HAMILTON, Bermuda — Tourism officials have called it “disappointing” news after low-cost carrier JetBlue Airways announced it is to axe its direct air service to Boston, a major US gateway city, at the end of this month.
Image courtesy of The Royal Gazette.The two-hour flight to Boston is a popular link for Bermudian students in America as well as for residents seeking medical treatment at hospitals in Massachusetts that is mostly unavailable at home.
Rival carrier Delta Air Lines stopped flying to Bermuda from Boston at the start of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic in March of last year.
In a joint statement, the Bermuda Tourism Authority (BTA) and Bermuda Airport Authority (BAA) called it “disappointing”, adding “the loss of direct service from a major market is unfortunate.”
They said there was “no reason to doubt that the service will resume in the spring of 2022”.
JetBlue has been offering six flights a week from Boston to Bermuda, a service that dates back to 2006.
The BAA and BTA were said to be “cautiously optimistic” that the Delta service to Boston would resume next year.
“Since the onset of the pandemic, Delta has not yet restarted its Boston to Bermuda service. We are actively pursuing opportunities for additional airlift from gateway cities.
“The BTA, BAA, the Ministry of Transport, and our partners are in discussions with carriers to explore alternatives to fill the gap left by the cessation of the Boston-Bermuda route.”
