Local authorities and airport representatives revealed on Tuesday that the Tri-Cities Airport will start offering Breeze Airways flights to Washington and Orlando in December.
The flights will head to Orlando International Airport, starting on December 12, and to Washington Dulles International Airport, beginning December 15.
This initiative has been a topic of conversation among airport authorities for many years, aiming to enhance the Tri-Cities Airport with more services, however, there was an issue.
The Federal Aviation Administration prohibits airports from offering special incentives to specific airlines such as Breeze.
That’s where the group BRIDGE becomes relevant. BRIDGE represents building regional investment, development, growth, and engagement.
BRIDGE is a privately supported regional economic organization that intervened to gather the $2 million required to attract Breeze Airways to the Tri-Cities.
John Rose serves as the executive director of BRIDGE.
“It is a genuine regional initiative that promotes economic growth in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia, and we’re simply thrilled to be involved,” Rose stated.
Economic growth is what united community leaders to turn this into a reality, including Kingsport Mayor Paul Montgomery.
Montgomery views this as a chance to attract visitors to the Tri-Cities.
“Tourism plays a crucial role in our area’s growth, so we are excited about visitors coming from the northeast and the southeast for vacations and to experience the tri-city region,” Montgomery said.
A representative from Breeze Airways states that the company is committed to offering services to areas that have limited options, cutting down on travel duration, and enhancing access to air travel.
For the president and CEO of the Tri-Cities Airport Authority, Gene Cossey, this presents a chance to demonstrate the capabilities of the Tri-Cities region, possibly attracting additional airlines to the area.
“There’s a snowball effect here. We can observe this when looking at new services offered at airports throughout the country. It indicates that you can demonstrate a market, showing other airlines that we have a strong and sustainable market, and that we can fill airplanes with passengers,” Cossey stated.
Ryne Williams serves as the communications expert for Breeze Airways. As stated by Williams, Breeze is among the quickest expanding airlines in the United States, offering flights from 78 cities across 35 states.
“TRI aligns perfectly with our business model,” Williams said.
He mentions that Breeze focuses on airports in smaller towns, particularly those with minimal competition. He states that 86% of their routes do not have nonstop alternatives.
Flights to Orlando are available for as low as $49 one way, while trips to Washington, D.C. begin at $39. According to Williams, Breeze manages to offer affordable rates thanks to several reasons, such as the use of fuel-efficient Airbus A220 planes and a pay-as-you-go pricing model.
“I believe it truly is a one-size-doesn’t-fit-all scenario. Everyone can obtain what they desire from it, and I think that’s what attracts people to our product – you know exactly what you’re getting and you only pay for what you want,” Williams stated.
Williams states that it remains feasible for Breeze to grow further by adding more routes in the Tri-Cities, depending on community interest.
If we notice the demand increasing, that’s when we’ll begin exploring more possibilities,” he stated. “We always encourage people to go out and fly these new routes, and if we see that there’s interest from the community, that’s when we’ll start collaborating with our airport and community partners to explore additional opportunities.
