New low-cost airline Breeze Airways coming to Louisville, will fly out to 3 major cities
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Updated: 10:56 AM EDT May 21, 2021
WLKY Digital Team
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Updated: 10:56 AM EDT May 21, 2021
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How's the, how's the mix for everybody? My check. If you're ready, you get everybody get all right Anthony, you ready? Okay. Thanks everybody for coming out this morning. Beautiful day. Another, another great day to be part of Louisville and, and experiencing some new info here. I'll get right to it. Uh, Breeze Airlines, British Airways is starting a new airline with David Neeleman. He's got 100 track record and they really have a mission to have the world's nicest airline at cheaper fares. And so we got a little video here that we'll kick off and then I'll tell you a little bit more about breeze. The summer will be in 15 cities like Norfolk, Charleston Tampa and New Orleans. And with fares, get this starting at only $39. Yeah, So breathe airways. David Neeleman is in our businesses is really kind of a rock star. Um, he's got a history of starting airlines. I mean, everybody's heard of JetBlue is very successful. Um, we have every reason to believe that breeze Airlines is going to be a great addition to our market. In fact, it's our eighth airline to the markets, eight airlines for, for Louisville And it will be 35 nonstops. These are all time records for us. So if you think where we were a year ago, um, with really nobody traveling, we've been able to continue to grow air service in the market, adding an eighth airline. Uh, and just really just three months ago, we were, we were here talking about another new airline. So we're very excited about breeze. We think it's gonna be fabulous low fares, nice people, nice service. And next week they'll fly their first flight. So we hope to see you all here next week as well. So I'll turn it over to Anthony, Anthony is the guy that makes all this happen. When we were going into this last year, we talked about opportunities in uh, in the face of adversity. And Anthony is really kind of the glue that holds it all together. And as one reaches out to the airlines, talks about how great it is to be part of Louisville, all the great things that are happening in Louisville. Um, everything that was going on that was wonderful in 2019 is still good. It's still great. And we need airlines to get people from here to points across the globe and get people into Louisville to experience all the great things that we know exists here. And Anthony is a guy that has been uh, on the front end, making all that happen Anthony. Yes. So beginning May 28th, that's next week. Um, breeze will begin flying nonstop from Louisville to charleston south Carolina and also Tampa florida. And then beginning july 15th, they're gonna add nonstop service to new Orleans. All flights are going to be four times weekly And fairs are on sale right now. ATF libraries.com as low as $39. It's like Dan was saying it's, it's really incredible that we're able to launch another new airline right now. Um, as you said, you know, David, David Neeleman has really been a rock star at launching airlines in the us Canada South America. Um, 100 success track record. So the fact that, you know, the founder of JetBlue is launching a new airline and Louisville is one of the first cities that that airline is going to be flying to really speaks volumes to the market. And the things that we've been able to do here. It's also a huge win for us. Um, because you know, out of all these cities in this region that this new airline was looking to fly to, they picked Louisville first. So I think it's a significant win for the city and a huge win for the airport and in the region as a whole. Thanks Anthony. Um, I think that's really all for the program. We do want to take questions and I also have Zach with Louisville. Tourism. Zac's up willing takes a few questions as well. So again, thanks for coming breeze airways, fabulous fares. Launch city 35 nonstops. I mean, it's just, it's just amazing to be part of this. And the folks that fly and want to get somewhere ditch the masks, great affairs and let's go fly. Thanks Jack. Come on up. Does anybody have any questions for us? Yes, ma'am. Talk about great for region. Why? Well, what mountain? Right, This is the right place. Yes. So a couple things. One is, okay, there's a population here. Um, there's, there's enough population and we don't have a lot of low cost airlines. And so when they say, hey, where are people at where they located? Um, and where is their opportunity to have low costs and stimulate the market? And so that's why they looked at Louisville. But there's some other things keep about about Louisville, Its, uh, its employment, disposable income, stable economy. Um, and people are starting to look at bourbon is, um, and fly in. So it's not just us flying somewhere. I mean, that's kind of what we think about a lot of times is, hey, where can we go from here? But this is about people outside of our market having a reason to come to Louisville. And so all those things together made a lot of sense for breeze to launch. There's some other parts, uh, people, I mean it's kind of in the weeds, but we do have ups over here, which helps keep our costs unbelievably low. So it's not, not just the jobs over there, but our costs while we charge the airlines were really competitive. And so, and then frankly, coming through the pandemic when there weren't a lot of passengers, not a lot of revenue. We have all this land of weight with cargo that we were able to keep our costs of the airlines extremely low. And so that stability really kind of was a decision point where they said, hey, you know what, this is probably a great place to start and launch this airline. So a lot of factors, but uh, it really comes down to people and people being willing to find have disposable income. And I think that's what sets us apart. I don't know. Executive Yeah. Okay. It was actually first of all, a huge shout out to the airport in a year of losses. They keep winning. Uh, time and time again. It's crazy. We're up to almost 40 direct flights. That's awesome. There was actually a great new survey just came out from Longwood USa that said 88% of americans are planning travel in next six months. So whether that be leisure travel to Louisville dan nailed it. You know, folks want to come, they won't experience the bourbon scene. We have a great music festival this weekend that is actually bringing in folks from 28 states down the waterfront park with our friends at Danny Win represents. It's billy strings. So just a lot of good things happen in Louisville. We have a long way to go to get our conventions are trade shows and our group business back. But um, we're really excited about new airlines, new opportunities for folks to get into Louisville. It's great for everybody. Well, what are you? A quick places for the suburbs? Aircraft, what the hell? So nationwide capacity for the airlines, it's back about 80 this summer. This summer in Louisville, we're going to be about 100 of where we were pre pandemic. So 2019 was an all time record year for this airport. Um, and we're gonna be back to those levels for, for capacity and passengers. Um, and the follow up on what they just said about, you know why Louisville 2018 2019. We were breaking passenger records. This airport was growing faster than it's ever grown. Um, and we were one of the fastest growing airports in the whole country. Uh, and the industry noticed that the airlines noticed that. So really we're just kind of picking up where we left off, What do you get? Do people? Right, right. Yeah. I mean really it's not so much us. I mean we're doing all the things that all the other airports are doing from from social distancing and the cleaning. But really it's it's the fact that the vaccines out right now. And I think people are just feeling more comfortable that we've been we've been pulled up for a year and people are ready to fly and get out. And I think the more folks get vaccinated, everybody's everybody's just really feeling safe. I think the real testament of that is about how safe people are feeling when they come through airports again through this whole pandemic. There really was no uh there was no tracking of the virus from airports. And so it's like, gosh, people are flying and they're not getting it. But the other part is when you see that One year later, we're at 100 capacity. The projections were early on that the man, it could be 24 25 before we get back to normal. We think we're gonna be back to normal this summer as it relates to demand, at least for the leisure side. Maybe not the business side. But I think people are just just seeing the news vaccines out. Um I think people are just feeling comfortable and we're seeing it already in the terminal. Any anything else? Yeah. We've never had this many airlines in this many non stop. This is this is a new record for us. And and it's really the most ultra low cost carriers we've had as well. That's why I think you're gonna see this leader demand, pent up demand coming back. So we're pretty excited about, again, not an all time passenger record. I think that's, I think that's uh, in the near future. But again, as far as capacity airlines competition, it's the best we've had. Yes. Yeah, probably the question. Right there any service? Yes. Help. Um, No, not currently. So um, charleston is a new market obviously for the airport breeze is actually going to be the second carrier flying to charleston. Um They, an Allegiant actually start service to charleston on the same day coincidentally so that is a new market and then new Orleans is a more recently added market that a legion also flies. But breezes coming in with more frequency, more flights as it relates to new markets. Obviously breeze has got to launch these cities. Um, we think there's gonna be a lot of opportunities with Brees. Again, they're the right size, the right price and their their goal is to serve um smaller markets don't have nonstop service. So we think there's going to be a great deal opportunity in the future Febreze. And you know, cities like we keep hearing Pittsburgh, north of Kansas city, cities like that summer size to us, um population based. Again, it's it's about people trying to have opportunities to fly that isn't what we're used to seeing. So we think there's gonna be a great deal of new non stops in the future. Alright, thanks everybody. We appreciate it.