Following in the steps of the former WOW Air, Icelandic startup PLAY has launched ticket sales to its first two destinations to the United States – Boston (BOS) and Baltimore/Washington (BWI).
The new services from its base in Keflavik (KEF) not far from the Icelandic capital will start on April 20, 2022, to Baltimore/Washington International Airport and on May 11 to Boston Logan International Airport, after applying to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) last August to operate in the North American country.
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They will be operated on Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, configured for 180 and 192 seats respectively, with one daily operation to each destination. U.S. travelers will be able to connect to other network destinations in Austria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. Complementing the announcement, PLAY launched promotional fares as low as USD 109 each way to eleven cities in Europe from the United States.
«Travelers worldwide are eager to explore new destinations and according to recent data, nearly two-thirds of Americans are planning their next vacation with international destinations in mind,» says Birgir Jónsson, CEO of PLAY.
The announcement also marks the return of a growing form of travel between the U.S. and Europe that abruptly grew by utilizing Iceland as a hub, helping to boost the country’s economy.
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Following the termination of WOW’s operations in response to a failed strategy of overexpansion, the country’s economy collapsed by 16%, as many tourists stayed a few days in Iceland before continuing on to the Old Continent. Therefore, the new Icelandic airline faces the volatile dynamics of the international market due to the current COVID-19 health situation.
