David Neeleman Turns to an Old Idea to Raise Margins

Breeze's CEO told me about his plan to bring some Morris Air-style magic to Breeze Airways. Also, what's his obsession with Thru-Flights? And when is Europe happening?

Dear readers,

Most of us know David Neeleman as a visionary, a big-idea generator who hopscotches among airlines on three continents and dreams about how he can solve consumer pain points using the latest hot tech. When reporters interview him, Neeleman is as likely to talk about pie-in-the-sky innovation as he is to discuss micro-tweaks to improve margins.

But when I met Neeleman last week at San Bernardino International Airport, where his new airline, Breeze, is the only passenger airline in the facility’s history, Neeleman was in the mood to discuss a simple plan to boost cash flow and margins at what he calls “America’s nicest airline.”

What’s the strategy?