The Island’s newest air link to the US began operations yesterday with the early arrival of AirTran Airways flight 1812 from Baltimore.Bermuda will have daily service to Baltimore-Washington International for the next six months, with an Atlanta connection joining it on May 26.A water salute from fire trucks greeted the blue and white Boeing 737 700 at 3.40pm on the runway of LF Wade International Airport, and 87 passengers disembarked at gate six including the H and H gombey troupe, who had performed at the US gate, and Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Kim Wilson.Airport general manager Aaron Adderley introduced a champagne reception at the first class lounge.“What a wonderful day,” Mr Adderley said. “It makes me so happy to see that aircraft land.”Acting Minister of Transport Michael Weeks welcomed AirTran on behalf of Bermuda, telling the company’s senior director of planning John Kirby: “This is the start of a relationship that will bear fruit for all parties involved.”Mr Adderley said it was “the first time Bermuda has welcomed a new carrier that’s introduced not only one new flight, but two in its first year.”According to Mr Kirby, establishing the connection was “not a race, but a marathon” going back ten years to negotiations with then-Transport Minister Ewart Brown.“Today we have crossed the finish line,” he said.He said bookings for the flight which has a capacity for 137 had been in line with the company’s expectations. AirTran may expand its schedule of flights to the Island, but for now the Baltimore flights should continue through October 24, with the Atlanta flights ending the day after the US Labour Day holiday.Asked if a New York connection was anticipated for Bermuda, Mr Kirby said New York was already fairly well served from the Island, but that AirTran’s Atlanta connection would serve as a gateway to cities throughout the US for Bermudian travellers.US Consul Grace Shelton hailed the new link for making “travel between neighbours as easy as possible”, while Ms Wilson said the AirTran deal made Bermuda “one of the best-connected little islands in the world” at a time when many air companies were scaling back their services.Coming through at Arrivals, passenger Jacky Krummenacker, from Gaithersberg, Maryland, said it had been a quick trip: “I was raised here in Bermuda and I like to visit at least twice a year, so when I saw this service come up I just said, wow. They’ll do very well if this keeps up.”On the company’s website, the cheapest round-trip tickets for a week in Bermuda were advertised as $294 here and $99 back. Trips take roughly two-and-a-half hours.Joy Alexander, of Columbia, Maryland, said she was down for a weekend trip.“I’ll use it again, beyond a shadow of a doubt,” she said. “I’ve got friends here and this is my third time visiting.”Travelling with her was Kimberly Bruce, from Bridgeport, Connecticut.“I’m just happy to have a break,” Ms Bruce said. “I decided to have a water vacation and I was looking for a cheap flight that wouldn’t take too long. This one was a good short flight, very straightforward, and the weather here looks beautiful today, so for me it’s perfect.”l Useful web link: www.airtran.com.