The island’s air service, which now caters to seven destinations, is looking to double its capacity with a third aircraft to join the fleet “before the year ends, and a fourth early next year”, chief executive Adam Scott said today.

As BermudAir celebrated one year since its maiden flight, Mr Scott added: “Our team has been looking at and analysing routes all the time — there’s a number that are potentially attractive for us.

“A personal ambition of mine would be to fly to the UK in the not so distant future, but we’re probably some time away from that.

“Otherwise, there are a number of great cities on the eastern seaboard of the US and Canada that we would love to service.”

The company now flies to Halifax and Toronto in Canada, and in the United States serves Boston, Westchester in New York, Orlando and Fort Lauderdale in Florida, and Baltimore.

Mr Scott said part of the company’s original vision had been “to focus on airports and terminals that provide a great experience”.

He added: “That’s why with Boston, we fly to Terminal E, and why with Florida we fly to Fort Lauderdale.

“There are certain markets, the obvious one being New York, where there are other airports that we are really keen to look at so we can provide better service from Bermuda and to those coming to the island.

“I look forward to a day when, literally, you can do a day trip to New York, shop on Fifth Avenue, and get back to Bermuda in time for dinner.

“Similarly there is also opportunity in markets like Boston and elsewhere for a similar kind of schedule and additional airports.”

Mr Scott acknowledged that BermudAir had faced challenges leading to flight cancellations in its first year of operation but added: “I was looking at a report this morning, and we’ve actually had a fantastic summer so far.

“Last month was the first that we did not have any cancellations for technical issues to the aircraft.”

He said that April had marked a low point when both aircraft got hit with technical problems at the same time.

Mr Scott added: “That’s not an indication of the team’s relentless pursuit of perfection. It was just really bad luck.

“I have to say that personally I’m so pleased and appreciative the community rallied behind us and supported us through that.”

BermudAir was initially envisaged as a boutique airline that would cater to high-end travellers.

Mr Scott said: “Everybody knows that our model has adjusted and pivoted because we have learnt a lot more about the island and a lot more about where the market is.”

Addressing a gathering of staff with Skyport and Bermuda Airport Authority officials outside BermudAir’s office in LF Wade International Airport, Mr Scott said: “I’m really pleased and proud to be here a year on.

“We’ve had over 2,000 flights, we’ve carried tens of thousands of passengers to and from Bermuda, and we’ve got an amazing team of about 90 staff.

“I’m told 85 per cent of them are based here in Bermuda, which is pretty outstanding, and of course, every year, we have more and more Bermudians.”

He said BermudAir would continue collaborating with local partners to “promote Bermuda, and make Bermuda a destination of choice”, year-round for travellers.

“The impetus with BermudAir is to increase the passenger flow to Bermuda.

“When I first got involved with this and started looking at Bermuda and fell in love with Bermuda, it astounded me that nobody knew how close Bermuda was.”

Mr Scott said the message for travellers in the northeastern US and Canada was that “in less than a couple of hours, you can be in paradise”.

He vowed to “increase the number of destinations served, to make the island more accessible — but also to make the US, Canada and perhaps Europe and elsewhere in the longer term more accessible for Bermudians”.

Mr Scott added: “It’s a small island, but it’s got big potential. We are a small airline, but we have got big potential too.”