Breeze Airways, a new airline founded by the man who started JetBlue, has chosen T.F. Green Airport as one of 16 initial locations to launch its service to mid-sized airports across the country.

Breeze will commence four flights a week to each of three destinations – Charleston, South Carolina; Norfolk, Virginia; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – in late July, with introductory $39 one-way fares.

The announcement made Friday was a break in the clouds that have darkened the growth of air traffic at Green since the Boeing 737 Max was grounded, ending the popular European connection offered by Norwegian Airlines, and the pandemic that has sidelined the airline industry. The message emphasized by officials at the briefing focused on three themes – the importance of the airport to the state’s economy; that for Breeze and other airlines serving Green to be successful, people need to buy tickets; and for people to want to fly here, Rhode Island must market itself as a destination.

Representatives of Breeze, which markets the name as BreEZe, were not present for the announcement, but the reputation of airline’s founder, David Neeleman, precedes him. Breeze is Neeleman’s fifth airline startup. He planned to start the airline, initially named Moxy, in 2020, which explains why Rhode Island Airport Corp. President and CEO Iftikhar Ahmad has been working on bringing Breeze to Rhode Island for the past two years. The pandemic delayed the Breeze rollout.

“The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the nation’s air service has meant many secondary and tertiary markets have seen a significant reduction in flights,” Neeleman said in a statement. “There are so many city pairs needing non-stop service around the country, we have a further 100 cities under consideration. Flying non-stop, Breeze will get you there in half the time, but also for about half the price!”

Breeze will launch the service with 13 Embraer aircraft.

Ten E190 jets will be configured to seat 108 guests while the three E195 aircraft will have 118 seats. Guests may choose from fares that include “Nice” regular seating, or “Nicer” seats with extra legroom. All Embraer aircraft will be a two-by-two seat configuration; there are no middle seats.

The company has ordered 60 new, larger Airbus A220 planes for delivery over the next five years. Ahmad said this opens the prospect of longer Breeze national and international flights.

According to a report in the Weekend edition of the Wall Street Journal, Breeze is Neeleman’s first U.S. airlines venture since he was ousted as JetBlue’s CEO over an operational issue in 2007. The Wall Street Journal reported Neeleman planned to largely fund the airline on his own but turned to investors when a deal to sell his interests in TAP Air Portugal fell through. He has reportedly raised $83 million.

Ahmad said the Breeze entry into the market would introduce more competition and have the effect of reducing fares that should stimulate traffic at Green Airport. Additionally, as Green will have 25 non-stop routes provided by 11 different airlines, it will be that much more attractive for businesses and it will bring more people to fly to and from Green.

If that all seems like some wishful thinking, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, stressed the influence the airport has on development.

“I can tell you that three out of the four major developments that are happening around this airport, are people from out of state, people who could develop anywhere … [they] want to be close to a vibrant, healthy growing airport,” he said.

As he has said at previous airline announcements, RIAC Board Chair Jonathan Savage urged Rhode Islanders to take advantage of the services provided.

“We need as Rhode Islanders to make them successful. And the way we make them successful is make sure that people that you speak with use the set of routes that have been made available to us,” he said.

For Ahmad, that is part of making Breeze successful. What he has learned from surveys of passengers and analysis of the data is that Rhode Island is lacking as a destination. As an illustration, he pointed to Norwegian flights to Ireland. The load factor of planes flying to Ireland was about 70 percent full, but those returning were 30 percent full.

Changing the name of the airport to include Rhode Island, and reflect that it is international, will help. Ahmad says the airport has the amenities and the flights to provide the service. He looks forward to the state marketing Rhode Island as a destination.

Ahmad said Breeze would be use available terminal space and would not need to share gates as has been the case in the past. As has been provided to other carriers initiating service at Green, landing fees will be waived for two years. Breeze will also be reimbursed up to $342,858 for the marketing of the new routes over two years.

As a result of the pandemic, air traffic took a nosedive starting last March. It is starting to return. This April, 194,366 passengers passed through the airport (arrivals and departures). This compares with 10,306 in 2020 and 337,256 in April 2019. Leisure travel has been the first to return.

Ahmad is cautious over the return of business travel, noting that because of the pandemic, many businesses have changed models with more employees working from home and inter-company transactions being done virtually.

From his perspective, that is all the more reason why Rhode Island should market itself as a destination.