Bermuda welcomes first air travellers

i By July 7, 2020 No Comments

Air Canada was the first international airline to touchdown in Bermuda when the mid-Atlantic island began welcoming air visitors back on July 1, 2020. Bermuda currently has no COVID-19 cases but has introduced a robust set of screening protocols that must be observed.

The Air Canada flight from Toronto landed on July 2. Delta Airlines resumed service to L.F. Wade International Airport on July 6. British Airways is set to resume service from London starting July 17, and the UK Government included Bermuda on its list of places their residents can visit this summer and be exempt from quarantine upon arrival back to England. JetBlue will restart service from New York’s JFK airport as well as Boston on August 1. And, Canada’s WestJet will add in service from Toronto to the island beginning August 6.

“At a time when international travel is limited for many Americans, the island is a beautiful, close and comfortable option for those in need of an unforgettable escape,” said Victoria Isley, chief sales and marketing officer, Bermuda Tourism Authority. “Bermuda offers guests an accessible, safe destination with wide-open spaces and pink sand beaches, clean ocean breezes and brilliant turquoise waters, plus meaningful cultural connections and fresh island fare.”

The opening of the country to air travellers is accompanied by the opening of several properties. Rosewood Bermuda, The Loren Hotel, Royal Palms, Grape Bay Cottages and more opened their doors to guests on July 1. A full list of properties already open and other anticipated opening dates is available on the travel alert page on gotobermuda.com.

To protect Bermuda’s community as well as travellers, mandatory health security protocols are in place. These include:

  • Within 48 hours of departure, travellers must complete the Bermuda travel authorization process online;
  • no more than five days before departure, visitors must take a PCR COVID-19 test and obtain a negative result;
  • visitors must wear facemasks and practice physical distancing at the airport, in-flight and upon arrival to the greatest extent possible;
  • during their visit to Bermuda, visitors must take their own temperature twice per day and report via online application/portal;
  • visitors are required to take a COVID-19 test, administered on Day 3, Day 7 and Day 14 at easily accessible pop-up testing centres;
  • and visitors must comply with restrictions on gatherings to a maximum of 50 people and follow a nightly curfew from midnight to 5:00 a.m.