As flagged by @IshrionA, this is a rather odd concept that seemingly came out of nowhere.
In this post:
The basics of airline startup Bermudair
A company named Bermudair has filed with the United States Department of Transportation (DOT), requesting a foreign air carrier permit. The airline startup wants to launch operations as soon as permission is granted.
Bermudair intends to initially fly two leased Embraer E175 aircraft. The planes have the registration codes VQ-BLU and BQ-BLW, and these are both roughly 10-year-old planes that used to operate for Flybe (which has gone out of business… twice). The planes do indeed show as having already been transfered to Bermudair, which is interesting.
Even more intriguing is that Bermudair intends to configure its E175s with just 30 business class seats. For context, while operating for Flybe, this planes had 88 economy class seats, so capacity will be cut by nearly two-thirds. Yow!
The airline has named three initial routes, as it intends to fly from Bermuda (BDA) to:
- Boston (BOS) — once per day, 6x weekly
- Fort Lauderdale (FLL) — once per day, 6x weekly
- White Plains (HPN) — twice per day, 6x weekly

For those wondering who is behind this airline, the CEO is Adam Scott, while the CFO is John Bavister. They’re both also behind Odyssey Airlines, which was an airline startup that intended to operate all-business class transatlantic flights from London City Airport (LCY) using Airbus A220s. That concept was initially unveiled over a decade ago, but the airline still hasn’t launched.
My take on the Bermudair business concept
I love writing about airline startups, regardless of how real they might be. To Bermudair’s credit, the airline has already filed with the US DOT and seems to have started the process of acquiring these two jets, which is a lot more than can be said about quite a few other “airline startups.” So this isn’t a teenager pulling a prank, with no intent of actually starting an airline.
That being said… this is a very strange business model, and I don’t see any planet on which this makes sense. A few thoughts:
- I suspect the reason for the 30 business class seats is so that the airline can be a Part 135 operator (similar to JSX), which means that pilots can be hired with fewer hours
- This would be a ridiculously spacious configuration, as the seat count would be reduced by roughly two-thirds; for example, with 88 seats there would be 22 rows in a 2-2 configuration, while with 30 seats you could have 10 rows in a 1-2 configuration, with seats having well over 60″ of pitch
- While I understand Bermuda has a fair bit of business demand (insurance, asset management, etc.), that alone doesn’t justify launching routes like this; these aren’t markets with New York to London levels of demand
- I just don’t get the economics of this concept; how are you going to fill 30-60 business class seats per day at high fares year-round between the United States and Bermuda?
This concept makes no sense to me, and I’d say odds that this airline won’t launch. I’d love to be wrong, of course, since this is an intriguing concept. But if you’re going to start an all-business class airline, it seems like Bermuda to the United States isn’t necessarily the first market you’d consider.
Bottom line
Bermudair is an airline startup that intends to operate all-business class flights between Bermuda and the United States using former Flybe Embraer E175s. Not only that, but the company intends to configure these planes in an all-business class layout, with just 30 seats.
This airline seems “serious,” in the sense that regulatory filings are being made, and planes are being leased. Whether or not the carrier actually launches is a different story, though…
What do you make of the Bermudair concept?
They have also started hiring flight attendants.
Their 1st plane is being painted now.
They should be able to charge less for a business class seat!
In addition to business many people travel to Boston for medical check ups and significant treatment that is not available in Bermuda (I.e heart surgery ) Bermuda Air will be a popular and welcome choice for this !
Wouldn't 15 rows in a 1-1 layout make much more sense?
That's what it'll be. Each seat has a side table.
I flew AMS-IAH return some years ago on KLM. They used a Privatair 737 configured with just 44-48 business class seats. Most enjoyable though strange to go transatlantic on a 737.
I think the 30 seats should not be compared to the 88 seats in a high density configuration (afaik, that’s the maximum for the E175). Probably an all business configuration would typically hold about 45 seats.
Seating is 1:1 - and it’s aimed at islanders / visitors who want a more personal service opposed to what they are getting from the US carriers serving the island .
Not that this matters as much as the viability of the whole operation, but with regard to seating… they could do 1-1 in 15 rows to fit 30 pax onboard which would probably be preferable over a 1-2 layout. Also, is London out of range for this type of aircraft to/from Bermuda?
Yes, it is. It exceeds the range of the E175 and it would require ETOPS certification
Too bad BDA-PDL also exceeds the range. A two stop HPN-BDA-PDA-LGW would be reminiscent of the 1950s.
NYC-YQX-KEF-LON anyone??
If HPN becomes a reality, I’m in. Can’t wait.
Fort Lauderdale ?? Really ?? I don't think so!
There is a reason the airline never launched.
More people fly through ATL daily than the entire population of Bermuda.
For people who thinks about asset management, insurance / reinsurance business.
You realize these are 'offshore' companies aka incorporated on paper.
Most of the employees in their tiny HQ or offices are accountants and lawyers (and more recently IT) not executives or associates who travel. Business between paper companies are done in...
There is a reason the airline never launched.
More people fly through ATL daily than the entire population of Bermuda.
For people who thinks about asset management, insurance / reinsurance business.
You realize these are 'offshore' companies aka incorporated on paper.
Most of the employees in their tiny HQ or offices are accountants and lawyers (and more recently IT) not executives or associates who travel. Business between paper companies are done in NY or CT. Which BDL would make more sense than BOS.
In terms of guessing traffic, maybe demoting few hundred employees per year to middle of nowhere island, with their SO. Pay isn't much better but nothing to spend money on so 2 trips a year back home.
That should fill what, 0.7 seats to each destination everyday?
You are spouting nonsense. The executives ARE in Bermuda and fill Every. Single. Business. Seat. Every. Single. Day. Especially on the NY flights. If you knew what you were talking about you’d know that the bulk of reinsurance “deals” must be inked in Bermuda for taxation purposes. I, for one, think this will be very successful for our business travelers and as another commenter mentioned - folks flying out for medical will definitely welcome these...
You are spouting nonsense. The executives ARE in Bermuda and fill Every. Single. Business. Seat. Every. Single. Day. Especially on the NY flights. If you knew what you were talking about you’d know that the bulk of reinsurance “deals” must be inked in Bermuda for taxation purposes. I, for one, think this will be very successful for our business travelers and as another commenter mentioned - folks flying out for medical will definitely welcome these flights - and pay out of pocket if need be for the comfort.
Too bad BDA-PDL also exceeds the range. A two stop HPN-BDA-PDA-LGW would be reminiscent of the 1950s.
NYC-YQX-KEF-LON anyone??
London would be a good destination.
I wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss it. Demand for business class by pax taking international vacations has never been higher. With what people are paying for a week at a luxury hotel in BDA, what’s a few thousand more to get there and back in luxury?
Any news of new airlines/routes brings out the amateur network planners at OMAAT!
Let me add to the nonsense.
They’re targeting the pink sand conglomerates!
Then you need to learn more about Bermuda. It is a FORCE behind many things, most things...
In Bermuda, seen Yoda you have.
Is the skiing trip report series ever going to be completed? Or does it just end with the Woodward Geneva?
Taxes on corporate income as of: 17 January 2023
Bermuda imposes no taxes on profits, income, dividends, or capital gains, has no limit on the accumulation of profit, and has no requirement to distribute dividends.
Lots of insurance / reinsurance business between BDA and NYC/BOS.
The fact they plan to fly to HPNis very telling for what market segment they’re after
For those of us not in the US and not familiar why would they fly twice a day to HPN?
Demographics.
Um, HPN is not an international airport...
Not a problem. BDA is a USA preclearance location.
Bermuda does a pretty good business in getting asset management firms to locate there.
You don't have to go more than a few miles from BOS (to the Financial District, where asset management (Fidelity, State Street, etc.) is the specialty), HPN (to Greenwich and it's hedge funds), or FLL (to Boca Raton, where those hedge funds that started in Greenwich decamp when the manager gets a tax bill from CT...) to find large concentrations of...
Bermuda does a pretty good business in getting asset management firms to locate there.
You don't have to go more than a few miles from BOS (to the Financial District, where asset management (Fidelity, State Street, etc.) is the specialty), HPN (to Greenwich and it's hedge funds), or FLL (to Boca Raton, where those hedge funds that started in Greenwich decamp when the manager gets a tax bill from CT...) to find large concentrations of assets under management.
Not saying it's a guaranteed winner, but it's similar to how I'd give a startup in Nigeria whose first two routes are to Houston and somewhere in the Gulf (DMM, BAH, DOH, DXB, AUH; implication: targeting the oil industry) better chances than one that just wants to offer nonstops to JFK and CDG or LHR.