Gregory Polek has spent his entire career in aviation journalism with AIN, starting as a proofreader and assistant to then-managing editor Mary Mahoney in 1995 after serving an internship with&nbsp;New Jersey Monthly&nbsp;magazine and completing his B.A. degree in English/Writing at New Jersey’s William Paterson College. By 1997 Polek accepted a position as an associate editor, covering the regional airline beat for&nbsp;Aviation International News&nbsp;in place of retiring industry veteran Don Anderson. The assignment took Polek across North America and Europe to profile regional airlines varying in size and mission from the likes of floatplane operators Kenmore Air and Chalk’s Ocean Airways to regional jet operators such as SkyWest and American Eagle. Today, in his dual role as Air Transport Editor and International Airshow Editor, Polek writes, edits, and manages AIN’s commercial aviation content while overseeing each of the company’s daily international air show publications in Paris, Farnborough, Singapore, and Dubai. Most recently Polek has assumed oversight of daily coverage of the Helicopter Association International’s annual Heli-Expo convention.

Senior Editor

Gregory Polek

David Neeleman’s Breeze Airways plans to launch its inaugural service on May 27 with flights between Charleston, South Carolina; Tampa, Florida; and Hartford, Connecticut. The airline entrepreneur’s latest low-fare startup, which dubs itself as a “seriously nice” carrier, on Friday unveiled its debut network consisting of 39 nonstop routes between 16 cities in the Southwest, Midwest, Southeast, and Eastern U.S.

 


&nbsp;“These 16 cities are just the beginning for Breeze,” said Neeleman.&nbsp;“The effects of the Covid-19 pandemic on the nation’s air service have&nbsp;meant many secondary markets and smaller cities have seen a significant reduction in flights. There are so many city pairs needing nonstop service around the country; we have a further 100 cities under consideration.&nbsp;Flying nonstop, Breeze will get you there in half the time, but also for about half the price.”

 


Friday’s announcement marks the start of Neeleman’s fifth airline start-up, after JetBlue, Brazil’s Azul, Canada’s WestJet, and Utah-based Morris Air. Headquartered in Salt Lake City, Breeze will concentrate its flight operations at four main airports: Tampa, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; New Orleans; and Norfolk, Virginia.

 


Breeze plans to operate 13 single-class Embraer E-Jets this summer, flying routes with an average flight time of under two hours. Ten E190s jets leased from Nordic Aviation Capital will seat 108 passengers and the three ex-Azul E195s will seat 118.

 


Originally planning to start services last year, Neeleman changed course due to Covid-related market uncertainties. Rather than source the bulk of its E-Jets from Azul, Breeze took advantage of falling lease rates by signing with Nordic Aviation Capital for 15 E190s. A Breeze spokesman declined to comment on whether or not the airline amended the contract with NAC to reduce deliveries to 10 airplanes. NAC has not yet responded to AIN's request for comment.&nbsp;

 


Next, Breeze expects to start taking delivery of 60 new Airbus A220 narrowbodies in October and accept an average of one per month over five years. The A220 routes, which Breeze plans to reveal this autumn, will extend beyond two hours’ flight time. The A220s will include a premium cabin, called "Nicest"&nbsp;seating, in a two-by-two configuration at the front of the airplane. The remainder of the aircraft will feature a standard two-by-three seat configuration.

News about commercial airlines, including regulations, aircraft orders, safety, acquisitions, and mergers.

Breeze Airways Set for Imminent Launch

David Neeleman’s latest airline startup begins service on May 27 to three midsize U.S. cities. 

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News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

News about environmental issues relating to aircraft operations, including noise issues, emissisions, and regulations. See Fuel for biofuel.

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

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News and issues relating to the aerospace industry that are related to the science, engineering and business of flight in space involving civil, industrial and military applications, and similar topics related to flight in the atmosphere of the Earth that are not covered more directly by other AINonline subject channels. In other words, both astronautical and aeronautical subjects, except for those aeronautical topics that are specifically covered elsewhere on this website.

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News and developments about everything that goes into the cabin of an aircraft, from floor coverings to headliners, with a special emphasis on in-flight entertainment, communications and other electronics for passengers. If it is in the cabin of an aircraft, it’s covered here.

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