Bermudair plans to operate flights to three US cities

Bermudair, the start-up carrier based in Bermuda, is planning to operate to three US cities in the states of Florida, Massachusetts, and New York from Bermuda, starting with two leased ERJ 170-200STDs (Embraer 175s).

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In a regulatory filing last week, boutique airline Bermudair revealed that it has applied for a foreign air carrier permit to conduct international scheduled and charter flights ferrying passengers, property, and mail from the US Department of Transportation (DOT) bound for three US cities from Bermuda. 

The air service proposes to fly six days a week, twice daily from Bermuda to New York’s Westchester County Airport. In addition, the airline has applied to fly six days a week to both Boston and Fort Lauderdale International, each once daily. 

The airline will be operating the services using 30 premium seat E175s: VQ-BLU (msn 17000344) and VQ-BLW (msn 17000351) both leased from Irish lessor Tiradentes Portfolio C Limited and were previously operated by Flybe, a failed regional UK carrier that collapsed in January 2023. 

The company does not contemplate any wet leases but may expand its fleet soon.

Consistent with the UK-US Open Skies agreement, Bermudair intends to start operating scheduled services as soon as it is fully approved to do so. The company is in the process of obtaining a Bermuda air operator’s certificate (AOC), according to letters of confirmation attached to its application from Bermuda Transport Minister Wayne L Furbert and the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority.

According to its application to US DOT, the company was registered in Bermuda on 3 January 2023. It is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda. Its main base of operations L.F. Wade International Airport in Bermuda.

Embraer Aircraft Engineering Services will provide maintenance services to Bermudair, which will also enter appropriate contracts in the US for line maintenance of its aircraft used for US operations as necessary.

Airline Hopeful

Bermudair’s traffic estimates for the proposed US operations, based on 75% load factors, foresee 22,000 passenger segments to Westchester County, 13,000 to Boston, and 13,000 to Fort Lauderdale. Based on the average market fare between $750 and $900, Bermudair projects its revenue for the first year of the US operations to be $38.7 million.

The airline will be competing with JetBlue Airways, American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, all of which offer flights between Bermuda and the New York City metropolitan area. JetBlue also flies to Boston from Bermuda, and American connects Bermuda with Miami. 

US/Canadian citizen Adam Scott is listed as Chief Executive Officer. He is also founder and 50% shareholder of the company. The remaining ownership is divided between Bermuda’s A One Limited (Gibbons family), UK citizen Peter Hughes, Bermudian Brian M. O’Hara, and US companies Sargasso Sea Holdings, LLC. and H/A Private Equity Management 2022 LLC.

“Bermudair has assembled an experienced team of individuals to manage and develop the unique market opportunities associated with the establishment of its Bermuda-US service,” the airline added.