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Air Florida was a low-cost carrier that sprung up after deregulation and operated between 1972 and 1984. A crash in 1982 led to the airline’s bankruptcy and eventual shutdown, but it looks like it might be making a comeback and called Zoom! Airlines.
Ed Wegel, the former CEO of Global Crossing Airlines, started discussing the potential for the new scheduled carrier earlier this year. In March, he was calling it Air Florida or Air Flo and saying that it would focus on the “Air Florida narrowbody route network.” The original Air Florida started out flying around the state. When intrastate flights proved to be unprofitable, it shifted to fly around the United States and even to Latin America and Europe. The original carrier was Miami-based and operated several types of Boeing aircraft as well as the McDonnell Douglas DC-10.
New U.S. startup airline: Zoom! Airlines.
Ed Wegel, former CEO of GlobalX, announces plans to launch Zoom! using Embraer 190/195s, later transitioning to Airbus A220s.
Zoom! will operate scheduled service with a network similar to the defunct Air Florida. pic.twitter.com/5lsRHwpCx2
— Ishrion Aviation (@IshrionA) May 11, 2024
Now, it’s being reported that the airline will be called Zoom! Airlines and will use a fleet of Embraer E190 and Embraer 195 aircraft before transitioning to the Airbus A220. Where have we heard that before? Oh, that’s right: Breeze Airways followed the same model. Details are scarce and it’s unknown if the Air Florida network means that it will be intrastate or if it plans to go for the defunct carriers later routes. This should also not be confused with Canadian “low-fare scheduled transatlantic airline” that is also called Zoom Airlines (without the exclamation point).
Anthony’s Take: Details are minimal, but do we really need another low-cost carrier? Between Breeze Airways and Avelo Airlines (and not to mention Frontier, Spirit, Sun Country, Silver Airways, and Allegiant), we’re covered and I don’t see how another will have any impact or really benefit consumers.
(Featured Image Credit: Denys Kostyuchenko.)
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Advertiser & Editorial Disclosure: The Bulkhead Seat earns an affiliate commission for anyone approved through the links above This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. We work to provide the best publicly available offers to our readers. We frequently update them, but this site does not include all available offers. Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed, or approved by any of these entities.
1 comment
As a FL resident, I’m always happy to see more service/competition.
Silver is the only airline trying to operate with an intra-FL purpose. Wegel probably either thinks Silver Airways is about to go under, or will fold against competition. As you are well aware, Silver does not run a reliable operation. Some of that may be due to ATR’s not being able to fly over storms, leading to cascading delays. Jets can, but they burn more fuel and still need decent weather at the points of departure/arrival.