Transport Minister Dr. Brown says Bermuda has made a breakthrough in trying to lure budget US airline Jet Blue.

However he said even if talks went well it would be 2004 before flights started running from New York.

Government has been lobbying the US company for more than 18 months.

Dr. Brown told The Royal Gazette last night: "We have recently been in touch with them and we are happy that Bermuda has moved on to being a 'very good possibility' in plans for 2004. Before it was just on the radar.

"It was indicated in correspondence recently that Bermuda is now a good possibility for 2004."

The Minister said company executives intended to visit at the end of the summer to discuss entering the Bermuda market.

"It would be a major coup for us. Not only would it provide competition on the New York to Bermuda run, it would also introduce lower fares," said Dr. Brown.

"That's one of our major objectives, to decrease costs of getting to Bermuda."

He said if a deal was signed New York, JFK would most likely be the destination as it was the hub airport of the Jet Blue empire.

Asked about the latest development Dr. Brown said: "I don't know what did it. I imagine they have always had an interest in Bermuda.

"It's just a matter of them growing so rapidly and trying to make sure they have controlled their growth. Their domestic schedule has increased markedly over the past 12 months."

"Internationally, their only other destination is San Juan."

Last October Dr. Brown said he was confident he would land Jet Blue before the summer of 2003.

Jet Blue began as a private company more than three years ago and quickly established itself as an efficient airline with healthy profits.

The first public offering in April 2000 saw its stock soar $67 by close of trading on the first day.