The long-awaited route from Islip’s MacArthur opened on February 18 to Charleston, South Carolina and Norfolk, Virginia.
Beginning May 19, the airline also will offer one-stop “BreezeThru” flights from Islip to New Orleans, Louisiana, with a brief stop in Charleston but no change of planes. Together with JetBlue, Breeze Airways marks the fifth airline founded by its Chairman and CEO, David Neeleman.
The initial flight to Charleston starts a thrice-weekly round-trip route operating on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, with the addition of a fourth day beginning May 5. Flights to Norfolk operate four days a week on Thursdays, Fridays, Sundays, and Mondays. The inaugural flight departed full of dignitaries ready to exchange gifts of Long Island with their Charleston counterparts.
A priest fond of travel, Father Michael Holzmann, was even on the flight to christen the new route. According to his parishioners, he would be a travel agent if he did not attend seminary and frequently travels around the United States.
“Today, Long Island MacArthur becomes our seventeenth airport and our first airport in the state of New York, and it’s great to be back,” said Breeze Chairman and CEO David Neeleman. “Breeze is bringing ‘Seriously Nice’ flights and fares to New York with its first flights to Charleston and Norfolk, and we look forward to adding more routes once these are as successful as we expect them to be,” he said.
“The nearly 3 million people living in Nassau and Suffolk counties consider MacArthur Airport their hometown airport. They live here, they work here, their families are here, and they love to travel. They don’t like the hassle of crowds or traffic at larger airports, and this is why Breeze Airways is such a good fit for Long Island,” said Islip Town Supervisor Angie Carpenter. “We also share Breeze’s enthusiastic and positive business outlook and commitment to providing customers with a ‘Seriously Nice’ travel experience,” added Carpenter.
Islip, Suffolk County and New York State have all been promoting the airport as a part of their economic development schemes. With its close proximity to New York City and a market of millions of Long Islanders, the airport is well-positioned for the future.
“Long Island MacArthur Airport is helping lead this region into a time of greater economic prosperity. As part of the 2021 bipartisan infrastructure package, I secured over $21.5 million for MacArthur Airport,” said US Senator Chuck Schumer.
“Breeze Airways will increase convenient travel options for Long Islanders, and I congratulate Supervisor Angie Carpenter, Airport Commissioner Shelley LaRose-Arken and her team, County Executive Steve Bellone, Breeze Airways, and my friend David Neeleman, for bringing new service to and from MacArthur. This is an important development for Islip, Suffolk County, and all of Long Island,” he added.
“I am so happy to welcome Breeze Airlines to our community,” said Assemblyman Doug Smith. “Long Island MacArthur Airport is a hidden gem, and now with two more non-stop destinations to Charleston and Norfolk, there are even more great reasons for residents to fly stress-free from their favorite local airport.”
