note
Founded as Flugfelag Akureyrar and using a floatplane, Icelandair started its first international service in 1946 with service to Copenhagen via Prestwick as Iceland Airways. Together with London, which was added in 1949, Copenhagen the most important destination and were originally flown with DC-4, Boeing 727's, DC-8s and today with brand new Boeing 757-308. In 1956 company adopted name Flugfélag Íslands or Icelandair in english. Boeing 727 was added to the fleet in 1967. In 1973 a holding company Loftleidir was created and Flugfelag Islands became its subsidiary along with its rival Loftleidir Icelandic. Icelandair merged with Loftleidir Icelandic in 1979. Its domestic division became Flugleidir until 1994 when it was merged with Flugfelag Nordurlands to form Flugfelag Islands thus resurrecting venerable brand. In the 1980's, Icelandair operated interesting route structure consisting of daily flights from Boston, New York and Baltimore with stopover in Keflavik and continuing on to Luxemburg to tap into transatlantic market operating DC-8s. This system has been replaced by hub and spoke scenario where flights from North America converge in the morning in Keflavik and passengers disperse on to different flights to European capitals. Airline serves Halifax, Greenland, Minneapolis, N.Y., Baltimore (since 2011 Washington IAD) and Orlando in North America with all Scandinavian capitals, Faroe Islands , Paris, London, Frankfurt and Amsterdam in Europe. During the summer months San Francisco, Seattle and Los Angeles are usually added to the schedule as well as destinations in Spain, Italy, Switzerland and Austria as well as dedicated Cargo only flights with airline's own 737-400 freighter.
founded - demised (age)
June 3 1937 - present (88years)
headquarters
Reykjavik Airport, Reykjavik
web
base airports
related operators
current /stored fleet (46)
