Play boss hints at more UK-North America connections

The boss of Icelandic budget carrier Play has hinted at expanding its hub and spoke network between the UK and North America.

Chief executive Birgir Jonsson made the suggestion ahead of the airline’s second anniversary on June 24 as autumn fares were cut by more than a third in a sale running until July 4.

One-way fares via Reykjavík to Baltimore, Boston, Washington DC or New York start at £179 from Stansted, Liverpool or Glasgow for travel between September 5-October 18 and October 31-December 13. Rates from Stansted to Reykjavík start at £39, 40% below the current average ticket price for September flights.

The carrier also starts its first route to Canada on Thursday (June 22) with flights to Toronto.

Johnson said: “By strategically establishing a comprehensive network, we’ve been able to ensure connectivity to popular destinations, making travel more convenient than ever. 

“The UK serves as one of the significant drivers for Play’s traffic via its hub. Among the UK airports, Stansted stands out as the largest contributor to Play’s operations in terms of passenger volume and connectivity to and from the UK.

“One of the key factors that sets Play apart is our commitment to offering competitive pricing. By adopting a low-cost business model, we’ve continuously been able to provide customers affordable fares, and our two-year anniversary winter sales is a further testament to that commitment.

He added: “While we maintain a consistent schedule to the US, available for sale at least 12 months in advance, we are continuously evaluating new market opportunities and assessing the demand for additional routes and frequencies.

“This proactive approach has enabled us to maximise revenue potential and effectively utilise our growing fleet of aircraft and staff resources. 

“That being said, UK and North America destinations are of course on Play’s list of new markets, so I am excited to see what the year ahead holds for us.”