Cheap flights to Bermuda!!!

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JetBlue touches down May 4


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By Scott Neil


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Low cost flights from Atlanta could be the next step as Bermuda breaks
down what has long been regarded as the biggest single impediment to
the future of its tourism industry.
The prospect of the capital of Georgia becoming next in line for an
affordable air link was mentioned during an unusual Press conference
announcing the all clear for JetBlue Airways to start twice daily $129
one-way ticket flights between New York and the Island.
After more than four years of negotiations with the Government low-
cost airline JetBlue will land its first scheduled flight at Bermuda
International Airport on May 4.
JetBlue chief executive David Neeleman stepped off an internal US
flight to make a cell phone call directly to Tourism Minister Dr.
Ewart Brown and assembled media in the Cabinet room explaining why his
company had finally decided to fly to Bermuda after four years of
talks.
A key reason was to wait until the company had a flexible choice of
aircraft for the route, so that it can interchange from a 100-seat
plane during low season to a larger 156-seat plane at busier periods,
and also so it could run a frequent twice-a-day service every day of
the week.
Mr. Neeleman said: “We are very impressed with Bermuda and all the
things it has to offer. Unfortunately it hasn’t had good access.
“It really needed some low fares to stimulate people, to get the word
out and get people to travel there, especially during the golf and spa
season.
“I think it’s going to see tremendous growth. I was astonished when I
saw the occupancy rates in Bermuda in January, they are so low you
really do need people to come and check it out. We are confident that
when they do they are going to come back and there will be a lot more
people visiting Bermuda because of our low fares.”
The JetBlue deal offers flights to and from JFK starting at $129 one-
way, and for connections to Boston, Richmond, Buffalo, Burlington,
Rochester and Syracuse the fares start at just $10 more.
Presenting the news, Deputy Premier Dr. Brown hinted that another low-
cost carrier may link Bermuda with the city of Atlanta.
“Atlanta is a major gateway for Bermuda. We have been in preliminary
discussions with AirTran and we expect that those discussions will
continue. We don’t expect them to enter the market this year but there
is always the possibility of next year,” said Dr. Brown.
Focusing on the JetBlue, he said: “All the paperwork and filings in
the US and Bermuda have been completed.”
He now expects to see the cost of getting to Bermuda tumble bringing
higher visitors numbers, commenting: “All we have to do is look in
other markets where this phenomenon has occurred, the low-cost carrier
comes in and as long as that carrier is able to sustain itself in
terms of frequency, then usually what happens is that the other
carriers reduce their fares.
“We are hoping that will happen out of New York, one of our major
gateways. And out of Boston and, eventually, every gateway that serves
Bermuda.
“Because until travel to Bermuda is less expensive we are going to
suffer from inadequate numbers of visitors coming. When people have to
pay upwards of $600 or $700 to travel for 90 minutes, many times it is
the single thing that makes the difference.
He added: “We believe the impact of low-cost carriers coming to
Bermuda in the long run will result in a multi-million dollar impact
for the economy simply because a portion of the savings on the airfare
will likely end up in Bermuda and that should do something to
stimulate our economy further.”
It has been a long haul for the Government to entice JetBlue. Dr.
Brown has been directly involved in talks for the past three years,
and there were earlier discussions dating back to 2001.
Last month Bermuda’s Hollywood couple Michael Douglas and Catherine
Zeta-Jones added a touch of glamour to the Island’s case when they
attended a reception with JetBlue representatives at the Grotto Bay
Hotel. It was shortly afterwards that the fast-growing airline
announced its intention to start flights to Bermuda.
Dr. Brown said discussions had also been held with hoteliers to
arrange for “flexible” room rates, particularly during the golf and
spa season, to further entice visitors to the Island.
“Today represents a new page in our Island’s history and with this
advance we are poised for success. We can now compete,” said Dr.
Brown.