NEW HAVEN, Conn. — Breeze Airways is migrating south as they announced an expansion of service to include Tweed New Haven Airport. Breeze also operates at Bradley International Airport.
Officials with the airlines made the announcement Tuesday morning from the airport.
Lukas Johnson, chief commercial officer with Breeze, said the airlines will announce 10 new non-stop destinations that will begin in December, including Ft. Myers and Vero Beach, Florida.
In February, more non-stop routes will begin heading to stops in Virginia, Florida, and Louisiana.
Breeze currently operates new Airbus A220s which Johnson said is a low-profile, low-noise plane.
“Improvements at [Tweed] in recent years have grown jobs and increased convenience for flyers, and the addition of Breeze will only further the incredible forward progress and growth we’ve seen in recent years,” said Jorge Roberts, CEO of airports operator of Tweed New Haven. “As we continue to expand options for local flyers, HVN will become an even more important economic driver for Southern Connecticut in the years to come.”
Gov. Ned Lamont called Tweed New Haven Airport a "key partner" in the state's efforts to attract businesses and grow jobs.
“More convenient flights and travel options help ensure that the region has the reliable transportation opportunities needed for our economic growth. I congratulate Breeze Airways on their continued expansion in Connecticut," Lamont said.
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said that Breeze's presence at Tweed is "just one more indication of New Haven's robust and inclusive growth."
"I look forward to working with Breeze as they provide more jobs and more low-cost air service to residents of our city and to ensure they minimize any impact on the surrounding community,” Elicker said.
Avelo Airlines also announced an expansion that includes more flights out of New Haven and increasing capacity on Avelo planes.
According to Avelo, the expansion will include additional flight days for their New Orleans and Puerto Rico routes.
Avelo will also add four larger planes to increase customer capacity on its flights.
The airline currently has 27 routes out of Tweed New Haven Airport, and the expansion changes will take effect in November. Avelo is also adding more destinations this December and in February of next year.
The airport's operations still face opposition from neighboring homes and communities, who voice their frustration with the growing airline. Some of those concerns include increased traffic, notice, and environmental issues.
East Haven Mayor Joseph Carfora said, in part, regarding Breeze's move:
One has to be concerned for the neighborhoods in New Haven that are already bearing the brunt of the current setup. Based on the limited information available to us, there seems to be no end in sight for those affected residents. We are also closely monitoring the increased car and truck traffic on our roadways in East Haven.
A proposal to increase the length of the runway at the airport would provide service to farther destinations and increase route options. Neighbors, however, are protesting this runway expansion, which would also include a new terminal and airport entrance.
The state of the proposal is unknown at this time.
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Jennifer Glatz is a digital content producer at FOX61 News. She can be reached at jglatz@fox61.com.
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