The figures released for June 2024 show that the airline carried 173,109 passengers during the month, representing a 7.5% increase over June 2023, when the airline carried 160,979 passengers. The airline carried 146,692 passengers in May 2024, indicating a steady rise in customer numbers as the summer peak travel period approaches.  

Across other metrics, the carrier managed to increase its overall capacity, measured in available seat kilometers (ASKs) by 8.8% year-on-year, while revenues per passenger kilometers (RPKs) increased by 7.3% between June 2023 and June 2024. One figure that did fall slightly was the carrier精东影业 network load factor which for June 2024 was 86.0%, a small drop from 87.2% seen in June 2023.    

According to the carrier, several factors contributed to this lower load factor figure. Primarily, said the airline, the drop was due to the increased capacity of transatlantic flights from competing carriers, particularly on PLAY精东影业 five key routes to the US. However, this drop was offset by the overall rise in passengers as the company精东影业 European services continue to perform well.  

In June 2024, 31.9% of PLAY精东影业 passengers were originating their travel from Iceland, while 24.3% were flying to Iceland as point-to-point passengers. 43.8% were connecting passengers, using PLAY精东影业 hub at Reykjavik-Keflavik International Airport (KEF) as a connecting point between eastbound and westbound travel (and vice versa) 鈥� referred to by the airline as 鈥榁IA鈥� passengers.听 听

听听

The carrier was buoyed by the fact that it continues to increase market share in its own backyard. Its share of passengers originating travel from Iceland increased from 29.8% in June 2023 to 31.9% in June 2024.  

PLAY精东影业 on-time performance reached 91.4% in June 2024, surpassing its annual target of 85% and improving significantly from 81.2% in June 2023. In May 2024, this figure was 86.8, indicating that the airline continues to improve its punctuality, despite operating a relatively small fleet of just 10 aircraft to 40 destinations.  

“We are pleased to see growth in our passenger numbers, although we had hoped for a higher load factor,鈥� said Einar 脰rn 脫lafsson, PLAY精东影业 CEO. 鈥淭his result reflects the increased competition in transatlantic flights and a reduction in tourists to Iceland is a direct result of a surge in marketing efforts from neighboring countries above what we are experiencing out of Iceland.鈥�  

鈥淲e are delighted to see that we are still growing our share in the Icelandic market. It is evident that people in Iceland are happy with our services and that the word is spreading. We have always aimed to be the leading airline for leisure travel from Iceland, and our growing local share reflects that commitment,鈥� he continued.  

鈥淥ur world-class on-time performance of 91.4% in June 2024 showcases our excellent services. This achievement is the result of the dedication of my colleagues in the operations team at PLAY, who are always fully focused on ensuring our flight plans run as smoothly as possible,鈥� he added.听

Growing global connections  

The company is currently in the process of expanding commercial partnerships with several stakeholders in a move that is aimed at helping PLAY deal with cyclic seasonality and maintain high load factors across its network.        鈥� 

The airline recently expanded its partnership with Dohop, the Icelandic technology startup that offers a booking engine focused on meshing cheap international flights across several carriers. Through the relationship, PLAY launched its PLAY Connect offering in June 2024 which allows customers to book connecting flights operated by PLAY along with other airlines such as Norwegian, Azores Airlines, and SKY Express, with others soon to join, says the airline.  

The functionality behind PLAY Connect allows customers to book 鈥渉undreds of weekly flight connections worldwide鈥� through a single, simple-to-use platform.   

鈥淧LAY Connect enables travelers to conveniently book flight connections across multiple airline partners including ancillaries in a single booking process, complementing the 40 destinations that PLAY already serves in Europe and North America,鈥� states the airline.  

Additionally, PLAY has also partnered with GO7, a global leader in airline technology, to broaden its distribution capability.鈥� Through partnering with GO7, PLAY flights are now bookable in all major airline global distribution systems (GDSs) worldwide, which enables travel agencies to book PLAY鈥榮 flights, wherever they may be located globally. 

鈥淭he new agreements with Dohop and GO7 are significant steps for PLAY and will enhance our profile in both North America and Europe,鈥� said 脫lafsson.  

鈥淥ur expanded partnership with Dohop will provide customers with a variety of connections, allowing them to reach their dream destinations for less. The agreement with GO7 will make our flights available to a large group of travel agents, extending our brand further into existing and new markets,鈥� he concluded.听

Marking three years of flights  

The Reykjavik-based company celebrated its third anniversary on June 24, 2024, having launched its first commercial flight from Iceland to London-Stansted Airport (STN) on June 24, 2021. Over the past three years, PLAY has expanded rapidly, growing its fleet from three to ten aircraft and currently employing around 500 staff 

According to ch-aviation, PLAY精东影业 fleet of ten Airbus A320neo family aircraft has an average age of 3.6 years. The fleet comprises six 180-seat A320neos and four 214-seat A321neos. The airline serves destinations as far west as Toronto, Canada, and as far east as Athens, Greece.听听

Air India welcomes first A320neo painted with brand-new livery听

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July 8, 2024

The special short series of flights has been curated by PLAY to coincide with the UEFA Nations League matches between Iceland and Wales, in addition to the October half-term week in the United Kingdom. Football supporters from Wales will have the benefit of direct flights from their capital to watch their team play Iceland精东影业 national side in Iceland on October 11, 2024.  Later on, the return fixture will see the teams face each other once again in Cardiff on November 19, 2024. 

“I am confident that our Cardiff route will be well received. We boast a world-class on-time performance of 83% in 2023, the youngest aircraft fleet in Europe, and our cabin crew was voted the best by the readers of USA Today. Those who choose to fly with us will have a safe, reliable, and enjoyable travel experience to their destination,” said Einar 脰rn 脫lafsson, PLAY麓s CEO. 

PLAY Airlines鈥� latest route to Europe will offer travelers the convenience of direct flights to Keflavik, Iceland精东影业 gateway to Reykjavik, enabling exploration of Iceland’s stunning landscapes, including its lagoons and glaciers. Alternatively, passengers using the new service can also opt for onward connections via Iceland to PLAY精东影业 four US destinations, namely New York/Stewart (SWF), Boston (BOS), Baltimore/Washington (BWI) and Washington-Dulles (IAD) as well as Toronto (YYZ) in Canada.听

“The service gives our customers in Wales and the southwest of England the opportunity to enjoy Iceland精东影业 incredible natural wonders, including waterfalls, geysers, hot springs, glaciers, and Northern Lights,鈥� said a Cardiff Airport statement.  

Additionally, in March 2024, PLAY introduced a self-bookable stopover option in Iceland for transatlantic routes, allowing travelers to spend up to 10 days exploring Iceland before catching their connecting flight at no additional cost. According to the carrier, 鈥淭his feature presents customers with a unique opportunity to enrich their journey by discovering multiple bucket-list destinations within a single trip.鈥� 

PLAY flew its inaugural flight in June 2021 and currently operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, made up of six A320neos and four A321neos. The average age of PLAY精东影业 aircraft is just over two years, making it one of Europe精东影业 youngest airline fleets.鈥�� 

During its short life so far, PLAY has quickly become a major player on the European low-cost airline scene. The addition of this new route to and from Cardiff brings the carrier精东影业 eastbound network from Iceland to 37 destinations, stretching from Tenerife (TFS) in the Canary Islands to Athens (ATH) in Greece.鈥��

PLAY Airlines continues to soar with impressive March 2024 traffic figures听

• Airlines

byLuke Peters

April 10, 2024

PLAY carried 142,918 passengers in March 2024, which represents a 65% increase over March 2023 when the airline carried 86,661 passengers. PLAY麓s load factor in March 2024 rose to an impressive 88.1%, comparing favorably to 80.6% in March 2023.  

Of the passengers flying with PLAY in March 2024, 25.6% originated from Iceland, while 36% were flying to Iceland from the carrier精东影业 other destination cities and 38.4% were connecting passengers using the airlines鈥� hub-and-spoke network at Keflavik Airport (KEF) which connects 36 destinations in Europe and North Africa to five points in the United States and Canada.  

According to the company, the ratio of passengers flying to Iceland shows that demand for travel to Iceland itself is 鈥減icking up again after a slump followed by inaccurate global news coverage about the seismic activity in Iceland鈥� in late 2023.  

PLAY also reported an on-time performance of 94% in March 2024, a very impressive result given that the airline only has a fleet of just ten aircraft with little built-in redundancy in the event of technical or weather-related delays.听

鈥淲e had acceptable load figures in March with the early Easter period more than balancing out the negative impact of the seismic activities towards the end of 2023,鈥� said Einar 脰rn 脫lafsson, PLAY麓s CEO. 鈥淭he high summer season is ahead of us, and we look forward to breaking more records in PLAY精东影业 history.鈥�  

鈥淭he number of passengers traveling with us to Iceland and connecting passengers shows the tremendous work that has been done to increase our awareness in our foreign markets where we strive to offer competitive prices. I am extremely proud of our team, and our on-time performance in March 2024 shows the level of professionalism that my colleagues possess.” 

The demand for PLAY麓s leisure destinations in particular remain strong, with its European routes to Alicante (ALC), Lisbon (LIS), Madrid (MAD), Barcelona (BCN), and Tenerife (TFS) all having around 90% load factor. Meanwhile, the airline精东影业 European 鈥榗ity break鈥� destinations also saw robust demand with London-Stansted (STN), Berlin (BER), Paris (CDG), and Copenhagen (CPH) all enjoying in excess of 90% load factor, with its routes to Dublin (DUB) and Amsterdam (AMS) coming in at just under 90%. 

Future fleet and network growth

PLAY announced two new destinations in March 2024 with flights to Funchal, Madeira (FNC), and Marrakech (RAK) in Morrocco to be added later in 2024 in time for the northern winter season. PLAY will operate its first flight to Marrakech on October 17, 2024, and will operate up to two weekly flights on Thursdays and Sundays. This new service will be the first time that scheduled flights have operated between Iceland and Africa, with the flight time between Iceland and Marrakech being just over five hours.鈥�

The first flight to Madeira will depart on October 15, 2024, and the service will operate the weekly flights on Tuesdays throughout the season.听

Also in March 2024, the carrier announced that it will undertake a further share offering in April 2024 to raise capital to fund future growth. This will be the latest in a series of public share offerings that the carrier has undertaken since it started flying in June 2021. In conjunction with a cash injection received from existing shareholders in February 2024, the new move is widely expected to fund the carrier精东影业 fleet expansion plans. The offering will see the carrier increase its share capital by up to 1.2 billion shares, each with a nominal value of ISK1 kr贸na ($0.0073).听听

Single pilot operations: the aircraft evolution that fires up aviation debate

• Aircraft
• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

August 3, 2024

At an annual general meeting held in March 2024, plans by the airline精东影业 board of directors to go ahead with a further share sale were approved by PLAY shareholders. The offering will see the carrier increase its share capital by up to 1.2 billion shares, each with a nominal value of ISK1 kr贸na ($0.0073). At the same meeting, the aforementioned cash injection from existing shareholders was also given the green light.  

In a statement, PLAY has announced that one million shares, at a subscription rate of ISK4.50 ($0.0327) per share, will be used for subscription commitments worth ISK4.5 billion ($32.7 million) from existing shareholders and other investors. A further 111,111,112 shares, also priced at ISK4.50 per share, will be offered in the next public issue, due to take place between April 9 and April 11, 2024. The aim is to raise a further ISK500 million ($3.6 million) to fund the airline精东影业 development over the coming years.  

In case of oversubscription, 鈥渢o secure shareholder equality, current shareholders other than those who have already subscribed for new shares will have priority for subscription,鈥� the airline clarified.听

The all-red low-cost carrier previously announced a plan to list its shares on Iceland’s Nasdaq stock exchange by the end of February 2024. However, it has since reviewed this plan, stating that “the uplisting of PLAY精东影业 shares to the Nasdaq Main Market in Iceland is expected to conclude before the end of the second quarter, and the preparation is progressing as planned.”  

PLAY flew its inaugural flight in June 2021 and currently operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A320neo family aircraft, made up of six A320neos and four A321neos. The average age of PLAY精东影业 aircraft is just over two years, making it one of Europe精东影业 youngest airline fleets.鈥� 

During its short life so far, PLAY has quickly become a major player on the European low-cost airline scene. The addition of three new routes to the airline精东影业 network in March 2024 brought the carrier精东影业 eastbound network from Iceland to 36 destinations, stretching from Tenerife (TFS) in the Canary Islands to Athens (ATH) in Greece.鈥�

The airline operates a hub-and-spoke network, offering flights between cities in North America and Europe and using Reykjkavik-Keflavik Airport (KEF) in Iceland as the hub in the middle. PLAY麓s destinations in North America currently include Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), New York-Stewart International (SWF), and Washington DC (IAD) in the United States, as well as Toronto (YYT) in Canada.鈥�

PLAY精东影业 largest shareholder becomes new CEO as Birgir J贸nsson departs airline听

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

March 18, 2024

PLAY announced on March 17, 2024, that Birgir J贸nsson had signed an employment termination agreement and that one of PLAY精东影业 largest shareholders, Einar 脰rn 脫lafsson, would take over as CEO.

脫lafsson has been chairman of the board since April 2021 and has now rescinded his candidacy as a board member for the upcoming election at the PLAY精东影业 Annual General Meeting on March 21, 2024. 

鈥淚 am really looking forward to this new role. After a great ramp-up phase these past few years under Birgir精东影业 strong leadership, the Company is now at a turning point. As the Company精东影业 largest shareholder, I鈥檇 like to see my investment through. I am very familiar with PLAY精东影业 operations and employees and can see ample opportunities and exciting projects in the operation going forward,鈥� 脫lafsson said.  

He added: 鈥淚鈥檓 grateful to PLAY精东影业 Board of Directors for their trust in me and I鈥檇 like to use the opportunity to thank Birgir for his contribution to PLAY and for our pleasant and productive collaboration during these past few years.鈥� 

J贸nsson described his time at PLAY as a 鈥渞eal adventure鈥� and praised the 鈥減owerful Icelandic low-cost airline鈥� after it was built in a 鈥渞elatively short time鈥�.

鈥淎 competitive landscape in the aviation industry will result in lower fares, a diverse selection of destinations and valuable foreign tourists, which is especially important for an island like us. This competition is in the interest of all Icelanders. I therefore leave my position with immense pride,鈥� J贸nsson said.听

He added: 鈥淧LAY has now left its infancy and grown up to be a mature airline. I鈥檝e had a good and close working relationship with Einar and leave the Company in his capable hands. I look forward to seeing PLAY flourish under his leadership. I鈥檇 like to thank our passengers and partners for this particularly enjoyable period.鈥� 

J贸nsson will continue to work for PLAY until April 2, 2024, and will remain as an advisor for the airline for the next few months. 

The Icelandic carrier was founded in 2019 by Arnar M谩r Magn煤sson and Sveinn Ingi Stein镁贸rsson as WAB air before changing its name to PLAY later that year.

As of January 2024, PLAY connects some 40 destinations across Europe with five airports in the US and Canada. 

PLAY has 10 aircraft in its fleet through lease agreements, comprising of six A320neo and four A321neo.听

PLAY Airlines CEO on building a low-cost听link between Europe and the US

• Executive Spotlight

byMiquel Ros

February 1, 2024

The announcement comes quickly after PLAY announced the commencement of services between Iceland and the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius in May 2024.听听

On March 5, 2024, PLAY launched ticket sales for flights from Marrakech (RAK) in Morocco to Iceland. The first flight from Marrakech will depart on October 17, 2024, with the carrier operating flights twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays.鈥�� 

鈥淲e are thrilled to be launching flights from Marrakech鈥痶hrough our partnership with the Moroccan National Tourist Office,鈥� said Birgir J贸nsson, PLAY麓s CEO.  

鈥淭his is a magical city that is rich with history and culture. Everywhere we go, we give the competition a run for their money. We want to make travel more affordable, and I am sure our Marrakech services will be well received by people who want to visit our beautiful country of Iceland,鈥� he added. 

Meanwhile, Morocco is not the only country that will be seeing the arrival of PLAY精东影业 all-red planes in 2024. On the same day that the Marrakech services were announced, the carrier also revealed that it is also launching flights from Funchal (FNC) in Madeira to Iceland. The first flight is scheduled to depart Funchal on October 15, 2024, with the company operating weekly flights on Tuesdays throughout the northern winter season. 

鈥淲e are thrilled to be launching flights from Madeira,鈥� said J贸nsson. 鈥淭he island is absolutely stunning, and I believe that there will be a lot of interest in our flights between Iceland and Madeira.鈥澨�

These two latest route announcements come hot on the heels of the announcement of the airline精东影业 first foray into the Baltic States. In mid-February 2024, the airline said it would also be starting a new route between Iceland and Vilnius, the capital city of Lithuania. 

Reservations opened for flights between Vilnius (VNO) and Iceland on February 13, 2024, with PLAY offering weekly flights on Saturdays over the summer months. The first flight will operate between the two cities on May 25, 2024.鈥�

PLAY is a low-cost airline from Iceland operating a hub-and-spoke network and offering flights between cities in North America and Europe and using Iceland as the hub in the middle. PLAY麓s destinations in North America currently include Baltimore (BWI), Boston (BOS), New York-Stewart International (SWF), and Washington DC (IAD) in the United States, as well as Toronto (YYT) in Canada.听

The addition of these three new routes brings the carrier精东影业 eastbound network from Iceland to 36 destinations, stretching from Tenerife (TFS) in the Canary Islands to Athens (ATH) in Greece. 

PLAY flew its inaugural flight in June 2021 and currently operates a fleet of 10 Airbus A320neo family aircraft made up of six A320neos and four A321neos. The average age of PLAY’s aircraft is just over two years, making it one of Europe精东影业 youngest airline fleets.听

听

PLAY Airlines CEO on building a low-cost听link between Europe and the US

• Executive Spotlight

byMiquel Ros

February 1, 2024

The low-cost carrier will connect Reykjavik精东影业 Keflavik Airport (KEF) and Glasgow International Airport (GLA) four times a week starting May 26, 2023.

Flights will be scheduled on the new route on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Glasgow will also now be connected to a number of popular US cities on PLAY aircraft, these include flights to Boston, Washington DC, Baltimore, and New York.

Passengers will make the journey across the Atlantic Ocean on one of PLAY精东影业 10 Airbus A320/321neo, all of which have an average age of approximately 2.5 years.

“As we continue to expand our network, PLAY is proud to announce the addition of Glasgow to our growing list of destinations,鈥� said CEO Birgir J贸nsson. 鈥淲ith our focus on affordability and convenience, passengers can experience our on-time performance and safe, reliable service while exploring Scotland’s vibrant city.鈥�

He added: 鈥淲e are excited to bring a new travel option to passengers, connecting them directly to and from Keflavik to Glasgow and to and from our routes across North America.”

Airline精东影业 1M passenger given free flights for life after boarding plane

• Airlines

byIan Molyneaux

February 27, 2023

Winner Kechi Chima Apakama boarded the PLAY airlines flight to Keflavik International Airport (KEF) for a trip in Iceland with two friends to play American Football.

During the flight on February 17, 2023, passengers were given gift bags, prosecco, cakes and told they were all in with a chance of winning a golden ticket.

The cabin crew then announced that PLAY精东影业 one millionth passenger was booked onto the flight.

Passengers were told that the lucky millionth customer would be given free flights for life with the airline.

When the flight landed in Iceland Kechi was targeted by staff and told that he was the winner of the prize.

He received a hero精东影业 welcome with balloons and given a coat and hat from well-known Icelandic brand, Cintamani, to use on all his upcoming adventures.

Kechi and his two friends, who were both in on the surprise, were then driven off in a Cadillac full of treats and prizes to enjoy during their vacation playing sport.

Kechi will be able to take flights with PLAY for the rest of his life to any destination the airline travels to.

鈥淚 want to thank each one of the one million guests who chose to fly with PLAY and the PLAY team for delivering our award-winning service,” said CEO Birgir J贸nsson. 鈥淩eaching one million passengers is a huge milestone for a new airline that only 18 months ago was facing a global pandemic and unprecedented travel restrictions.

He added: 鈥淲hile I鈥檓 sure this is a big deal for Mr Apakama, it精东影业 a huge moment for PLAY.鈥�

PLAY carried 800,000 passengers in 2022 and expects passengers to be 1.5 to 1.7 million in 2023.

The low-cost airline announced that it had launched its largest-ever recruitment drive, focusing on employing 205 new employees. The new roles will consist of 150 flight attendants and 55 flight crew members.  

Currently employing 150 cabin crew and 70 pilots, PLAY is looking for both experienced and inexperienced staff to join the company, the airline said in a public posted to LinkedIn on September 1, 2022. 鈥淭he plan is based on PLAY精东影业 growth in the coming year as PLAY will operate ten aircraft next summer,鈥� the carrier said.  

鈥淎t PLAY, safety comes first, with our core principles being on-time performance, simplicity, happiness, and low prices. […] We want to onboard optimistic and powerful people who want to change the course of aviation,鈥� the airline added.   

Icelandic low-cost carrier PLAY Airlines to launch flights to Washington Dulles

• Airlines

byJean Carmela Lim

August 24, 2022

Founded in 2019, PLAY Airlines commenced operations in 2021. The airline currently provides air connectivity services from its main hub at Keflav铆k International Airport (KEF) in Iceland to various across Europe and the US.    

The European airline精东影业 network includes scheduled flights across 21 destinations, including operations to Stavanger (SVG), Gothenburg (GOT), Copenhagen (CPH), Berlin (BER), Prague (PRG), Salzburg (SZG), Bologna (BLQ), Geneva (GVA), Paris (CDG) and Brussels (BRU) as well as to London (LHR), Liverpool (LPL), Dublin (DUB), Madrid (MAD), Barcelona (BCN), Mallorca (PMI), Alicante (ALC), Malaga (AGP), Lisbon (LIS), Gran Canaria (LPA) and Tenerife (TFS).   

Meanwhile, the transatlantic network currently consists of four routes in the US, including New York (JFK), Boston (BOS), Baltimore (BWI), and Washington D.C. (DCA).   

Most recently, on August 24, 2022, PLAY announced it will launch an additional route to Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) starting in April 2023. The flights will operate daily on PLAY精东影业 fleet of Airbus A321 and A320 aircraft, each with 180 or more seats.  

PLAY to lease A320neo over the A321neo LR in summer 2022, cites high fuel costs

• Civil Aviation

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May 25, 2022

IAD Airport, which made the announcement, said that the flights will operate daily on PLAY精东影业 fleet of Airbus A321 and A320 aircraft, each with 180 or more seats.

Founded in 2019 and with operations started in 2021, PLAY will be IAD精东影业 36th airline and its only low-cost carrier flying to Europe.

Welcome with daily flights from to Iceland’s beginning April 2023.

鈥� Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (@MWAAHQ)

鈥淎s the international gateway to the Washington, D.C., capital region, Dulles International is committed to offering a wide variety of airline products for our local community to access global travel,鈥� Paul Bobson, vice president for airline business development for the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority said in a dated August 23, 2022.

“As a low-cost airline operating flights to Iceland and the rest of Europe, PLAY will add significant capacity in the low-cost international market segment,鈥� Bobson added. 

Play CEO Birgir J贸nsson said: 鈥淧LAY has had a strong summer since the beginning in the United States this year, and adding IAD is an important move for our growth in the region. Washington, D.C., is a key destination for both European tourists and American travelers, and expanding our service with flights from IAD will strengthen PLAY精东影业 presence while giving passengers convenient and affordable flights.鈥� 

In April 2022, PLAY launched its first transatlantic flight to the US to Baltimore/Washington International Airport (BWI). Just weeks later, the airline launched its inaugural flight from KEF to Boston Logan Airport (BOS). 

The start-up boom continues. Which airlines are due to launch in 2022?

• Airlines

byVictoria Bryan

December 30, 2021