Ticket prices on British Airways? London-Bermuda route have been branded ?indefensible? by Tourism Minister Ewart Brown.

Dr. Brown last night pulled no punches when he said there could be ?no justification? in the fare gap for travellers starting trips in London, compared to those boarding in Bermuda.

He said the lowest published economy return rate from Bermuda to London for November was $504. But the cheapest round trip flights starting in London on the same dates were almost double at $990.

He branded this ?outrageous penalising? of UK visitors.

And he called on the airline giant to level sky-high fares and remove the ?single greatest obstacle? to increasing tourism from England. Dr. Brown, tearing into ticket prices just days after BA confirmed it was stepping up its winter service, said last night: ?There can be no justification for such a disparity in fares on the same flight.

?I call on BA to promptly end this outrageous penalising of our British visitors, by offering the same fares regardless of a person?s place of origin. ?Charging almost double to London compared to Bermuda is indefensible in my view.?

Commenting on reports that BA had urged Bermuda to update its image, the Tourism Minister added: ?It is all very well for British Airways to offer advice to this Ministry through the newspapers on ?reinventing ourselves? to increase tourism from England. But the single greatest obstacle to increasing tourism from England ? high airfares ? is of BA?s own making.?

The attack comes after Robin Hayes, BA executive vice-president for the Americas, visited Bermuda this week to say farewell to retiring district manager Philip Troake.

Dr. Brown said Mr. Hayes did not meet with any Ministry official during the trip, raising the prospect that Government believes it has been snubbed by the airline executive.

BA has confirmed that from November it will fly five days each week between London Gatwick and Bermuda. As recently as 2004, only three weekly flights operated between November and March. Dr. Brown welcomed the decision to step up the winter schedule.

Speaking to this week, Mr. Hayes was asked about the cost of Atlantic flights and the lack of rival operators on the route to help push prices down. Mr. Hayes said routes had to remain profitable, but he pointed to a number of seat sales. Ticket prices for travellers leaving the Island were competitive, he added, although he agreed there had been criticism of the cost for customers starting their trips at Gatwick.