first run today.

Bermuda Air Charters Ltd. is taking over from British Airways, whose Bermuda-Gatwick service stopped continuing to Tampa last week.

Unlike BA, though, whose service was passenger-dominated, BAC's service will be for freight only.

One of the most important advantages for local importers is that BAC virtually guarantees that no cargo will be bumped off their plane.

"The bad old days of cargo being bumped off planes at the last minute should be over,'' said Mr. William Forbes, BAC's vice president.

"We have done an enormous amount of studying and devised a system which virtually guarantees that this will never happen on our service. In fact, `No Bumping' should really be our motto.'' This is music to the ears of Bermuda's long-suffering importers who have for years had to put up with airlines removing cargo at the eleventh hour.

This was done because airlines have to meet legal requirements, which change according to weather conditions. Whenever passenger-carrying airlines are told to make planes lighter, cargo is the first item to go.

"We've been overwhelmed by the amount of interest from local importers,'' said Mr. Forbes. "Bumping has been one of the perennial problems for them for a long time.'' BAC is leasing a DC 8/62 air plane from Miami-based Arrow Air, which will be able to carry 83,000 pounds of cargo on each trip.

The air plane will run every Tuesday, leaving Miami at 7.30 a.m., Tampa at 11 a.m. and arriving in Bermuda at 2.30 p.m.

The If BAC knows for certain two days before each flight that more space is needed, the company will almost always have access to a larger air plane owned by the same leasing company.

The DC8 has a ten-and-a-half-feet wide cargo door, enabling it to carry heavy-duty freight. For example, BAC has already arranged to carry four Boston Whaler boats on one flight and is offering to carry all manner of large items, including cars and livestock.

Another advantage over a predominantly passenger service is that the temperature in the cargo hold can be dropped to lower temperatures, giving some food items a longer shelf life.

Bermuda Air Charters, which is 66 percent Bermudian-owned, is being run by Mr.

Forbes, a former manager of Pan Am's Bermuda office, and businessman Mr. Brian Foster.