Breeze Airways retires last E190, completing all-A220 fleet

Breeze Airways flew its last Embraer 190 on September 7, finishing its move to an all-Airbus fleet centered on the A220-300. The Embraer jets had been part of the US carrier since it started flying in May 2021. Their retirement leaves Breeze's scheduled operations flying entirely on the A220-300.

David Neeleman founded the airline in 2018 as Moxy Airways, a provisional name dropped after a trademark dispute with Marriott's Moxy hotel chain. The carrier's model favors point-to-point links between small and medium-sized cities, skipping major hubs; according to the airline, about 90% of its routes have no competing service.

Launch plans ran into the COVID-19 pandemic. Breeze was still in its pre-launch phase when global flight restrictions took hold in early 2020. With no active operations, it did not qualify for federal financial aid programs that supported established competitors. It had no aircraft and a staff of roughly 50. Questions were raised about whether the startup could survive. The carrier kept going through certification and secured its operating certificate.

The final E190 flight closes out that early chapter of the fleet.