AMERICAN Airlines celebrated 30 years of flying to the island at the "Bermuda, Feel the Love Celebration Tour" event in New York this week.

Transport and Tourism Minister Ewart Brown said: "American Airlines has been a terrific partner with Bermuda, having served us well and faithfully for 30 years.

"American has made major contributions to Bermuda tourism, to our economy, and to our institutions, and we look forward to a continued strong relationship."

John Lisiewski, manager of Atlantic, Caribbean and Latin American sales for American, presented Dr. Brown with a model of an American Airlines Boeing 757 aircraft with a plaque bearing the inscription: "In appreciation to the Bermuda Department of Tourism for the opportunity to provide 30 years of continuous service to Bermuda."

The presentation took place on Wednesday night at Manhattan's Mandarin Oriental Hotel.

American has served Bermuda consistently since September 1975. The airline currently offers two daily non-stop flights to Bermuda from New York's JFK Airport, plus three flights a week from Miami, inaugurated in March 2005.

American supports a number of Bermuda charities, including the Bermuda Heart Association, the Bermuda Tuberculosis, Cancer and Health Association, the Bermuda Red Cross, the Physical Abuse Centre and Police Athletic Leagues.

"It has been American Airlines' pleasure and our honour to support Bermuda's tourism industry and business community for the past 30 years," Mr. Lisiewski said. "We are looking forward to another 30 years of support and co-operation with this wonderful country."