AA To Fly Philadelphia To Bermuda Year Round
[Updated with videos] American Airlines “plans to boost their services to Bermuda,” Minister of Tourism, Transport & Municipalities Michael Fahy said, as “AA will now connect Philadelphia to Bermuda year round, bringing its winter service back on line.
“American will offer once-a-week service from Philadelphia from January 14 to April 1, at which time it will begin offering daily service through the peak summer season,” the Minister said. “The Saturday-only winter flight ensures that American has year-round service from its Mid-Atlantic hub for the first time since 2013.
“The airline will operate a 128-seat Airbus 319 aircraft, departing Philadelphia at 10:30 a.m. arriving at 1:48 p.m. The return flight departs Bermuda at 3:05 p.m. arriving in Philadelphia at 4:34 p.m.”
Minister Michael Fahy said, “A healthy tourism economy makes for a healthy Bermuda. For the first time in a generation, Bermudians can anticipate tourism actually growing its contribution to the Bermudian economy. This, after decades of a steady erosion in its economic importance.
“Recently, the Bermuda Tourism Authority announced that air arrivals and visitor spending were up, year over year, for the second consecutive quarter, improving hotel occupancy.
“We expect another announcement soon that underscores that positive direction.
“Nearly eight in ten of those growing our tourism numbers are younger people – under 45 years old. That is encouraging news for the prospect of repeat visitors.
“All in all, more vacationers visited the island in the first six months of this year than for the same period of any year since 2008.
“And we believe that a rebound in the economies of Canada and Europe, new hotel development, America’s Cup and other significant sporting events will help boost future arrivals.
“The Bermuda Tourism Authority [BTA] has worked with our fantastic guest properties, the world’s leading airlines and various other organisations to put Bermuda back on the map for vacation destinations. But they are the first to note that this is just a start.
“A successful tourism year comes from the contributions of the many. It is important to emphasise that the BTA needs our help.
“We must reach back into our history when we instinctively projected the notion that tourism was about all of us….a kinder, gentler time when Bermudians – all Bermuda residents – went out of their way to be helpful and accommodating to our tourists.
“We all need to do our part. Stronger tourism creates jobs and a brighter future for all us all. Stronger tourism also brings more air lift.
“I am therefore very pleased indeed to announce that American Airlines [AA] – one of our leading airline partners – plans to boost their services to Bermuda.
“AA will now connect Philadelphia to Bermuda year round, bringing its winter service back on line. American will offer once-a-week service from Philadelphia from January 14 to April 1, at which time it will begin offering daily service through the peak summer season.
“The Saturday-only winter flight ensures that American has year-round service from its Mid-Atlantic hub for the first time since 2013.
“The airline will operate a 128-seat Airbus 319 aircraft, departing Philadelphia at 10:30 a.m. arriving at 1:48 p.m. The return flight departs Bermuda at 3:05 p.m. arriving in Philadelphia at 4:34 p.m.
“The announcement represents a shift in winter scheduling strategy and comes less than a year after AA decided to introduce a second daily service out of New York’s JFK.
“The Ministry has been working with Airport General Manager Aaron Adderley, putting our case to major airlines and we are happy to have had some success.
“This is a culmination of the efforts of the Airport Operations, the BTA and the Ministry working together with this arrangement being sealed following our trip to American Airlines headquarters in Dallas, Texas earlier this summer.
“We are optimistic of further airlift development in the future. We have been encouraged by the growing level of interest airlines have shown in the island.
“Cruise ship interest and new partnerships represent further evidence that we are moving tourism forward.
“We’ve also spent a considerable amount of time talking to hoteliers where we equally find a favourable mood.
“We will also pursue our Parliamentary agenda in promoting tourism, including the unveiling of the Tourism Investment Act. We are hoping for a double-digit increase in air visitor arrivals.
“Any increased airlift out of gateway markets, particularly during the shoulder months when the Bermuda Tourism Authority is especially keen to drive demand, is a tremendous boost.
“So the AA winter flight augurs well for our efforts to sustain tourism growth as we head toward The America’s Cup in the coming summer.”
Not sure of the value of Saturday only flight starting Jan. 14. We need Thursday and Sunday or Friday and Monday flights from Philly.
1 flight a week? What was it before the OBA came into office?
From April 1st daily flights.
In decline
And just saw on de news that de Transit Workers are on strike in the City of Brotherly Love.
Mmmmmmmmm
Keep it rolling BTA/OBA
I think you may celebrate too much about 1 flight a week.
I think you intentionally ignored the fact that it will be daily during our peak season.
I think you are ignoring the fact that this really isn’t new…The Philly flight had been going on for over a decade, daily in the high season, 3 times a week in the Low.. It was in 2013 for the first time that they cut back…Once every Saturday is not really a celebration to me, a news bite, but certainly not a press conference.
From April 1st it will be a daily flight.
Great news! This isn’t one of things where we pay an empty plane to fly here right?
BINGO! Ask the oba to tell you how much this cost the tax payer after the contract was signed in blood.
WAY TO GO OBA!!
So where you celebrating when de other Government did de same thing and better.
LMFAO
All you ever do is lie , why don’t you drink a forty and lie down.
There are more and more flights coming to bermuda but i’d like to know WHEN WILL THERE BE NIGHT FLIGHTS TO AND FROM airlines will make more money if there was NIGHT FLIGHTS TO AND FROM
reminds me of USA3000. Loved their departure times and flights.
NIGHT FLIGHS TO AND FROM WHEN WILL WE GET THAT ?
Hoping one day soon to see another flight to/from Atlanta. Delta charge ridiculous prices to get there because they have no competition.
AA should be ashmed of themselves for letting go of all those hard working Bermudians.
Lol – Is this all you can eek out Minister? The resumption of a regular route from the past…. one day a week?
I’d be impressed with you telling me that Virgin or Lufthansa will begin service from Europe, not too impressed with a once per week flight from one of our Legacy cities…
He did not tell you how much all these new airline arrangements are costing the taxpayer – these chaps always have something to hide. How much of a subsidy are we giving the airlines. Subsidy for airlines plus Acon and CCC – more debt.
See how much money you save by not drinkin…
I’d like to see an evening flight to NYC. You got a AA in the morning, 3( Delta, AA, Jetblue) between 12-1pm.