problems.

And the inaugural flight of a chartered Boeing 727 from Hartford, Connecticut to Bermuda bearing merchandise for shelves Island-wide should arrive this week.

About a dozen importers are signed on for the approximately $25,000 joint venture with Bermuda Forwarders.

Bermuda Forwarders' international air and sea cargo manager William Forbes said: "This has literally come together just now. It does indeed look like we will have an operation.'' Originally a two-flight-a week deal with international cargo carriers Emery Worldwide was envisioned.

Bermuda would be serviced on Tuesdays and Thursdays by a stretched version of the McDonnell Douglas DC8 capable of carrying more than 100,000 lbs of cargo per trip.

However some changes had to be made once enthusiasm amongst importers waned following the Christmas-season.

And the revised plan will see a Boeing 727, with a capacity of around 35,000 lbs, flying between Bermuda and Hartford on either Wednesdays or Thursdays.

It will be operated by mail contract specialists Express One.

Mr. Forbes said: "Everyone was enthusiastic after Christmas but now they are hedging their bets. We can only sell to the market what the market thinks it can use. This is a group operation. We are in it together.

"If they don't believe that they have as much cargo as they did a few months ago, we can not force them to have it.'' He added that beside the post-holiday season slump, importers had also found alternative ways of importing goods relieving their need for the charter freight service.

However the new service would still "pick up the slack'' at the end of the week, he noted.

And Mr. Forbes vowed to increase capacity if demand warranted it.

The need for the service arose after Delta Airlines axed its wide-bodied jets for the winter season. This reduced air freight capacity by around 80 per cent and provoked problems for the retail trade, especially for purveyors of fresh produce like fish, meat and flowers.