A Bermudian-based airline planning to provide daily flights to New York is pushing authorities in the United States to give it the go-ahead for a take-off date this month.

BermudAir was granted an air operating certificate by the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority last week, but is still dependent on a green light from the US Department of Transportation before it is allowed to launch.

At a press conference last week, Adam Scott, the company’s chief executive, was reluctant to say if or when that authorisation will be approved. Pressed by The Royal Gazette, Mr Scott said that approval was “imminent”.

According to industry press reports, correspondence between BermudAir’s legal team and US transport officials shows that the company — which hopes to corner the market in well-heeled business travellers — is pressing for a launch date of August 25.

An article on the FlightGlobal website on Friday states: “In a 26 July letter to the US Department of Transportation, BermudAir stresses the urgent need for immediate action to approve its application for a foreign air carrier permit, given that authority is critical to the start-up of operations.”

The report also reveals that BermudAir is looking to fly to White Plains in Westchester County, New York, six days a week, with additional flights to Florida and Boston.

FlightGlobal’s report was backed up by another industry trade magazine, CH Aviation.

An article headlined “BermudAir secures AOC; preps for launch” said that the start-up’s lawyer, Glenn Wicks, had written to US transport officials last week demanding that its AOC application be rubber-stamped immediately.

The article reads in part: “In a letter to the US Department of Transportation, BermudAir’s lawyer Glenn Wicks confirmed the start-up was granted its AOC on July 25. The carrier now requests that the department urgently grant the airline's pending May 5 application for an exemption and US foreign air carrier permit.”

The article went on: “BermudAir plans to start scheduled services between Bermuda and the United States on August 25 after being granted an air operator’s certificate by the Bermuda Civil Aviation Authority, a regulatory filing reveals.

“Wicks said  BermudAir would start commercial services with two 30-seater E175SDs in an executive layout. It plans twice-daily, six days weekly services between Bermuda and Westchester County/White Plains, and once-daily/six-weekly services between Bermuda and Boston and Fort Lauderdale International. He said that BermudAir may expand the proposed services and use other aircraft in the future.”

Legal documents obtained by The Royal Gazette show that BermudAir first applied for a US licence almost  three months ago.

In a letter dated May 5  to the Department of Transportation in Washington, Mr Wicks wrote: “BermudAir, a foreign air carrier of the United Kingdom Overseas Territory of Bermuda, hereby applies for exemption authority and a foreign air carrier permit to conduct international scheduled and charter air transportation of passengers, property and mail.

“BermudAir intends to start operating the proposed services as soon as it is so authorised by the Government of Bermuda and the Government of the United States, and is planning to initiate a scheduled six days a week, twice-daily passenger service between Bermuda and Westchester County, New York, and a six days a week, once-daily passenger service between Bermuda and Boston, and Fort Lauderdale, Florida using Embraer E170-200 STD aircraft equipped with 30 premium seats.”

The document also revealed that the company has Bermuda-based backers. Although Mr Scott owns 50 per cent of shares in the company, other owners include former XL chief Brian O’Hara, who has a 5 per cent stake, along with the Gibbons family, also on 5 per cent.