experience exceeded our expectations. We were excited about the opportunity to fly Breeze from Vero Beach again, and hope the airline continues to expand its offerings here.
Adam L. Neal is the executive editor and news director of TCPalm.com and Treasure Coast Newspapers, including the Indian River Press Journal, St. Lucie News Tribune and Stuart News. Connect with him on social media via @TCPalmAdamNeal.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Breeze Airways lives up to its BreEZe (emphasizing the EZ) name.
