travellers from America's Mid-Western states -- into gear on March 15.

Spirit Airlines' spokesman Mark Kahan spoke to The Royal Gazette yesterday after meetings with US travel wholesalers and local tourism officials.

Talks went very well, he said. He was waiting for some data from the Tourism Department.

When that came through, Spirit would prepare a detailed marketing plan for its flights between Atlantic City and the Island.

Mr. Kahan said Michigan-based Spirit planned to go after travellers in cities without non-stop service to Bermuda including Pittsburgh, Cleveland and its hometown of Detroit.

Spirit would offer these travellers more convenient connections to Bermuda - which the airline felt was a lot nicer than other places it served.

These places -- including Myrtle Beach, Tampa and Orlando -- would obviously compete with Bermuda, he continued, and none of them would be more expensive.

However Spirit was prepared to work harder to get people to come to the Island.

Mr. Kahan pointed out that Spirit president Ned Homfeld had chosen Bermuda for his airline's first over-water run because he loved the Island.

Mr. Homfeld used to sell the Island as a tour operator working in Boston about eight years ago, explained Mr. Kahan.

And Spirit felt the run would be successful as people in the Mid-West states did not have easy access to beaches -- something people on the east coast of the US took for granted.

A lot of these people were upscale and affluent travellers, noted Mr. Kahan, and this made Bermuda an ideal location.

Marketing is expected to be ready to start up in the fall which was when travel wholesalers put out their brochures for the coming season, he continued.

Spirit also intended to arrange a few familiarisation trips for travel agents before service began on March 15.

The airline originally planned to start up its service this year but had to postpone it on three occasions.

It intended to operate five flights per week to the Island with fares starting as low as $140 for one way travel and Mr. Kahan said these details were not expected to change.

Spirit also intends to offer a number of different packages for local travellers heading to Atlantic City, he continued.

These were due to be finalised by the fall as well but would be flexible to suit local demand, he said.

Mr. Kahan said Spirit's experience with Atlantic City was that it was not the type of destination that was booked in advance.

Although local travel agents would have the necessary information to arrange flights starting in September, Mr. Kahan said he did not expect any action before next year.

And he said he had seen that airfares to and from the Island were relatively high in comparison to what US travellers could pay to go elsewhere.

"I think people will like what we have to offer,'' he continued.

While Spirit was not a low cost carrier, he explained, it was an affordable carrier which did not skimp on service.