The founder of JetBlue Airways, David Neeleman, bought 60 Airbus A2220-300 commercial jets and is starting a new airline. The 60 planes cost him $5.4 billion and Neeleman plans on launching the airline by 2021.
Neeleman issued the following statement:
“After years of U.S. airline consolidation, the conditions are improving for a new generation of U.S. airline to emerge. The A220 will enable us to serve thinner routes in comfort without compromising cost, especially on longer-range mission. With deliveries starting in 2021, we will have ample time to assemble a world-class management team and another winning business model.”
“This U.S. airline startup’s decision for the A220 as the platform on which to launch their new business model is a treatment to the passenger appeal and operating economics of this outstanding aircraft,” said chief commercial officer for Airbus Eric Schulz.
Back in June, publication Airline Weekly reported that the new airline will focus on small airports in the U.S.
Airline Weekly posted the following in their June issue:
“According to the presentation, the startup sees big opportunity in smallish airports, detecting consumer frustration with increasingly congested mega-hubs in regions like the U.S. northeast and west coast. Consolidation, it says, has reduced options while creating a ‘comfortable oligopoly’ of carriers with high fares and higher-than-ever profits.”
Neeleman is no stranger to the world of flying. He is a Brazilian entrepreneur who has also founded Morris Air, Azul Brazilian Airlines, and WestJet. He began his commercial airline ventures back in the early 802 and has a net worth of $1.6 billion. His new airline is going to be called Moxy.
“Moxy seems keen on secondary airports in the country’s biggest metro areas like Boston, New York, Washington, Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles,” said Airline Weekly in their report.
Featured Image via Flickr/ahisgett
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