There are probably enough qualified pilots in the United States for Breeze to hire. But some may want higher wages than Breeze wishes to pay. Why shouldn't the airline look abroad for labor? It is a perfectly legal program.
Serial airline entrepreneur David Neeleman's new venture Breeze Airways takes off next week. While it may not yet be the Amazon or Uber of airlines, Neeleman is confident in its prospects tapping some of American's pent-up travel demand.
At some point, the U.S. airline industry will have a robust recovery. But given the depth of the Covid-19 pandemic, it is unlikely this will happen next year. Breeze Airways may have a rough go at first.
David Neeleman's new airline promises to have good service at competitive prices. That's his strategy at every airline, and it's commendable. But Neeleman is also planning to operate what is essentially two business models at once. Can he pull it off?