Fearing Airport traffic tie-ups if the bridge gets stuck open again, Works & Engineering Minister the Hon. Leonard Gibbons has ordered it closed from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Otherwise during daytime, the bridge will open to boats on the hour. The change is in effect "until further notice'', Mr. Gibbons said.

Yesterday, boat operators said the problems with Longbird were a serious blow in a season already hurt by poor weather and lower-than-expected visitor arrivals.

"It is disastrous,'' said Mr. Paul Wakefield of Sundeck Too Cruises, who operates from Grotto Bay Hotel and Marriott's Castle Harbour. "Don't we have any mechanics here on the Island that can run this thing properly?'' Mr. Wakefield and others questioned why the bridge was still not working, when the US Navy closed it for 18 months two years ago for a major refit.

The Navy has been in charge of maintaining the bridge, while the Ministry of Works & Engineering has been operating it. With the Navy pulling out as of September 1, the bridge is being turned over entirely to the Bermuda Government.

The situation with Longbird was made worse because the Swing Bridge had been working only part of the time, Mr. Wakefield said. "We've had both bridges down more often than not at the East End this year.'' When only one bridge is working, there are alternate routes and delays, Mr.

Wakefield said. When neither bridge works, "We cancel cruises.'' "In this day of modern technology, surely we can get a couple of bridges which have always been giving us problems sorted out.'' He was worried boat operators would be "left like this, or in time they'll just close the bridge off altogether''.

Mr. Donald Morris, chairman of Bermuda Island Cruises Ltd., said the bridge is "a vital thing to the Marriott and a lot of boat operators.

"We don't do that much between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. in any case, but I would think there are an awful lot of people that do,'' Mr. Morris said.

While BIC had always found the bridge operators helpful, "I think what they really need is a bridge that works,'' he said.

Mr. Nigel Prescott, who operates a group business on his luxury motor yacht Lady Tamara , said the Longbird Bridge problem would have "a small effect'' on his charters.

But he predicted that other tour operators would be seriously hurt. "Our businesses are so marginal that little things like that are enough to put you entirely into the red.'' By not always opening on demand, the bridge has been a major problem for 25 years, he said. "It takes four minutes to do an opening'' so Airport concerns were not a good reason for not opening the bridge, he said. "If you're delayed four minutes, it shouldn't make any difference.'' At South Side Scuba, owner Mr. Robert Limes said the new closure period for the bridge "is right at our peak operating times''.

A new bridge, like the one Mr. Gibbons said he is considering, is the best solution, he said.

"We service a lot of tourists,'' he said. "Water users have the right to use the bridge as much as the land users do.'' Mr. Roger Borsink, manager of the Marriott, said he could support repairs to the bridge, but "a permanent closure of the bridge would not be to our advantage at all''.

Mr. Mark Whayman of Sand Dollar Cruises said he passes through the Longbird Bridge opening less than once a week. But he said he would use it more frequently if it was more reliable. "That particular bridge is very poorly operated,'' he said.