Record number of airlines flying to Iceland
Photo: mbl.is/Sigurgeir Sigurðsson mbl.is/Sigurgeir Sigurðsson
The number of foreign airlines flying to Iceland has increased five-fold in just eleven years, according to latest figures.
Five foreign airlines operated to and from Keflavík International Airport (KEF) back in 2005. This summer, 25 airlines have announced operations – five more than last year.
6.7 passengers are expected to use KEF this year. Photo: mbl.is/Sigurgeir Sigurðsson
Airport operator Isavia forecasts a record 6.7 million passengers using KEF this year, up almost 40% on 2015. Passengers using the airport include departing passengers, arriving passengers and passengers transiting through to an onward destination.
The busiest months are expected to be June, July and August, with forecast passenger numbers ranging from 780,000 to 880,000. By way of comparison, 780,000 was the total number of passengers using KEF over the whole YEAR back in 1986.
British Airways is one of the major foreign airlines recently starting up operations to Iceland. Photo: AFP
Recent expansion work has added 10,000 m 2 to the airport, while 35% more staff will be employed this summer than in summer 2015.
The largest airline – in terms of passenger numbers – flying to Iceland this year is the UK low-cost airline Easyjet.
