After a one day setback due to Hurricane Franklin, BermudAir has performed its first revenue flights to Boston and White Plains.
BermudAir flight 2T301 departed Bermuda (BDA) for Boston (BOS) at 8:12 a.m. local time, but not before being given the customary water salute. After returning to Bermuda at 1:00 p.m. local time, the Embraer E175 (registered VQ-BLU) was prepped for its second round trip, this time to White Plains (HPN) as flight 2T223.
At the time of publication, they completed the outbound leg to White Plains, touching down in New York at 5:09 p.m. local time.
What’s most interesting about their launch is that even though it’s marketed as a 30-seater aircraft, the aircraft is currently configured to seat 44 passengers. The launch aircraft still retains its 2-2 seating configuration with 88 seats from the Flybe days, but every other seat will be blocked, giving each passenger an aisle and window seat each.
From November onward, the airline will introduce its full fledged business class product called “Aisle Class”, featuring 30 seats, each with their own table space, privacy partition and seat storage bins for bags up to 16x24x10 inches (40 x 60 x 25cm).
My guess is that their second aircraft VQ-BLW is currently being fitted with its custom 30-seat all-business cabin, and will take VQ-BLU’s place from November. -BLU will then go back to its maintenance hub for retrofitting. If that is indeed the case, it could be a risky gamble if the aircraft suffers a serious maintenance issue.
Customers also have access to free Wi-Fi and on demand content. There is also a light dining service with alcohol and non-alcoholic drink options.
Credit: BermudAirBermudAir has a very optimistic schedule, with 6 weekly flights to Boston and White Plains, with addition service to Ft. Lauderdale from the later portion September. The schedule is as follows..
- Between Bermuda (BDA) and White Plains (HPN) – once daily on Mondays, and Wednesdays through Sundays. From September 15, 2023, service bump up to 12 times a week with once daily service on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and twice daily service on Mondays, and Thursdays through Sundays.
- Between Bermuda (BDA) and Ft. Lauderdale (FLL) – once daily on Mondays, and Wednesdays through Sundays. Starts September 22, 2023.
- Between Bermuda (BDA) and Boston (BOS) – once a day on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays through Sundays.
Fares from now until the end of October are priced to suit the higher density layout. For instance, a round trip flight from White Plains to Bermuda in mid-October is $549 with one checked bag. However once the 30-seater cabin in introduced, those fares go up to shy of $2,000 for a similar fare class in mid-November.
In comparison, you can get an American Airlines flight between New York (JFK) and Bermuda for under $1,700 or $1,921 with Delta. Of course you won’t have the benefit of a 1-1 configuration. On the flip side, there is lounge access and mileage benefits for those flying with legacy airlines, but it does mean coming out of JFK instead.
With a very comparable fare (given that they lack a few benefits), in my opinion they are still positioning themselves competitively given that all passengers will have their own dedicated seats.
[Featured Photo: BermudAir]
Featured image: BermudAir
