Tourism Minister Ewart Brown revealed yesterday that a weekly charter flight from Germany and Italy will start on June 2.

Also, low-cost airline Spirit Airlines will offer daily flights from Bermuda to its hub in Detroit via LaGuardia Airport in New York.

Dr. Brown said the charter will fly from Munich and Milan. The announcement follows meetings with tour operators from both countries.

A direct flight to Bermuda in less than eight hours has always appealed to the European market and at $1,700 for a round-trip flight in business class it should interest Bermudians as well. The charter can transport up to 160 passengers.

Spirit Airlines is a low-fare Caribbean carrier with hubs in Detroit and in Fort Lauderdale.

Founded in 1990, Spirit offers connections to the US, Bahamas and the Caribbean with 125 daily flights. Spirit is currently bringing in a new fleet of Airbus aircraft and plans to have completed its fleet renewal by early 2007.