Icelandair facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Icelandair

Founded	3 June 1937; 88 years ago (1937-06-03)
Hubs	Keflavík International Airport
Focus cities	Reykjavík Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Saga Club
Fleet size	45 (passenger & cargo)
Destinations	60
Parent company	Icelandair Group
Headquarters	Reykjavík Airport Reykjavík, Iceland
Key people	Bogi Nils Bogason (CEO)
Revenue	$1.524 billion (2023)
Net income	$11 million (2023)
Employees	3,638 (2023)

Icelandair is the main airline of Iceland. Its main office is at Reykjavík Airport in the capital city of Reykjavík. Icelandair is part of the Icelandair Group. It flies to many places across the Atlantic Ocean. Its main airport hub is Keflavík International Airport.

Iceland's location is perfect for flights that stop once between North America and Europe. This "Atlantic Bridge" route is a big part of Icelandair's business. They also fly people to, from, and within Iceland.

History of Icelandair

Early Years as Flugfélag Íslands

Icelandair (formerly Flugsyn, Loftleidir) Douglas DC-3 (TF-NPK) at Reykjavík in August 2017

The first Flugfélag Íslands Douglas DC-4, called Gullfaxi, arriving at London Heathrow Airport in June 1953

Icelandair started way back in 1937. It was first called Flugfélag Akureyrar and was based in Akureyri. They began flying in 1938 with one Waco YKS-7 plane. This plane was a floatplane, meaning it could land on water.

In 1939, the airline stopped flying when their plane was damaged. The company then moved to Reykjavík. In 1940, they got a new plane and started again as Flugfélag Íslands. This name means Flight Company of Iceland. For international flights, they used the name Iceland Airways.

The airline grew its fleet with more planes. In 1944, they got a Consolidated PBY Catalina. This was the first plane registered in Iceland to be flown there by an Icelandic crew from North America. On July 11, 1945, this plane made the airline's first commercial flight across the Atlantic. It flew from Reykjavík to Scotland.

In 1946, they started regular flights to Scotland and Denmark. They used Consolidated B-24 Liberator planes. Also in 1946, they started using Douglas DC-3 planes for flights within Iceland. These planes were used until 1972.

Until the late 1960s, Flugfélag mostly focused on flights inside Iceland. But they also kept flying internationally. In 1948, they added the Douglas DC-4 for international routes. In 1957, they got two Vickers Viscount planes. These were the first turboprop planes used by an Icelandic airline. In the 1950s, Flugfélag started using the name Icelandair for flights outside Iceland.

Icelandair Vickers Viscount at London Heathrow Airport in 1962

In 1967, Flugfélag was the first Icelandic airline to use jet age planes. They started flying a Boeing 727-100 called Gullfaxi. They used this type of plane until 1990.

The Story of Loftleiðir

Another airline, Loftleiðir, started in 1944. Three young pilots who had trained in Canada formed it. The name Loftleiðir means "Skyways." They first flew within Iceland using small planes.

Loftleiðir began flying internationally in 1947. Soon, they were competing with Flugfélag. In 1952, the Icelandic government tried to make the two airlines merge. When that didn't work, the government divided the domestic routes. Loftleiðir then stopped flying within Iceland and focused on international flights.

In 1953, Loftleiðir started offering low-fare flights across the North Atlantic. This made them a pioneer for future low-cost carriers. In the late 1960s, Loftleiðir bought another airline, International Air Bahama. They also helped start Cargolux, a cargo airline. In 1970, Loftleiðir started using Douglas DC-8 jet planes.

During these years, many people called Loftleiðir "the Hippie Airline." This was because it was popular with young travelers from America going to Europe. They liked the affordable flights. Even future U.S. president Bill Clinton flew with them.

Icelandair is Formed

During the 1970s, both Flugfélag Íslands and Loftleiðir faced money problems. The Icelandic government tried again to merge the two airlines. After long talks, they finally merged in 1973. In 1975, the government gave the new company a loan.

A new company called Flugleiðir was created. This company brought the two airlines together. They started to combine staff and flights. Most of their flights were international trips across the Atlantic. In 1979, Flugfélag Íslands and Loftleiðir officially became one airline. They were renamed Icelandair.

Icelandair After the Merger

A pair of Icelandair Douglas DC-8s at Luxembourg-Findel Airport in 1983

A Boeing 727 of Icelandair approaches London Heathrow Airport in 1983

In 1980, the Icelandic government gave Icelandair a loan because of money troubles.

An Icelandair Boeing 737-400 at Faro Airport in 1992

Icelandair's planes stayed mostly the same for a while. In the 1990s, the Boeing 757-200 became their main plane for transatlantic flights. Smaller planes like the Fokker 50 and Boeing 737 were used for European flights.

By 1997, over one million passengers flew with Icelandair. They were known as a "backpacker airline" for affordable travel. In the same year, they started changing their flight network. Instead of a main hub in Luxembourg, they began flying directly from Reykjavík to many European cities.

In 1997, Icelandair's domestic flights became a separate company called Air Iceland Connect. This allowed Icelandair to focus only on international flights. In 1999, they changed their plane design to look more modern. This was to attract business travelers. In 2001, Icelandair's main hub moved to Keflavík International Airport.

The September 11 attacks in 2001 affected Icelandair. They mostly fly to North America, so the airspace closures had a big impact. Between 2002 and 2005, the company was reorganized. Icelandair became the most important part of the new Icelandair Group.

Recent Developments Since 2010

Like many Icelandic companies, Icelandair faced challenges during the 2008–11 Icelandic financial crisis. But they were recovering well. Then, in 2010, the 2010 eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull caused big problems. Volcanic ash closed much of Europe's airspace.

Icelandair tried to keep flying as much as possible. They kept their Keflavík hub open. When Keflavík also closed, Icelandair moved its operations to Glasgow, Scotland, for ten days. They flew from there and used buses to get people to Reykjavík.

After the eruption, the Icelandic government started the "Inspired by Iceland" campaign. This campaign helped people feel safe traveling to Iceland again. Icelandair was a big part of this effort.

In 2011, Icelandair was named "The Knowledge Company" of the year. Its CEO, Birkir Hólm Guðnason, was named "Man of the Year" in Icelandic business. This showed how skilled and well-led the company was.

Expanding Flight Routes

Icelandair continued to add new destinations. In 2011, they started flying to Washington, D.C. Then came Denver in 2012 and Anchorage in 2013. This brought their total U.S. cities to eight. In 2012, Icelandair also started domestic flights again. They connected Akureyri to their Keflavík hub through their Air Iceland subsidiary.

From 2009 to 2014, their flights doubled. New places in 2014 included Edmonton and Vancouver in Canada, and Geneva.

In 2014, Icelandair showed off a special plane. It was a Boeing 757-200 called Hekla Aurora. It was painted with an Icelandic winter scene and the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). Inside, LED lights made the cabin look like the aurora. This plane flew to all of Icelandair's destinations.

In 2015, Birmingham became Icelandair's fifth city in the UK. They also started flights to Portland, Oregon, and Chicago O’Hare. In 2016, they added flights to Paris Orly Airport and Montréal–Trudeau Airport. In 2017, they added Philadelphia and Tampa.

In May 2017, Icelandair showed another special plane. This Boeing 757-200 was called Vatnajökull. It was painted to look like Europe's largest glacier. This celebrated Icelandair's 80th birthday.

Since the 1960s, Icelandair has offered a special deal. Passengers flying between North America and Europe can stopover in Iceland for up to seven days. This costs no extra money. In 2014, they started the #MyStopover campaign to tell more people about this offer.

In 2018, Icelandair added flights to Kansas City and Dallas Ft. Worth. In 2020, Icelandair's share capital increased. The Icelandic government also guaranteed a loan for the airline. In 2021, Air Iceland Connect merged with Icelandair. Now, all domestic and international flights are under the Icelandair brand.

Inflight Service

Cabins and Entertainment

Economy cabin aboard an Icelandair Boeing 737 MAX 8

Economy cabin aboard an Icelandair Boeing 757-200

Icelandair has three types of tickets: Economy Light, Economy, and Saga Class. Saga Class is like a Business class. Only Saga Class passengers get free meals. Economy passengers can buy food and drinks.

All Icelandair planes have a free VOD entertainment system. Each seat has a screen. In 2013, the Icelandic band Sigur Rós released their album Valtari only on Icelandair flights first. Earlier, Björk's album Biophilia was also released this way.

Most Icelandair planes also have Wi-Fi. You can connect to the internet during your flight.

Frequent-Flyer Program

Icelandair's frequent-flyer program is called Saga Club. Members earn points when they fly with Icelandair or partner airlines. They can use these points for future flights or for shopping on the plane. As of 2021, Alaska Airlines and JetBlue are partner airlines where you can earn Saga points.

In-flight Magazine

Icelandair Info is Icelandair's magazine. It comes out four times a year. It is in Icelandic and English. It also shows products you can buy on the plane.

Destinations and Partners

Where Icelandair Flies

Icelandair flies between Iceland and many cities in Europe and North America. Some of these flights are only available during certain seasons.

Partner Airlines

Icelandair works with other airlines. This is called a codeshare agreement. It means you can book a flight with Icelandair, but part of your journey might be on a partner airline's plane.

• airBaltic
• Alaska Airlines
• Finnair
• JetBlue
• Scandinavian Airlines
• Turkish Airlines

Icelandair Fleet

Current Aircraft

As of April 2024^[update], Icelandair uses the following planes. Most of their planes are named after Icelandic volcanoes.

Boeing 737 MAX 8

Boeing 737 MAX 9

Boeing 757-200
in the older livery.

Boeing 767-300ER
in the older livery.

de Havilland Dash 8-Q400

Future Planes

In 2013, Icelandair ordered sixteen new Boeing 737 MAX planes. They also had the option to buy eight more. These planes were to be delivered between 2018 and 2021.

In 2019, Icelandair thought about ordering Airbus A321neo and Airbus A321LR planes. These could replace their older Boeing 757s.

In 2020, Icelandair settled with Boeing about the MAX planes. They reduced their order for future MAX aircraft by four.

In 2023, Icelandair announced plans to order up to 25 A321XLRs. They also plan to lease four A321LRs. These new Airbus planes will replace their aging Boeing 757 fleet. This will be the first time Icelandair orders Airbus planes.

Special Plane Designs

As of 2018, Icelandair has three planes with special designs. Two of them show off Iceland's beautiful nature. One plane shows Vatnajökull, Europe's largest glacier. It also celebrates Iceland's 100 years of independence. The other plane highlights the Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights).

The third plane is a Boeing B757 called "Þingvellir." It is painted in the colors of Iceland's flag: red, white, and blue. This design celebrates 100 years of Icelandic independence and the men's football team's first World Cup appearance in 2018.

TF-FIU in Hekla Aurora livery.

TF-ISX in 100 Years of Icelandic National Sovereignty livery.

TF-FIR in 80 Years of Aviation livery.

Past Aircraft

Over the years, Icelandair has used many different types of planes.

Icelandair Cargo

About Icelandair Cargo

Icelandair Cargo Boeing 767-300BCF

Icelandair Cargo is a sister company to Icelandair. It is the part of Icelandair Group that handles cargo flights. Both Flugfélag Íslands and Loftleiðir carried goods as well as people. When Icelandair started in 1973, they created a special cargo section.

In 2000, Icelandair Cargo became its own company. It uses space in the baggage areas of Icelandair's passenger planes. It also has its own cargo planes. These are two Boeing 757 freighters. They fly to Europe and North America from Keflavík International Airport.

In 2021, Icelandair Cargo announced plans to turn some Boeing 767-300ER passenger planes into cargo planes. The first converted 767-300BCF was delivered in 2022. They plan to use these larger planes to start new routes to the United States.

Cargo Fleet

As of April 2024^[update], the Icelandair Cargo fleet has these planes:

Sponsorships

Icelandair and the City of Reykjavík help sponsor the Iceland Airwaves. This is a music festival held every year in Reykjavík in November.

Accidents and Incidents

• May 29, 1947: A Flugfélag Islands Douglas DC-3 plane crashed near Héðinsfjörður. It was flying from Reykjavík to Akureyri. All 21 passengers and 4 crew members died. This is still the worst aviation accident in Iceland's history.
• March 7, 1948: An Avro Anson Mk5 from Loftleiðir crashed on a mountain. It was flying from the Westmann Islands to Reykjavík. The pilot and five passengers died.
• January 31, 1951: A DC-3 plane called Glitfaxi crashed into the sea near Hafnarfjörður. All 17 passengers and 3 crew members died. The pilots were trying to land in heavy snow.
• April 14, 1963: A Vickers Viscount plane crashed while landing at Oslo-Fornebu Airport. All 12 people on board died.
• September 26, 1970: A Flugfélag Fokker F27 Friendship plane crashed into a mountain. It was near Vágar, Faroe Islands. It was landing after a flight from Bergen. 7 passengers and 1 crew member died out of 34 people.
• January 22, 2002: Icelandair Flight 315, a Boeing 757-200, had an incident while trying to land at Oslo Airport, Gardermoen. The plane made extreme movements. It came very close to the ground before the pilots regained control. No one was hurt, and the plane landed safely on the second try.
• February 7, 2020: Icelandair flight 529, a Boeing 757-200, had its right landing gear collapse after landing at Keflavík International Airport. No one among the 166 people on board was injured.
• September 28, 2022: A Korean Air plane collided with the tail of an Icelandair Boeing 757-200 on the ground at Heathrow Airport. No one was hurt, and both planes had minor damage.

See also

In Spanish: Icelandair para niños