Agency welcomes Delta's NY flight

One of the Island's largest travel agencies has welcomed the news of a new Delta Airlines route between Bermuda and New York's LaGuardia International Airport.

The daily non-stop service will commence on April 5, 2008 and will complement the airline's existing Atlanta and Boston service.

Cheryl Hayward-Chew, Vice President of Corporate Development and Travel, for Meyer-Franklin Travel said the announcement is very positive news for both leisure and business travellers.

The flight will leave LaGuardia at 10.59 a.m. and arrive in Bermuda at 2.19 p.m. and turnaround for LaGuardia at 4.45 p.m., arriving there at 5.59 p.m. "For leisure travellers, the 10.59 a.m. departure time from LaGuardia is late enough to offer passengers coming from outer New York or Connecticut more time to get to the airport and still have a full day upon arrival in Bermuda.

"A 4.45 p.m. departure time from Bermuda arriving into LaGuardia at 6 p.m. makes it possible to get an early start the next morning, or even make a late dinner."

Fares for the flights were not released in the press statement, but an online booking for a round trip from LaGuardia to Bermuda on Delta from April 7 to April 10 gave a price of $428.

The same round trip from Bermuda to LaGuardia gave a price of $434 — the cheapest available for those dates using those airports. American Airlines, however, is offering the same dates for $393 from John F. Kennedy Airport.

Civil service retirement law comes into effect

A law allowing civil servants to work until they are 70 and uniformed police and prison officers to retire at 60 rather than 55 came into force on Monday.

Deputy Premier Paula Cox said the Public Service Superannuation Amendment Act 2007 was aimed at dealing with the Island's ageing population. "It is no secret that Bermuda like most of the developed world is faced with the challenges associated with the growth of an ageing population," she said.

"This legislation illustrates Government's early commitment in starting to address what is clearly one of the most important demographic issues of the 21st century by encouraging and allowing those employees who want to continue in employment to remain employed up until age 70, subject to annual review of conduct and performance."

She said the mandatory retirement age for uniformed officers was raised to tackle recruitment problems and because Bermuda Police Service and the Department of Corrections were losing invaluable staff when they turned 55.

The Act also allows retired Government employees to be re-employed but still receive their pension in an effort to encourage seniors to stay in the workforce.

Workman still recovering

A man who fell from the roof of a building is continuing his recovery in a general ward in hospital.

The 54-year-old, from St. George's, was in intensive care for several days after plunging from the top of Fort Hill Water Treatment Facility, Devonshire, on Friday, September 7. Police say he had been repairing cracks on the roof.

He was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with suspected internal injuries, fractured ribs and a fractured pelvis. Nurses said on Monday he was in a stable condition.

Tourism to host travel execs

Global players in the travel industry will visit the Island in September to get a feel for what a holiday here is like.

Representatives from travel companies such as Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz will come to the island along with representatives from British Airways, Delta Airlines and US Airways and Zoom.

The Department of Tourism will welcome representatives from the US this week while their European counterparts will visit the Island on September 23 to September 26.

Tour operators such as Travel Impressions and TNT Vacations will also attend the summits.

They will be visiting a variety golf courses, beaches, hotels and restaurants in order to better understand the Bermuda product.

Warwick home burgled

A Longford Road, Warwick, home has been targeted by a burglar.

Police received the report at 11.30 a.m. on Monday, with the victim stating that sometime between 11.30 p.m. on Thursday and 7.30 a.m. on Friday, an unknown culprit gained entry into his home.

Cash and a Blackberry cellular phone were stolen, and inquiries are underway.