The Minister of Transport, the Hon. Wayne Furbert, JP, MP, recently visited Delta Air Lines' Headquarters in Atlanta to discuss potential expansion of service to Bermuda and attracting more visitors from Atlanta and other onward destinations. Delta Air Lines has been the longest continually running US air carrier in Bermuda since its inaugural service to and from the island in 1972.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the Government, Minister Furbert said, "The discussion with Delta executives proved to be fruitful and validated the mutual understanding between the two parties regarding air service for Bermuda. We look forward to exploring further opportunities and strengthening our partnership to promote Bermuda as a premier travel destination. I sincerely thank Delta Air Lines for its commitment to remaining in the Bermuda market."
During the meeting, the Minister and Delta executives explored various aspects of the Bermuda travel industry, focusing on visitor accommodations. The Minister highlighted that the hospitality industry will increase its beds between 2024 and 2025, with Fairmont Southampton Hotel being the largest, with approximately 600 beds. Additionally, it was noted that about 40% of round-trip travel to Bermuda consists of locals travelling outbound, presenting an opportunity to build on the local market.
Attending the meeting with Minister Furbert were Mark Guishard, Chief Administrative Officer of the Bermuda Airport Authority (BAA), Brad DiFiore, Ailevon Pacific Aviation Consulting (Air Service Development consultants to the BAA).