Quirky niche carrier BermudAir is more than doubling its fleet capacity, as the airline is taking delivery of two Embraer jets. The first of these aircraft has just been delivered to the airline, so it has some exciting implications for the carrier.
Continue reading: BermudAir Expands Fleet With Two 96-Seat Embraer E190s
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
I've heard from friends who have flown with them that their flights were mostly full.
Bermudair seems to offer a good experience, even in Economy with proper glasses/mugs for drinks and some good locally made snacks and sweets. They seem to be like Porter. Most reviews I have seen of the airline are very positive, with some having experienced IROPS or glitches with their system which left a bad impression, but those issues seem to have gone away now. And their fares are cheaper or equal to other airlines in the flights I have searched for (in Economy), but they most definetly have lower costs compared to American and have a much better experience.
@Ben - It would be awesome to get a review of them. Perhaps Economy one-way and Business on the way back? It would be a nice weekend getaway to Bermuda for you and the fam 😉
Icelandair-like model could work for them, no? For one-stop service between Americas and Europe, with a Bermuda stopover program?
Do you think the Bermuda government might subsidize them? Great way to boost tourism.
I wonder if the Bermudan government forces BermudAir to hire a certain percentage of locals to man their flights. I’ve stayed at the newer St Regis there several years apart and their service did not improve the second visit due to continued staffing shortages. I was told of the situation being each hotel is required to hire a certain percentage (being 50%) of locals and that Marriott Corp was begging the government to be less xenophobic. Curious if their airline is the same. Half of the pilots are Bermudian?
I have flown them at least once a month since they started, but only one-way from BDA to HPN and usually United Business EWR to BDA because of the timings. Most of my flights on BermudAir have been less than half-full and a few times there were 10-15 passengers maximum. My last flight was absolutely packed (a first) and even the cabin crew said they were not expecting a full load, so perhaps something happened but not sure where all the passengers came from. Service is usually quite good but not as generous as it was when they first started. Still glassware throughout the cabin. Have been a casualty of a plane going out of service leading to a significant delay but honestly I don't think any of my flights have ever left on-time. You just expect it. Flight crew are definitely not Bermudian and likely contracted, cabin crew appear to be a mix of contracted and local. Ground staff are mostly Menzies. Even the CEO is not Bermudian. The ex-BMI E175s are okay for the duration of the flights but seats do not recline. My trip this month is on the new E190, so will see what that is like. They expanded their fare options (from three to five) and what used to be 1 bag (70 lbs.) or 2 bags (70 lbs.) depending on fare base is now zero or 1 bag at 50 lbs. in economy. Business was 3 bags at 70 lbs. and is now depending on fare base 1 at 50 lbs. or 2 at 70 lbs. for the highest tier. I fly them for the convenience to land at HPN when I head back to the U.S. and hope they'll continue, but even what was two daily flights to HPN when they started, has become one and now six days a week. Through no fault of their own, they cannot even get their Bermudian air transport license and have just been granted exemptions because of staffing issues with the licensing panel. As the song goes, "Bermuda is another world." 🙂