'Sterilised' in Bermuda - Royal Gazette

Created: Apr 19, 2022 07:58 AM

Dear Sir,

My wife and I visited Bermuda again this month. I think it was our 35th visit and I have a few comments regarding the new airport terminal.

First, the good news is that we appreciated the enclosed jetways; no more using outdoor stairs was very nice.

However, the bad news outweighs the good. Upon arrival, we both agreed that the Bermuda kites hanging from the ceiling was a nice touch, especially before “kite-flying Good Friday”. The rest of the arrival area reminded me of a hospital: all white and no colour, except for a large-screen television showing Bermuda scenes. What we especially missed was wood; there was no sign of any wood trim, in particular Bermuda cedar.

The best word to describe the arrival area is “sterile”.

The new airport terminal experience has not been universally well received (Photograph by Akil Simmons)

After a week on your wonderful island, we returned to the terminal to fly home. Both the check-in area and the Customs areas were functional and everything moved along well. The upstairs departure lounge area was a huge disappointment. It was larger than the old facility, with more gates and increased seating areas, but the good ended there.

The old terminal had a couple Bermuda restaurants and a bar. The old gift shop section also offered Bermuda items and a Bermuda-run “duty free” liquor store. The new shopping area offered so few genuine “Bermuda” items, we left without spending a penny.

There were items labelled “Bermuda” or “Love Bermuda”, such as chocolates, lotions and liquor. However, I did not see the words “Gosling” or “Lili” anywhere. I did see “Bermuda champagne”, and “Hamilton Gin” or “Paget Gin”. I wonder when or where Bermuda has a vineyard or a gin distillery? Any sign of duty free-priced liquor was missing. In all honesty, I will guess that 90 per cent of what was on the gift-shop shelves came right from the container ship to the airport gift shop.

Bermuda has rich traditions and a personality all its own. Although the new terminal is functional, it provides a visitor with absolutely no clue of what Bermuda is really about. I strongly suggest that the airport management let a few real Bermudians in to do some much needed redecoration.

JOHN PUZINE

Port Charlotte, Florida

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