Lengthy delays at the Airport on Tuesday have left angry tourists vowing they will never return to Bermuda, The Royal Gazette has been told.

One leading hotel manager said guests arriving from the United States on Tuesday night queued back to the tarmac and waited two hours to clear Customs and Immigration.

But suspicions by some tourists that Airport Customs staff are on a go-slow in protest at doing primary checking work previously carried out by Immigration appear to be wrong.

It is understood the delays were due to Customs officers getting used to their new responsibilities to do Immigration checks.

Yesterday Customs, Immigration and Airport operations officers said that they were unaware of any go-slow by Customs officers.

The hotel manager, who asked not to be named, said yesterday: "On Tuesday night, the people were lined up to the tarmac. A guest said 'what the hell's going on here, are they short-staffed or what?' because they were in no hurry at all.

"I know a Customs agent and she was embarrassed to be there. She said she was told by a shop steward that they are moving into a go-slow period and not to hurry.

"The Customs people told us that guests were saying this is the last time they are coming to Bermuda. We're all working here to get tourism back on its feet and this is a kick in the teeth if we get a couple of hundred people upset and talking about not coming back to Bermuda.

"There has got to be a better way to vent their anger or disappointment than taking it out on our guests."

Airport operations manager Lester Nelson said yesterday that he had no knowledge of any industrial action, whether official or unofficial.

"The same thing happens every year when we ramp up in the new season and we get more people. I am not in a position to comment on the internal workings of those organisations, but we are operating normally," he said.

Collector of Customs Winifred Fostine-DaSilva said: "As far as we can tell, there is no go slow or work to rule and the passengers are proceeding quickly and there is enough staff to work the lines.

"In fact, we've had positive feedback from the passengers. I would be very surprised if we are getting complaints or comments like that (about a go-slow)."

Chef Immigration Officer Dr Martin Brewer also said he had no information about any go-slow at the Airport.

Bermuda Public Services Union general secretary Edward Ball said yesterday: "There is no go slow and no outstanding issues there."