Breeze Airways,
which secured its first-ever Essential Air Service (EAS) contract in September 2024, has bid on three further contracts to provide subsidized services from three airports in the United States.
All three routes would connect regional communities with Raleigh-Durham’s airport, with all three itineraries being shorter than 500 kilometers (310.6 miles, or 269.9 nautical miles).
Services From West Virginia
Photo: Breeze Airways
On April 23, Breeze Airways handed in three EAS proposals to the Department of Transportation (DOT)
on three different routes, originating at Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (PKB), Shenandoah Valley Airport (SHD), or Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB). The airline’s seperate proposals are to connect these three airports to Raleigh–Durham International Airport
(RDU), situated less than 500 km (310.6 mi, 269.9 NMI) from all three airports.
Photo: Great Circle Map
The airport, situated farthest away from Raleigh–Durham, is Mid-Ohio Regional, serving several cities in West Virginia and Ohio. Breeze Airways proposed daily flights from the airport to Raleigh–Durham, operated by its Airbus A220-300
aircraft, which has 137 seats. Other airlines that have proposed to replace the previous Contour Airlines’ subsidized Embraer ERJ135 services to Charlotte Douglas International Airport
(CLT) include Air Wisconsin, Contour Airlines, Denver Air Connection, and SkyWest Airlines.
EAS Proposals from Mid-Ohio Valley Regional Airport (PKB)
Air Wisconsin
Breeze Airways
Contour Airlines
Denver Air Connection
SkyWest Airlines
Destination airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL) or Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), O’Hare International Airport (ORD), and/or Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD)
Aircraft
Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200
Airbus A220-300
Embraer ERJ135/ERJ140/ERJ145/Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200
Embraer ERJ145/Fairchild Dornier 328JET
Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200/CRJ700/CRJ900
Annual requested subsidies
$5.2 million ($5.5 million in year two)
$6.2 million (4% increase per year)
$6.1 million, rising to $7.1 million
$6.9 million, rising to $8 million or $6.6 million, rising to $7.7 million
$5.9 million rising to $6.5 million (CRJ200 to Chicago-O’Hare and/or Washington-Dulles, United Airlines codeshare) or $6.9 million rising to $7.5 million (CRJ700/CRJ900 to Chicago-O’Hare and/or Charlotte, American Airlines codeshare)
“Breeze requests a three-year contract and that the DOT and Parkesburg waive the right to hold in Breeze beyond the end date of the contract. Our intent is to remain in the PKB market, however, we cannot be held in without the ability to adapt to changing circumstances.”
Shenandoah Valley Proposal
Photo: Breeze Airways
The other airport that Breeze Airways aims to serve Raleigh–Durham from is Shenandoah Valley, serving the communities of eastern West Virginia. The airline proposed daily A220-300 services, requesting annual subsidies of $5.4 million, with the company once again outlining that while it intends to stay at the airport following the end of the EAS contract, it wants to remain flexible if circumstances change.
Breeze Airways would potentially replace Contour Airlines, which had served the community with six weekly ERJ135 departures ERJ135 to Charlotte. Its competition for the EAS agreement includes Air Wisconsin,
Contour Airlines, and SkyWest Airlines.
EAS Proposals from Shenandoah Valley Airport (SHD)
Air Wisconsin
Breeze Airways
Contour Airlines
SkyWest Airlines
Destination airport
Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) or Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT)
Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), or Washington Dulles International Airpor (IAD)
Aircraft
Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200
Airbus A220-300
Embraer ERJ135/ERJ140/ERJ145/Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200
Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200/CRJ700/CRJ900
Annual requested subsidies
$5.5 million ($5.9 million in year two)
$5.4 million (4% increase per year)
$5.7 million, rising to $6.6 million
$5.8 million rising to $6.6 million (CRJ200 to Chicago-O’Hare and/or Washington-Dulles, United Airlines codeshare) or $6 million rising to $6.5 million (CRJ700/CRJ900 to Chicago-O’Hare and/or Charlotte, American Airlines codeshare)
Related
Breeze Airways Expands With New Unserved City Destinations From Washington DC
Three of these routes are previously unserved markets.
Greenbrier Valley EAS Flights
Photo: Breeze Airways
Lastly, Breeze Airways proposed to the DOT to award the EAS contract and provide subsidies of $5.7 million for the airline to fly its A220-300s daily from Greenbrier Valley to Raleigh–Durham, once again requesting flexibility in light of potentially changing circumstances.
Beforehand, the DOT awarded Contour Airlines a three-year service agreement to fly its ERJ135
regional aircraft to Charlotte, providing annual subsidies of $5.9 million, $6.3 million, and $6.8 million. In June, the DOT, following a request from Greenbrier Valley, changed the EAS routing to Charlotte and Chicago-O’Hare.
EAS Proposals from Greenbrier Valley Airport (LWB)
Air Wisconsin
Breeze Airways
Contour Airlines
SkyWest Airlines
Destination airport
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Raleigh–Durham International Airport (RDU)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) and Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT), Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), or Washington Dulles International Airpor (IAD)
Aircraft
Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200
Airbus A220-300
Embraer ERJ135/ERJ140/ERJ145/Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200
Mitsubishi (née Bombardier) CRJ200/CRJ700/CRJ900
Annual requested subsidies
$5.9 million ($6.3 million in year two)
$5.7 million (4% increase per year)
$6 million, rising to $7 million
$5.8 million rising to $6.3 million (CRJ200 to Chicago-O’Hare and/or Washington-Dulles, United Airlines codeshare) or $6 million rising to $6.6 million (CRJ700/CRJ900 to Chicago-O’Hare and/or Charlotte, American Airlines codeshare)
So far in its short history, Breeze Airways has proposed its services on three other EAS contracts, including the one that it won in September 2024, when the DOT awarded the airline to fly from Plattsburgh International Airport (PBG) to Washington Dulles International Airport
(IAD). In July 2024, the carrier proposed its A220-300 services from Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB) to Las Vegas Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport (PHX), while in May 2024, it offered to start flights from Ogdensburg International Airport (OGS) to Washington-Dulles, with an option to fly to Orlando International Airport
(MCO). The latter two EAS bids were unsuccessful.
