
Bermudair has big plans for expansion, choosing the A220-300 as the backbone of an upgraded and up-gauged) fleet. The carrier confirmed a firm order for 10 aircraft on Wednesday at the Farnborough Air Show outside London.
The move dramatically increases seats per aircraft from the current E-Jet fleet. It also extends the range Bermudair can cover from its base in Bermuda. The airline describes plans to support “continued growth across Bermuda, the Caribbean, Central and North America, and the wider Atlantic region” with the fleet.
CEO Adam Scott also highlighted the passenger experience of the A220, noting its “spacious, quiet and comfortable cabin is perfectly aligned with the experience our guests have come to expect from us.”
To deliver that comfort on the A220 Bermudair will fit its fleet with 135 seats in a three-class configuration. That would be the fourth fewest seats on the type of 20 configurations flying. It is five more than Delta Air Lines and two fewer than Breeze Airways.
Alas, the super-premium seats it initially announced for its E-Jet fleet will not be part of the plan. Nor will any other more premium seats. Bermudair will not be installing a more premium 2-2 seating section on board. A spokesperson for the carrier confirms it will fly with 2-3 seating layout nose-to-tail.
The seats will be from Safran, likely the Z110i, similar to Breeze. But how will Bermudair deliver three classes of service all in the same seats?
Seat pitch will, of course, play into that. And with five fewer seats (one full row) than JetBlue, Bermudair has the opportunity to deliver a lot of legroom for some passengers. But that’s still probably only two classes of service. It will interesting to see of other on-board amenities play into the offering. Or perhaps just blocking some seats in those rows, Eurobiz-style, gets it done, with the flexibility to scale premium up and down quickly.
The company notes it will also include the XL overhead bins from Airbus, boosting carry-on bag capacity in the cabin.
Mention of “the wider Atlantic region” in the release is also notable. The A220’s range could reach bits of Western Europe, while the current E-Jets are limited to the east coast of North America and some Caribbean options nonstop from Bermuda. Demand in those markets is limited, but the smaller plane offers an efficient way to move passengers, even at its longer stage lengths.
The initial order includes 10 confirmed aircraft to be delivered and 10 additional options, with the first delivery anticipated in Q4 2027. The carrier indicates “plans to add up to 20 A220 aircraft by 2030.” The initial 10 aircraft were previously recorded by Airbus in March 2026.
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