Breeze Airways Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Manchin Isn’t Seeking Reelection And WVPB Remembers Woody Williams In New Documentary, This West Virginia Week

On this West Virginia Week, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced Thursday he will not seek re-election to the United States Senate, and WVPB will premiere its newest documentary about the late Hershel “Woody” Williams this weekend.

On this West Virginia Week, U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., announced Thursday he will not seek reelection to the United States Senate.

Also this week, state agencies partnered with the FBI to conduct antisemitism training for law enforcement, a settlement in a lawsuit alleging inhumane jailhouse treatment is pending, Breeze Airways has added a new route to its service from West Virginia’s Charleston International Yeager Airport, and the West Virginia Board of Education issued a state of emergency for Special Education Services in Hampshire County Schools.

Finally, thousands gathered at the state Capitol to see the West Virginia tree that’s going to the U.S. Capitol for Christmas, and WVPB will premiere its newest documentary about the late Hershel “Woody” Williams this weekend.

Randy Yohe is our host this week. Our theme music is by Matt Jackfert.

West Virginia Week is a web-only podcast that explores the week’s biggest news in the Mountain State. It’s produced with help from Bill Lynch, Briana Heaney, Caroline MacGregor, Chris Schulz, Curtis Tate, Emily Rice, Eric Douglas, Liz McCormick, and Randy Yohe.

Learn more about West Virginia Week.

Breeze Airways Adds Myrtle Beach Route

The airline will begin new service from Charleston (CRW) to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina next May.

Breeze Airways has added a new route to its service from West Virginia’s Charleston International Yeager Airport.

The airline will begin service from Charleston (CRW) to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina next May.

The air carrier said it will offer one-way fares from $49 if tickets are purchased by Nov. 14 for travel completed by Sept. 3, 2024.

Yeager Airport Marketing Director Paige Withrow said the new route is popular among passengers.

“Our community is constantly asking for Myrtle Beach routes,” she said. “It opens up new possibilities for our business and leisure travelers in West Virginia – we’re excited to see Breeze continue to grow as they introduce new destinations here at CRW.”

Today’s announcement would have marked the fourth non-stop route for Breeze Airways which currently offers routes to Orlando and Tampa, Florida.

Airport officials declined to comment on Breeze Airways ending seasonal service to Charleston, South Carolina.

The heavily marketed route was announced in March at the same time the airline announced new service to Orlando, Florida

The addition of Breeze Airways to Charleston Yeager Airport resulted from a partnership forged between the West Virginia Department of Tourism, Gov. Jim Justice, the Kanawha County Commission and the City of Charleston.

Breeze Airways Celebrates Inaugural Flight From Tampa To West Virginia

“There’s always been a nexus between people who retire from our state and move to that area of Florida so we anticipate a lot of people coming and going to visit family and friends in West Virginia,” Ranieri said. “But it’s also a new opportunity to bring people from that area of Florida to West Virginia for all of our tourism offerings.”

Breeze Airways celebrated its inaugural flight from Tampa, Florida to West Virginia International Yeager Airport on Wednesday.

In June, airport officials announced a new nonstop flight would begin this fall to Tampa International Airport. Wednesday’s flight marks the third non-stop route for Breeze Airways with service available both Wednesdays and Saturdays.

The airline already offers routes to Charleston, South Carolina and Orlando, Florida.

Yeager Airport Director Dominique Ranieri said Florida remains a popular destination for passengers who have previously connected to that state through Delta, United and American Airlines.

“There’s always been a nexus between people who retire from our state and move to that area of Florida, so we anticipate a lot of people coming and going to visit family and friends in West Virginia,” Ranieri said. “But it’s also a new opportunity to bring people from that area of Florida to West Virginia for all of our tourism offerings.”

Ranieri said the new route enhances connectivity for passengers and strengthens Yeager Airport’s commitment to providing convenient travel options to popular destinations like Tampa.

“This flight is starting at the perfect time for people in the Tampa area to be able to have a nice easy flight up to West Virginia to experience leaf-peeping season and then of course we are right around the corner from ski season as well,” she said.

Breeze Airways plans to add more flights over the next two years, including one to New York.

The airline’s partnership with the State of West Virginia, the Kanawha County Commission and the City of Charleston includes a minimum revenue guarantee. Under the terms of the agreement, Breeze will offer flights to at least five destinations within its first two years of operation.

“We hope to have some more exciting news within the coming months,” Ranieri said.

Passenger Traffic At Yeager Airport Returns To Pre-Pandemic Levels

Passenger traffic at West Virginia International Yeager Airport, known by the airport code CRW, has returned to pre-pandemic levels.

On Friday, Yeager airport officials announced that from January to June 2023, 24,284 more passengers traveled through CRW than in 2022.

In June alone, the airport experienced a 13.4 percent increase in the number of people boarding aircraft with a total of 178,888 passengers.

Airport Executive Director Dominique Ranieri attributes the growth to a strong rebound in the travel industry, convenient travel options and tourism efforts to market West Virginia as a sought-after travel destination.

“Everyone on the team here at CRW is so excited to see passenger numbers back at 2019 levels,” Ranieri said. “These numbers reflect people coming to West Virginia and also our community utilizing the flights that we have.”

Ranieri said the numbers also reflect the use of current air service in attracting new airline partners like Breeze Airways, which will offer nonstop flights to Tampa, Florida starting on Oct. 4.

Ranieri said as the travel industry continues its upward trajectory, more visitors are choosing CRW as their preferred gateway.

“As we have always said here at CRW, the only way to get additional air service is to use the service we have, and these numbers show that is happening,” Ranieri said. “We’re excited to share them with our airline partners to encourage additional frequency and new destinations.”

Ranieri also credited continued collaboration between airport, state and airline officials for the rebound, adding they are determined to further establish West Virginia as a premier destination for business and leisure travelers.

Breeze Airways Adds Third Route

West Virginia International Yeager Airport (CRW) officials announced Tuesday that Breeze Airways will offer a third nonstop flight to Tampa, FL starting this fall.

The new route will begin on October 4 with service available both on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Fares are available starting from $59 one way, for tickets purchased on, or before July 3rd.

Breeze Airways celebrated its inaugural flight from Yeager last month, and also offers nonstop service to Charleston, South Carolina and Orlando, Florida.

The low cost carrier’s introduction to West Virginia is expected to more than double air connectivity to the state’s capital. Airport director and CEO Dominique Ranieri said Breeze offers midsized markets like Charleston more flight options for passengers to fly to attractive markets like Tampa.

“The new route enhances connectivity for our passengers and strengthens CRW’s commitment to providing convenient travel options to popular destinations,” Ranieri said.

The airline flies regional and transcontinental flights within the U.S. on a fleet of Embraer 190/195 and Airbus A220-300 aircraft. The airline has ordered 80 A220s, with options for an additional 40 jets.

The addition of Breeze Airways to Charleston Yeager Airport is the result of a partnership between the West Virginia Department of Tourism, Gov. Jim Justice, the Kanawha County Commission and the City of Charleston.

The airline said it plans to add flights to New York City and the West Coast over the next two years.

New Airline Will Fly To Orlando, Charleston, SC

Breeze Airways will begin offering non-stop flights from CRW to Orlando, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina beginning May 31st.

Right now, there are four flight destinations out of Charleston’s West Virginia International Yeager Airport: Charlotte, Washington D.C., Chicago and Atlanta. Five more destinations were announced on Tuesday.

Gov. Jim Justice was joined by state, county and city leaders in the airport terminal to announce that start-up Breeze Airways will begin offering non-stop flights from Charleston to Orlando, Florida and Charleston, South Carolina beginning May 31st.

Justice said the carrier will add three more non-stop flights over the next two years, including New York City and one stop on the West Coast.

“I’ve said over and over that our airports in West Virginia are our lifeblood,” Justice said. “They fuel our economy, bring in tourism, and their ripple effects are off-the-charts. I’m so proud to welcome Breeze Airways to Almost Heaven.”

Justice said this public/private partnership between Breeze Airlines, a two-year-old company out of Utah, along with the state, Kanawha County, and the City of Charleston comes after years of decline in available destinations from smaller airports around the country, including Yeager Airport.

Justice, Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper and others stressed that this is a long-term partnership. Earlier this month, Spirit Airlines announced it was discontinuing all Yeager Airport service in May, including its Orlando flight.

Tourism Secretary Chelsea Ruby says this public/private partnership is part of a marketing campaign to expand on the “Drive to West Virginia” concept. She said this venture is about making West Virginia more accessible to visitors and new residents and bringing in people from further and further away.

“When we started these meetings, we were talking about how we would replace Orlando,” Ruby said. “Then, we immediately said, that’s not what we’re here to do. We’re here to find a partner who is here long term, who’s not going to come in and pull out six months later.”

A Justice press release notes Breeze Airways was launched in 2021 by JetBlue founder and former CEO David Neeleman with a mission to fill a key gap in America’s air-travel offerings: efficient, affordable, direct flights between secondary airports, bypassing hubs for shorter travel times.

Angela Vargo, the vice president of Marketing and Communications for Breeze Airways spoke to those gathered at the airport, calling Breeze a N.L.C.C., a nice low-cost carrier.

“We also have family friendly policies, like family seating which you do not pay for,” Vargo said. “We do not think you should have to pay to sit next to your children, although sometimes I want to pay people to sit next to mine. We also have no change or cancellation fees.”

The new routes are now on sale on the Breeze website at introductory fares of $59 to Orlando and $49 to Charleston, one way.