Icelandair Inaugural Reykjavik Flight Arrives at Birmingham Airport
Icelandair's first scheduled service between Birmingham and Reykjavik has lift off, as passengers were treated to an experience on board the new “Aurora plane”.
The “Aurora plane” is a special themed Boeing 757 that is decorated with the Northern Lights both on external livery and in internal cabin fixtures and lighting, providing a unique experience for passengers.
Birmingham is Icelandair’s 5th gateway in the UK and 39th overall. The new flights operate twice weekly, on Thursdays and Mondays, starting from today the 5th of February 2015.
Birkir Hólm Guðnason Icelandair, CEO said: “Icelandair looks forward to be offering a refreshing and valuable travel experience to and from the West Midlands. Icelandair has been flying for 70 years to the UK and we hope people from the Midlands will like the service we have to offer. Birmingham and its neighbouring cities are predicted to grow substantially and we are pleased to be taking part in and supporting that growth as of today.
“We were delighted to be able to mark the beginning of our new service from Birmingham airport by giving passengers the chance to fly on our new Aurora plane and were honoured that dignitaries such as the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, the Iceland Ambassador to the UK and the CEO of Birmingham Airport were able to join us on this special occasion.”
The new service also offers an attractive flight option to North America. Mr Guðnason explains: “By using Iceland’s geographical position midway between Europe and North America we can offer some of the fastest elapsed times from Birmingham to popular destinations such as Washington D.C. and Seattle.”
Paul Kehoe, the CEO of Birmingham Airport, added: “Icelandair’s new service from Birmingham is not only fantastic news for Midlanders wanting to spend leisure time in Reykjavik to see the northern lights or relax in hot springs, but also to travel onwards to the USA and Canada using Icelandair’s strong network of connecting flights.”
Cllr Shafique Shah, The Lord Mayor of Birmingham, said: "I am delighted to take part in today's inaugural celebrations to signify the start of flights to Reykjavik and beyond with Icelandair and Birmingham Airport. This new route not only allows people from the Midlands region to access this wonderful leisure destination but also creates more connectivity to the US and Canada and opens up opportunities for Icelandic people to visit Birmingham and the wider region."
The Birmingham service will operate with an Icelandair Boeing 757, seating 183 passengers, offering a three-cabin service, leather seats and personal in-flight entertainment system.
Flight details are:
FI494 departs Reykjavik (KEF) 07:50, arriving in Birmingham (BHX) 10:25
FI495 departs Birmingham (BHX) 12:25, arriving in Reykjavik (KEF) 15:10