Dear Sir,

The Bermuda Tourism Authority in late 2018 released its National Tourism Plan, which set out a six-year plan (2019-2026) to reinvigorate Bermuda tourism. As part of the NTP, five North American destinations were listed as “focus cities”. Boston was one of the five listed cities.

Boston would be expected to be on any such list, given the longstanding personal, educational, business and medical ties with Bermuda. A key driver of this relationship has been all-year, non-stop air service between the two destinations. This service goes back 40-plus years to the days of Eastern Airlines and Northwest Airlines.

The arrival of Covid-19 in March 2020 changed everything, as we all know too well. The NTP’s goals and strategies became instantly compromised and the world airline industry was devastated. Many airlines would have gone bankrupt absent government support.

When Covid-19 subsided and air travel gradually resumed, year-round Bermuda/Boston non-stop service was discontinued by all of the United States-based airlines.

I was personally affected by the elimination of off-season non-stop service, as I regularly fly Boston to Bermuda. Since I am able-bodied and alone, catching a 6am Boston-JFK flight to catch an 8am JFK-Bermuda flight was merely a nuisance.

For Bermuda residents flying back home after medical treatment in Boston, the need to fly to JFK and transfer flights — sometimes to another terminal — was a real hardship. Especially for wheelchair-bound patients and their companions.

Given this new landscape, I was thrilled to read this summer in The Economist that Adam Scott and his team were going to start a Bermudian-based airline, BermudAir. My first reaction was elation and hope the this new airline would fly Boston/Bermuda year-round.

My second thought was of the expense and complexity of starting a new airline from scratch. The list of tasks must have been endless; all costing reams of money. Aircraft, crews, gates, government approvals. The list is endless and the financial gamble immense.

This brings me to the February 23 article in The Royal Gazette regarding subsidies to British Airways and an unnamed US-based airline. I have no knowledge of the economics, politics, etc, of the agreements. I am sure that the Government felt the subsidies to be necessary.

My question is, what support — financial and otherwise — has been provided to BermudAir?

I have no knowledge of the answer, but I would hope that the Government sees the long-term value of having a Bermudian-based airline, loyal to the island and its residents.

I will fly only on BermudAir to Boston and its other destinations. Would JetBlue be flying the Boston/Bermuda route non-stop this winter absent the birth of BermudAir? I leave the answer to the reader.

BermudAir deserves support from both the citizens and the Government of Bermuda. For the National Tourism Plan to be a success for Boston travellers, a Bermudian-based airline is essential.

JAMES MacDOUGALL

Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts