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SALT LAKE CITY — A new airline with a focus on midsize markets will make its headquarters in Salt Lake City.
Breeze Aviation, created by JetBlue co-founder David Neeleman, “plans to unveil an as-yet-unnamed low-cost carrier in the new year,” according to the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
The company plans to create 369 jobs in the next five years, the office said in a news release.
“We’re excited to announce our investment to make Utah our headquarters,” Neeleman said in the release. “Utah’s exceptional workforce and business environment will ensure that we have all the support needed to provide exceptional customer service for our new startup.”
Val Hale, executive director of the Governor’s Office of Economic Development, said Breeze will be “a welcome addition to Utah’s growing aerospace industry.”
“We’re excited to partner with an experienced team with such an outstanding track record.”
Under an agreement with the office, Breeze Aviation may earn back up to 20% of its state tax bill over five years; the agreement is conditional on performance, the office said, and the rebate will not exceed $1,082,000.
“Each year the company meets the criteria in its contract with the state, it will earn a portion of the total tax rebate,” the release says.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development estimates that the airline will generate a $3.2 million capital investment, $128,900,000 in wages and $5,410,000 in tax revenue over the life of the agreement.
Airline industry watchers have speculated on the nature of Neeleman’s new venture for months. In September, Bloomberg reported that Neeleman has ordered 60 Airbus SE A220-300s for the new airline. But those aren’t expected until 2021, Bloomberg wrote, so Neeleman may use Embraer E195s from his Brazilian carrier, Azul, to get off the ground sooner.
In addition to JetBlue and Azul, Neeleman previously co-founded WestJet and Morris Air, which was based in Salt Lake City but quickly sold to Southwest Airlines in the 1990s.
Multiple outlets have also reported that the airline has been code-named “Moxy,” but Marriott already owns that name for its boutique hotels and it is unlikely to be the airline’s final working name.
The airline is accepting job applications for pilots, guest services, marketing, tech support, operations and more at jobs.flybreeze.com.
