There’s a lot going on at US low cost carrier Breeze Airways at the moment. The airline has launched a partnership with Priceline, and has also unveiled the details of its new credit card. That’s not all that’s changing, as Breeze is also reworking its fare bundles, to create an even more basic ticket type.
Breeze adds No Flex Fare to bundle lineup
Breeze Airways markets itself as offering “Seriously Nice flights,” and historically the carrier’s fare bundles have reflected that, and have been marketed as Nice, Nicer, and Nicest. Well, the airline has now added a less charming fare bundle, known as No Flex Fare.
The first thing to note is that with this change, Breeze has actually improved Nice fares. Previously Nice fares didn’t include a carry-on, while now they do include a carry-on, so that’s good. What’s less good is that I suspect No Flex Fares will probably be similarly priced to the former Nice bundles.
So, what are the restrictions with No Flex Fares, compared to Nice bundles?
- No Flex Fares don’t offer the same flexibility as other fares (which offer full flexibility) — if you cancel 61+ days in advance you get a 100% flight credit, if you cancel 15-60 days in advance you get a 50% flight credit, and if you cancel within 14 days (up to one hour before departure) you get a 25% flight credit
- Passengers booked on No Flex Fares board last, rather than with general boarding
- Passengers booked on No Flex Fares earn fewer BreezePoints — rather than earning 2x points on a Nice bundle, you earn 1x points on a No Flex Fare
My take on Breeze’s No Flex Fares
The most significant change here is that Breeze Airways is no longer offering full credits on all types of fares when you need to make changes. That of course matches the industry norm, as you’ll find the same with Alaska Saver Fares, United Basic Economy, etc. But it still represents quite the change, as Breeze has promoted since launch how it doesn’t change change or cancellation fees. The airline is actually still arguing that it doesn’t have change fees even after this change, since changes aren’t allowed, but rather you’re given a partial credit.
I think this change ultimately makes sense, though I also feel like it reflects a larger identity crisis at the airline, which seems to be common for airlines that David Neeleman has founded. Breeze so heavily leans into how it’s “Seriously Nice,” and the fare bundles are even named after that.
Now the fare choices are Nice, Nicer, Nicest, and… No Flex Fares? What’s “Seriously Nice” about that?
But bigger picture, Breeze needs to focus on its core value proposition, which is operating point-to-point routes in underserved markets, and getting as much revenue from that as possible.
People book Breeze because they can fly nonstop from Fort Myers to Providence. They don’t fly Breeze because the airline is “Nice,” or anything else. Yet historically the airline has made it really hard to actually book its flights by not partnering with online travel agencies, while instead investing in offering a better experience. I think that’s misguided.
Breeze management is stating that the airline will be profitable in 2024, despite all publicly available data suggesting the airline has been hemorrhaging money up until this point. I’m curious if this is the year where the airline can turn things around.
Bottom line
Breeze Airways is introducing No Flex Fares, with the biggest new restriction being that these fares don’t allow free changes within 60 days of departure. Realistically speaking, this is probably a pretty smart move on Breeze’s part, even if it’s not customer friendly. People fly with the airline because of its point-to-point route network, and the airline needs to lean into that and maximize revenue.
The new No Flex Fares do put the airline in an odd position when it comes to marketing, given that Breeze has been so heavily focused on how “Nice” it is, and this new fare option runs counter to that.
What do you make of Breeze’s No Flex Fares?
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