May, company president Ned Homfeld announced yesterday.

And plans are in the works to operate the flights on a year-round schedule -- not just during the summer season.

"Things are pretty much on track,'' Mr. Homfeld told The Royal Gazette . "We are planning a late May start.'' Spirit originally planned to begin service to the Island last May but start-up delays led to a series of postponements.

Spirit officials are presently working to solve minor scheduling difficulties, continued Mr. Homfeld.

"There is a sizeable window when the aircraft will be under-utilised. We are exploring the possibility of using the aircraft on an inside rotation but this has not been finalised.'' The most likely scenario will see the flight leaving Detroit, stopping in Atlantic City and then visiting Bermuda. The plane would then head to a US destination, possibly Washington D.C. or Boston, before returning to Bermuda.

It would then fly to Atlantic City and return to Detroit.

Mr. Homfeld said he expected the scheduling details to be worked out within the next two weeks. "I think that we are about ten days away from a definitive answer.'' Numerous other flights serving the Atlantic City hub will be able to connect with the flight to Bermuda, he added.

This would help create a stable environment which suggested flights could be consistent year-round.

He pointed to the success Spirit Airlines was enjoying on its flights to Myrtle Beach as an example of what could happen in Bermuda.

In two years the airline had gone from providing one flight per day to Myrtle Beach to servicing the destination with flights from all over the US.

Spirit had accomplished this by working closely with agencies that promoted golf and entertainment holidays in Myrtle Beach using target marketing and direct mailings, said Mr. Homfeld.

The airline intended to offer the same effort to marketing Bermuda through partnerships with the Tourism Department, travel agents and wholesalers.

"When we go into a market, we try to grow it. We are very interested in making sure that our service to Bermuda is not a seasonal one,'' he stressed.

Mr. Homfeld said Spirit was set to sit down with Atlantic City tourism officials soon and would then hold meetings with the Bermuda Department of Tourism.

"We want to see about tapping into Bermuda's marketing,'' he said. "We are also working with TNT and some of the other wholesalers about marketing the Island.'' He revealed that he had met with TNT officials within the last fortnight.

Spirit would also be using direct mailings to its passengers to encourage them to fly to Bermuda.

Airline gears for Bermuda take-off Mr. Homfeld noted that Spirit had served the Island years ago when it offered day trips and shopping tours which were very successful.

During this time he had visited the Island often and enjoyed his time here "immensely''. "To me Bermuda is an ideal destination,'' he said.

He noted that Spirit would also be launching a major internal advertising campaign to fill its flights to the Island.

"I have to get my Bermuda disease infected in everyone who flies with us. One of our major emphasises will be on letting people know what Bermuda is like through our in-flight magazine.

"We need to introduce people to Bermuda who have not considered it before so we publicise it through our magazine specifically in the February and March issues. Our in-flight magazine gives us about a million impressions per month.'' He said the Department of Tourism and local hotels would also be encouraged to put information packages in seat-back pockets.

And Spirit will also be offering Bermudian travellers equal vacation opportunities.

The airline enjoys alliances with ten of the 12 resort properties in Atlantic City, including the Trump Taj Mahal and Caesars, so it will be able to offer Bermudians low-cost packages.

Locals will also be able to take advantage of the unique connections Spirit offers from Atlantic City as well, said Mr. Homfeld.