Bermuda is the top priority for low cost airline JetBlue when it expands out of the United States to fly internationally, Transport Minister Dr. Ewart Brown said yesterday.

The Royal Gazette revealed two weeks ago that the airline has had talks with Government about a daily service from New York to Bermuda.

If it goes ahead, it will compete with American Airlines and Continental, which each fly to New York to Bermuda daily.

Dr. Brown met JetBlue executives in Washington D.C. on Tuesday and said the talks went well, and that the airline considered Bermuda a primary target when it expands internationally, which would probably be late 2003 or 2004.

"They stressed to us over and over that Bermuda is going to be considered their prime consideration for international travel when they expand internationally, and they have filed to fly over water," he said.

"I would be the last to say we have come to an agreement for them to fly to Bermuda, but we think the things are in place."