a journey commerce present blended with superior avgeek stuff, plus Greenland & fleet updates from the CEO : AirlineReporter
Each two years, Icelandair hosts the Midatlantic journey commerce present in Reykjavik, permitting journey distributors from the areas that the airline serves to collect collectively and current and promote their choices to journey patrons, journey journalists, and to community with each other.
It’s all the time an incredible occasion, and this avgeek journey reporter all the time finds loads of assets and story concepts there.
We had been additionally offered alternatives to see some very cool behind-the-scenes stuff at Icelandair. The airline not too long ago accomplished an addition to their current coaching facility in Hafnarfjörður, which is situated between the nation’s major airport in Keflavik and the primary metropolis, Reykvavik.
The brand new constructing is sort of contemportary and really European in its structure; it’s a beautiful addition.
However we had been there primarily to see the airplane stuff, and we weren’t disillusioned. I used to be allowed to fly their 767-300 full-motion simulator, and the teacher programmed in a pair approaches to a difficult Icelandic airfield in addition to to JFK airport in New York Metropolis. I didn’t do too badly, all issues thought of, particularly considering {that a} 767 handles a good bit in another way than the Cessna 172s I’m used to flying again dwelling.
Updates on the Airbus transition
We additionally received to have lunch with the airline’s C-suite people and ask no matter questions we had in regards to the airline.
Some of the vital developments for Icelandair is the incorporation of Airbus plane into its fleet. Historically an all-Boeing airline for its worldwide operations (they do have a half-dozen Bombardier De Havilland Canada DHC-8s for his or her home, Greenland, and Faroe Islands service), Icelandair’s resolution so as to add Airbus planes signaled a profound shift in technique. The airline’s administration has been evaluating the Airbus’ gas effectivity, operational vary, and passenger consolation, and appear happy with the brand new jets to this point.
Talking of that, you’ll be able to learn our evaluation of their new A321LR right here; it’s positively an incredible plane.
Icelandair remains to be closely invested in Boeing, having 21 737 MAX, 11 757s, and three 767s of their present fleet. They at the moment have two A321LRs, with 5 extra on order, in addition to 13 A321XLRs on order, and it’s these jets that can ultimately exchange the 757s.
The airline is weighing its long-term dedication to Boeing towards a possible full transition to Airbus. Components influencing this resolution embrace price effectivity, plane efficiency, and total fleet consistency. Whereas Boeing plane have lengthy been the spine of Icelandair’s operations, the introduction of Airbus jets raises questions on a possible gradual phase-out of the 737 MAX in favor of a extra uniform Airbus fleet. Nonetheless, for now, Bogason stated the airline is pleased with the MAX fleet and stays dedicated to maximizing the advantages of its present Boeing plane, all of the whereas protecting future fleet choices open.
Greenland tourism
Requested in regards to the potential for increasing its service to Greenland, which is poised to develop into a sought-after vacationer vacation spot now that the nation has opened a brand new airport that’s higher able to dealing with massive industrial plane and larger passenger masses, Bogason supplied a wait-and-see perspective.
Icelandair serves Greenland by way of the previous Icelandair Join routes, which it built-in into its personal schedule in 2021 after the 2 consolidated. There are 4 locations, at the moment served by these aforementioned three DHC-8-200 and three DHC-8-400 plane.
With Greenland having opened its expanded predominant airport at Nuuk in October 2024, which features a new terminal constructing and a brand new 7,200-foot runway, together with each SAS and United saying seasonal service, tourism is predicted to dramatically enhance for the arctic nation. Icelandair and Air Greenland are at the moment the one carriers offering year-round service.
“Greenland is exclusive. I imply, Iceland is exclusive, however Greenland is admittedly, actually distinctive. It’s a posh market in the mean time, and what makes it advanced is that it’s not sufficient to construct the runway. You must construct the accommodations and the mandatory infrastructure,” stated Bogason.
He drew comparisons between Greenland’s present infrastructure and Iceland’s of 20-plus years in the past, when the nation had loads of guests however not sufficient tourism infrastructure to assist them.
“I imply, look, simply take a look at the businesses which can be in right here (in Iceland) at present. I imply, consider the entire firms that have to be right here to provide a great expertise to huge volumes of passengers. So this must be a sluggish path. I feel we could also be getting a bit of bit forward of ourselves with the massive plane coming in from the U.S., and so forth, this summer time into into Nuuk,” he stated, explaining his warning in increasing too shortly right into a market that’s not but ready for an onslaught of vacationers.
“We’ll see the way it pans out, but it surely’s a giant shock to a really, very small market, so it’s a difficult market, I feel,” he added.
Attending to be a vacationer in Iceland
We had been handled a number of conventional vacationer stops throughout our go to, together with the Lava Present, the one place on the earth that makes lava each day for an academic expertise; the comparatively new Sky Lagoon hot-spring spa, together with a bus tour of the Reykjanes Peninsula, which included the Friðheimar tomato farm, the geysir, which is the namesake geyser and is the one Icelandic phrase adopted into the English language. We additionally stopped briefly at Þingvellir nationwide park, one other geologic marvel and a UNESCO World Heritage Website. It’s a rift valley the place the North American and European plates are separating, slowly constructing new land.
Lastly, we had a most great meal at Sümac Grill + Drinks in downtown Reykjavik. I’m not usually one to say eating places, however this place was one thing particular, particularly how gracefully they dealt with my oddball meals allergic reactions by truly custom-making what I’d ordered to go well with – even the sauces, that are usually premade in resaurants as busy as this one. Cease in and present them some AvGeek love in case you’re on the town.
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