The general manager of Bermuda International Airport has shot down Internet claims that the Island is to host an airshow later this year.

The airport's James Howes has written to David Schultz in the United States and asked him to take down the posting, which had originated from his website, schultzairshows.com, which claims there was to be a flying display in Bermuda this season.

Mr. Howes became aware of the posting after The Royal Gazette saw it and contacted him to find out more about the supposed imminent event.

The general manager said although he had previously received a number of enquiries about the possibility of hosting an airshow on the Island, no permission had been given and no talks had been held - even at a preliminary level.

"After I received your call yesterday, I went on the Internet and found the website advertising this airshow," said Mr. Howes this week.

"I then sent them an e-mail asking them to take this off their website right away and stating that it was causing confusion in Bermuda and was inaccurate.

"They sent me an e-mail back saying they had taken it off their webiste earlier this year, but that was obviously not the case because I saw it yesterday very easily.

"They did acknowledge that there was no airshow. They were seeking the possibility of finding sponsorship, but said they decided to scrap the idea some months back."

The website posting said: "An exciting event will take place at the Bermuda International Airport during the 2003 airshow season. For the first time in over a decade, an international airshow will take place on the Island.

"Over five hours of flying are expected each day and will showcase the best of aviation and Bermuda's celebration of 100 years of powered flight. Many international militaries and top name civilian performers are expected in attendance.

"We are still in the planning stage, so check back from time to time."

But Mr. Howes said nobody had approached him with a detailed plan for an airshow, and nobody had received any kind of permission, outline or otherwise.

He said not only would an organiser need the airport's permission, but they would also need permission from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), which had not been given, and he said any such event would take months and months to arrange.

All airlines that use the airport would have to be consulted, crowd insurance would have to be put in place, and parking taken care of.

But besides that, there would then be the huge logistical and financial implications of bringing in dozens of aircraft to take part in the show from overseas, along with the air and sea rescue vessels needed.

The Royal Gazette managed to make contact with Mr. Schultz, who confirmed that proposals to have the show had been cancelled nine months ago.

He said the posting was immediately taken off his own website, but said it was probably still on other websites, which was outside his control.

He said: "We cancelled it in early March, and took the notice down straight away, but it seems to have floated around the web on all sorts of different groups and things.

"We were talking with a person in Bermuda who wanted to do it badly. It was not so much the expense of the show, but it was increasingly difficult to get sponsors.

"Logistically, it would have been interesting, but we had a lot of interest from the US Airforce, Royal Air Force and the Canadians. There was a great deal of interest to do it, but the funding was not there to make sure we could have proper hotel accommodation and transport and so on."

But Mr. Schhultz, who has organised airshows before, said it was not an impossibility for Bermuda to have an airshow. There have not been any since the US Naval base closed down on the Island in the 90s, which had previously organised them.

"We did not have a problem with the rescue boats and so on - it was just sponsors," he added. We were going to fly most of the stuff in.

"But we have cancelled it for now and will see if we get contacted by the folks in Bermuda again."

Mr. Schultz apologised for the confusion and said his company did everything it could to post cancellation notices.

He added: "Hopefully, we will be able to bring something to Bermuda soon."