Bermudair: Strange New All-Business Class Airline Based In Bermuda

Bermudair: Strange New All-Business Class Airline Based In Bermuda

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As flagged by @IshrionA, this is a rather odd concept that seemingly came out of nowhere.

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
Proposed routes for Bermudair

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?

Conversations (31)
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  1. Heather Dawn Guest

    They have also started hiring flight attendants.

  2. David Roy Bogenhagen Guest

    Their 1st plane is being painted now.

  3. Markus Guest

    They should be able to charge less for a business class seat!

  4. Mark Pettingill Guest

    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 !

  5. Grey Diamond

    Wouldn't 15 rows in a 1-1 layout make much more sense?

    1. David Roy Bogenhagen Guest

      That's what it'll be. Each seat has a side table.

  6. Jim Cargill Guest

    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.

  7. Andy Diamond

    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.

  8. Luke Guest

    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 .

  9. Tom0706 New Member

    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?

    1. Dfk Guest

      Yes, it is. It exceeds the range of the E175 and it would require ETOPS certification

    2. Chet Guest

      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??

  10. Lee David Auerbach Esq. Guest

    If HPN becomes a reality, I’m in. Can’t wait.

  11. Gene Guest

    Fort Lauderdale ?? Really ?? I don't think so!

  12. Eskimo Guest

    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?

    1. Shells Guest

      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.

    2. Chet Guest

      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??

  13. SamB Diamond

    London would be a good destination.

  14. David Guest

    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?

  15. Never In Doubt Guest

    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!

  16. Jordan Diamond

    Then you need to learn more about Bermuda. It is a FORCE behind many things, most things...

  17. Julia Guest

    Is the skiing trip report series ever going to be completed? Or does it just end with the Woodward Geneva?

  18. justlanded Guest

    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.

  19. Bob Jones Guest

    Lots of insurance / reinsurance business between BDA and NYC/BOS.

  20. Kiwi Guest

    The fact they plan to fly to HPNis very telling for what market segment they’re after

    1. Nikojas Guest

      For those of us not in the US and not familiar why would they fly twice a day to HPN?

    2. snic Diamond

      Um, HPN is not an international airport...

    3. TravelCat2 Gold

      Not a problem. BDA is a USA preclearance location.

    4. Levi Diamond

      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.

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TravelCat2 Gold

Not a problem. BDA is a USA preclearance location.

2
Bob Jones Guest

Lots of insurance / reinsurance business between BDA and NYC/BOS.

2
Kiwi Guest

The fact they plan to fly to HPNis very telling for what market segment they’re after

2
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