The new airport will be up and running by early December, it was revealed this morning.

The airport is scheduled to take its first flights on December 9 after “substantial completion” was announced by airport operators Skyport, contractor Aecon and the Canadian Commercial Corporation.

Aaron Adderley, the president of Skyport, said: “Achieving this milestone would not have been possible without the dedicated construction personnel who have proudly and tirelessly worked on the site for the past 3½ years and to whom we extend our sincere appreciation.

“Over the past six months, the workforce, a majority of which were Bermudian, remained focused, even during a global pandemic and two hurricanes.”

A total of 885 Bermudians have worked on the site since construction started in 2017 and about 400 island companies got a business boost from the massive job.

Steve Nackan, the president of Aecon Concessions, which built and financed the terminal, said: “The Aecon team is proud to have worked alongside so many talented Bermudians to deliver this world class airport for Bermuda.

“Completing construction on this critical infrastructure project is a remarkable accomplishment and we thank the Government of Bermuda, the Canadian Commercial Corporation, our lenders and all the individuals that have contributed to this success.

“We are a proud investor in Bermuda - in this critical infrastructure project, but also through ongoing social investments to positively impact Bermuda’s economy.”

Skyport added the new 228,000 sq ft terminal will speed up the processing of passengers, be more resistant to extreme weather and have modern amenities.

The company said it would also be more energy efficient, have more security and have proper air bridges linking aircraft to the terminal.

Skyport added that the new airport would be in line with the latest US requirements for passenger pre-clearance for travel to America.

A spokeswoman said: “This service, present in Bermuda for nearly 50 years, is extremely beneficial to passengers and provides the island with a competitive advantage when seeking new air services to and from the United States.”

Lester Nelson, the CEO of the Bermuda Airport Authority, added the organisation was “very pleased” the airport was close to its debut.

He added: “The authority appreciates the hard work and collaboration by all those involved in the project, including the airport authority’s team and technical adviser Stantec, Skyport, Aecon, CCC, construction workers and Government stakeholders.”

Ernie Briard, the interim president and CEO of CCC, said: “We are grateful to the people of Bermuda and the Bermuda Airport Authority for placing their trust in Aecon and CCC.

“The people of Bermuda will soon have a modern international airport that reflects their identity and their aspirations for economic prosperity.

“The government of Canada, through CCC, is extremely proud to have partnered with the Government of Bermuda in this critical infrastructure endeavour and we know that our friendship has been formidably strengthened throughout this project.”

The next phase of completion, which started earlier this month, involves operational trials and tests on airport systems to make sure the opening day goes without a hitch.