Passengers on a transatlantic British Airways flight are currently getting quite the tour across the Atlantic with some passengers on a three-stop routing… British Airways flight BA252 ordinarily operates from Grand Cayman (GCM) to Nassau (NAS) to London (LHR), with that first segment being one of the carrier’s short Caribbean hops. The flight departing last night (on Tuesday, April 8, 2025) was operated by a 28-year-old Boeing 777-200ER with the registration code G-VIID The flight from Grand Cayman to Nassau operated without a hitch but sadly the same can’t be said about the transatlantic flight The aircraft departed Nassau roughly on schedule and was supposed to arrive in London at 11:40AM this morning The flight operated as planned for the first four hours quite a ways off the coast of North America as the plane was about to start the main part of its Atlantic crossing So the aircraft ended up diverting to Gander Once the passenger was offloaded and the aircraft refueled to continue its journey across the Atlantic The plane took off from Gander at 7:32AM local time The crew couldn’t operate all the way to London without timing out So operations at British Airways got creative That got the passengers closer to their intended destination The plan is now for the jet to depart Keflavik at 6:15PM So, what’s the plan there? British Airways has dispatched an Airbus A321neo that has the registration code G-TNEC and is expected to land in Keflavik a little after 5PM Obviously medical diversions are complicated and costly for airlines it sure seems like British Airways is doing a good job minimizing the inconvenience for passengers here an aircraft rerouting twice is less than ideal but it’s better than the plane potentially being stuck somewhere and passengers having to spend the night at an airport There are lots of logistics that need to be taken into account here — you have labor contracts that need to be honored and repositioning an entire crew to an airport via a charter flight takes some time it does seem like the best outcome in such a situation A British Airways 777 flying from Nassau to London had to first divert to Gander for a medical emergency given that the crew would’ve otherwise timed out Given that this was already a one stop service originating in Grand Cayman Passengers are expected to arrive in London a little over 10 hours behind schedule What do you make of this British Airways double reroute Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" No surprise they didn’t divert to any US airport They landed in Gander because it was the nearest BA lands about 80 flights a day on US soil Sending an A321neo just to position the replacement crew I wonder if they added it to the schedule so some regular passengers might book onto it.. awake and functioning crew that in the case of an emergency are in peak form If there was a situation after crew hours had timed out we'd all asking why wasn't the crew altert and able to handle said situation Pay the extra $$ for flight delay insurance Surprising they flew an A321 almost empty for the replacement crew instead of putting them on one of the afternoon IcelandAir/Easyjet flights from LHR/LGW to KEF what about a thought for the patient first Let me just repeat the insane AA diversion to DFW was some woman getting hysterical with a "panic attack" Could've been solved with strips and/or whisky I feel a lot worse for pax missing important moments in their lives if this turns out to be some self-centered b-word like her the person deserves to be held fully liable for all costs in addition to receiving a lifetime ban from the airline (and if the person faked or deliberately had a medical emergency with intent to cause a diversion and gain entry to another country the person should face the same criminal penalties as any other illegal alien) Waiting for the alter ego BA apologist to tell you how great it was to Denver if one failed to sink to your level in this pond without responding how would get through the day without throwing all your toys out of the pram but I'm not sure the first segment actually is 5th Freedom given that the Cayman Islands are a British Overseas Territory They've sent G-TNEC (A321neo) on a special flight presumably with the new crew on board to cover this Would probably have been hard to get enough seats for an entire 777 crew on the day of departure Funny enough a similar thing happened to me on a BA flight in 2019 Was travelling LHR-JFK on an 777 and diverted to KEF due to one of the entertainment monitors overheating and causing a smell of smoke in the cabin After around five hours at KEF we were put on an A321 to bring us back to LHR (777 flight wasn't full so we could all squeeze on the 321) I guess it's easiest for them to dispatch A320 family aircraft at the last minute since it's the most common aircraft type in the fleet More like to have available planes and available crews for that type They can work a couple of extra hours and get some overtime It’s not gonna hurt them and it’s certainly not gonna jeopardize the passengers on the aircraft It’s all a bunch of nonsense Union garbage Crew hours are limited by regulators for obvious safety reasons Maximum crew hours are mandated by EASA for safety reasons It’s not some fast food joint where you work If only you can replace crew with something that doesn't get fatigue or needs rest it must be something to do with being a dinosaur of very little brain … there are plenty of airlines in Africa that will bend the rules (or have bendable rules) as you suggest a slippery slope is behind the vast majority of deadly accidents Zero tolerance it the only thing that works with safety can you name these ‘African’ airlines you know so much about Your feedback is important in helping us keep our community safe The comments on this page have not been provided approved or otherwise endorsed by any advertiser and it is not an advertiser's responsibility to ensure posts and/or questions are answered You have successfully joined our subscriber list Editorial Disclosure: The editorial content on this page is not provided by any entity mentioned herein. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. See more about our ethics policies here About us | Advertise with us | Contact us and Icelandic flair highlight the launch of BNA’s newest international route Nashville International Airport® (BNA®) celebrated a major milestone with a special gate event to mark the launch of its new partnership with Icelandair and the airline’s inaugural nonstop service to Keflavik (KEF) The occasion brought together prominent city underscoring the significance of this collaboration in enhancing international connectivity and reinforcing BNA’s position as a global gateway for Middle Tennessee President and CEO of the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority (MNAA); Tomas Ingason Chief Commercial Officer of Icelandair; and Svanhildur Hólm Valsdóttir Ambassador of Iceland to the United States shared remarks highlighting the significance of this new air service Tennessee Department of Tourist Development Commissioner Mark Ezell President and CEO of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corporation also took the stage to emphasise the economic and tourism benefits of the partnership between BNA and Icelandair To commemorate the partnership between BNA and Icelandair Doug Kreulen presented the airline with a custom-made guitar symbolising the collaboration and shared commitment to expanding international travel opportunities The celebration continued with a ribbon-cutting ceremony featuring the Icelandair flight crew and the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority Board members “The launch of Icelandair’s nonstop service from Nashville to Iceland is a defining moment for BNA expanding global connectivity and elevating Music City’s status as an international gateway,” said Doug Kreulen “This partnership not only strengthens ties between Middle Tennessee and the Land of Fire and Ice but also unlocks new opportunities for travelers We are proud to welcome Icelandair and look forward to the lasting economic and cultural impact this new route will bring to our region.”  Passengers boarding the first flight to Keflavik received gift bags filled with Icelandic Skyr snacks and mini travel guide postcards—offering a taste of both Iceland and Music City “We are very pleased to start this new service between Nashville and Iceland and for the great reception we are already seeing from customers in Nashville in Iceland as well as from across the Atlantic This new connection links Music City to Iceland and our 39 destinations across Europe Chief Commercial Officer of Icelandair Group we also announce an expansion to our partnership with Southwest Airlines allowing travellers to connect between Southwest and Icelandair via Nashville and Denver onwards to Iceland and Europe This is additional to the already announced Baltimore gateway We look forward to welcoming Nashville and Southwest customers aboard.”  The gate area was transformed into an immersive Icelandic-themed experience a balloon photo backdrop showcasing the Icelandic flag A stunning ice sculpture complemented a grand balloon arch surrounded by a live bluegrass performance An LED-lit stage provided the backdrop for remarks reinforcing the “Fire and Ice” theme of the event Entertainment included a stilt walker from the Fire and Ice performers live musical performances by Friends of Bluegrass and Will Davenport and a commemorative photo booth with an Iceland-themed balloon backdrop Guests indulged in Northern Lights cupcakes adorned with custom-made Icelandic stickers while admiring an intricately carved ice sculpture This inaugural flight signals a significant expansion in air travel options for both business and leisure travelers in Middle Tennessee By forging this partnership with Icelandair BNA continues strengthening its global connectivity fostering tourism and business opportunities between Nashville and Iceland Icelandair’s new nonstop route strengthens international ties between Nashville and Iceland expanding travel opportunities while promoting cultural and economic exchange providing passengers with a direct link to Iceland’s breath-taking scenery travelers can easily connect to Icelandair’s extensive European network For more information about Icelandair or to book your trip to Iceland and beyond, please visit www.icelandair.com , , By No comments yet All subscriptions include online membership giving you access to the journal and exclusive content By Comment *document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "aa8e86ca0075fbd5aea9ebb84ca2223c" );document.getElementById("d6337c1004").setAttribute( "id" Write for us | Advertise with us International Airport Review is published by: Russell Publishing Ltd.Court LodgeHogtrough HillBrasted © Russell Publishing Limited, 2010-2025. 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Terms & Conditions | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy Website design and development by e-Motive Media Limited Videh Kumar Jaipuriar has been nominated for his exemplary leadership in managing and navigating Delhi International Airport (DEL) during the COVID-19 pandemic He led multiple initiatives to ensure business continuity at DEL which included passenger safety and convenience and care for environment and employee safety He proactively engaged with the government stakeholders and supported them in safeguarding aviation through strong confidence building measures for travellers such as developing several indigenous technology solutions like air circulation with six changes per hour and a combination of UV and plasma disinfection systems to provide safest journey experience to their passengers DEL has been forefront of implementing safety measures which was later adopted across the country Jaipuriar ensured that DEL was operational for rescue missions and transporting medical essentials to various parts of the country He further led the Vande Bharat Mission flights of Government of India (a rescue mission to get Indians back to India) as well as rescue flights by other international governments His outstanding leadership across all areas across the stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem and going beyond the call of duty in managing and navigating this crisis for a national capital airport having national importance makes him the apt choice for the Person of the Year Award Adnan Saggaf continues to demonstrate strong leadership skills throughout the COVID-19 pandemic and brought out of the box ideas in attracting traffic and to support his team during this difficult time With new innovative ideas in balancing cash flow the facilities were kept maintained and the personal were kept employed Saggaf has protected the financial stability of his staff income shown excellent performance of crisis management and exceptional negotiation skills shown with authority regarding agreement restructuring and receivable payments To handle the loss of Umrah traffic to the airport to use the terminal with attractive offers and more reliable services He built a new strategy by diversifying the airport offers He prepared the facilities by deploying new technology and working on enhancing passenger experience Saggaf also initiated a capacity building programme for the airside team by drafting SOPS as well as initiating dedicated workshops to discuss ideas and to deploy new initiatives and this is exactly what Saggaf showed and why he deserves to be awarded as the Person of the year 2021 Peter has been with the Sangster International Airport for over 25 years operations and now oversees the security function and is also the Chief Operations Officer Peter has been instrumental in co-ordinating the preparation and implementation of a COVID-19 response plan for not just MBJ but to guide the operation of all agencies operating on airport The aim of this plan was to ensure a safe environment for staff and the travelling public; therefore this plan was instrumental to establish consumer/travellers/public confidence and provided information and guidelines on the new protocols implemented at the airport Peter is well known for his expertise in investigation and aviation security His co-operation with law enforcement stakeholders has been unrelenting in assuring the security of the airport and stakeholders alike While Peter is known as a firm individual that displays the outmost professionalism and integrity he operates on the basis of equity and fairness in all matters relating to staff Robson Freitas has developed and led the BH Airport plan for the resumption of airport operations post-COVID-19 as well as being responsible for leading the group of Directors and Managers at the airport defining the three main pillars of recovery: Health and Safety of People Institutional and Integrated Communication and Institutional Partners These central pillars include ensuring hygiene and health and social distances measures for passengers in addition to participating in strategic committees involving the public sectors to comply with regulatory rules Freitas developed the COVID guardians programme who were responsible in monitoring and following up on the measures already implemented for COVID-19 and advising users employees and other people on compliance with distancing hygiene and health measures recommended by health authorities He also developed a COVID booklet with information and guidance for the airport community regarding good hygiene and health practices and led the beginning of the publication of a monthly newsletter with passenger curve information allowing the planning of reopening and rehiring by commercial stores Freitas also supported the reduction of OPEX by planning the temporary closure of areas toilets and equipment in common use and internalising some activities Raghunath worked closely with all the aero concessionaires and cargo operators to minimise disruption and provide financial relief to them The airline marketing team helped launch a historic first route to the U.S West Coast and the cargo team at BIAL also achieved record numbers over this period with the airport becoming India’s leading airport for the export of perishables Raghunath has led a digital transformation and expansion at BIAL airport with new initiatives and the deployment of the fully biometric-based self-boarding solution for seamless passenger flow and travel experiences and a process automation and analytics platform meant that the airport won ACI World’s ‘Voice of the Customer’ initiative which recognised BIAL airports efforts to prioritise their customers during COVID-19 Raghunath has remained a staunch and resilient leader during such an uncertain time and is very much appreciated by his team Alicia Prince has played a critical role in leading and navigating Cairns Airport through the COVID-19 pandemic Prince implemented a functional plan to ensure business continuity and staff welfare segregating front-line operational staff into work teams to avoid interaction between groups She ensured that the $55 million domestic Terminal upgrade continued safely despite the unprecedented COVID-19 crisis She also deployed the COVIDSafe Operation Plan for Cairns Airport which was endorsed and later commended by Queensland Chief Health Officer As part of this plan Alicia developed an airport layout to provide physical separation of low risk and high-risk arrivals and initiated increased hygiene and sanitisation protocols The health and safety of the airport community was paramount to maintaining operations and in response to this Alicia initiated a COVIDSafe training program for the entire airport community and worked closely with her team to deliver As a result of the great work Prince has done to ensure COVID-19 best practices Cairns Airport was one of the first Australian Airports to be awarded an ACI Global Health Accreditation Alicia also led the terminal optimisation project which assessed and implemented terminal downscales due to the crisis Significant savings (both financial and environmental) were achieved by reducing the operational footprint of the airport Whilst maintaining operations throughout the pandemic was a priority Alicia ensured her team were kept well informed and engaged Cairns Airport has a team of 33 volunteers which form part of Alicia’s wider team To ensure they remained connected and cared for Alicia and her team created care packages including home-made cakes and personally delivered to each of the volunteers’ houses in a COVIDSafe manner Alicia demonstrated great leadership throughout the pandemic and continues to do so today Her clear and transparent communication and collaboration with other Australian Airports and key agencies to ensure best practice and alignment contributed greatly to business continuity all the above was managed whilst working remotely and juggling home schooling with her two young boys Balram Bheodari leads Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport as North America’s most efficient airport due to his vast knowledge of and astute attention to efficiency in aviation which has allowed the airport to thrive in the most difficult of markets and selflessness to provide a quality of leadership throughout Atlanta Airport He oversees all facets of airport governance including operations and a multi-billion-dollar capital improvement programme designed to pave the way for Atlanta’s growth over the next 20 years Bheodari developed a comprehensive resumption of operations playbook that served to support ATL’s recovery efforts With guidance from the Federal Aviation Administration and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) amid evolving health and safety guidelines Bheodari steadfastly encouraged collaboration among stakeholders he participated in daily calls with Airports Council International and other large-hub airports to share best practices as well as information from Washington He aimed to restore customer confidence and ensure the airport was a healthy facility using COVID-19 safe protocols the airport achieved Airport of the Year by the Airport Minority Advisory Council (AMAC) Bheodari was the most ardent supporter of our mission-critical employees Having worked his way up through the ranks he fully appreciates the oftentimes thankless jobs these employees perform that keep the Airport safe and running optimally at all times Morale never flagged because Bheodari made sure those employees felt valued through hazard pay His actions and his directives all reflect his commitment to the three key focus areas of our organisation’s strategic plan: people Jonas Abrahamsson has shown the strength to steer the company towards its long-term sustainable goals Abrahamsson has ensured that Swedavia achieved its net zero target for all ten of the airports in 2020 and has continued to support strategic development and innovation to further the cause of sustainable air travel when passenger numbers where down over 90 per cent and a lot of investments were paused he decided that investments in the company’s net zero target should proceed allowing Swedavia to become the first net zero airport group by the end of 2020 Chris Dinsdale has worked at Budapest Airport since 2015 where he was nominated for the position as CEO fought relentlessly to make sure that the company survived the crisis and worked with great commitment to secure the funding of the airport a voluntary salary cut for the executives and the founding of the Budapest Airport Foundation which supports blue collar workers who lost their job during the COVID-19 pandemic After being nominated to CEO position in March 2021 Dinsdale continues to work closely with the executive team to create a clear COVID-19 recovery strategy for Budapest Airport This will also mean that we come out stronger of the pandemic and have a clear focus Dinsdale is an inspiring true leader who helped us all to cope with the very difficult times of the pandemic and I am convinced that he truly deserves this award Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information CookieDescriptioncookielawinfo-checkbox-advertising-targetingThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Advertising & Targeting".cookielawinfo-checkbox-analyticsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Analytics".cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessaryThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category 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country and crowds are starting to flow into the streets of Reykjavik I recently hopped on Delta Air Lines’ first nonstop flight of the season out of Minneapolis (MSP) hoping to spend a few days there before the hoards of tourists arrive in the “Land of Fire and Ice.” Summer hotel prices in Iceland soar during peak season so I always look for opportunities to use hotel points to secure lodging there are plenty of hotels from the major chains It’s best to book early for summer trips. I began planning early in the year, booking the Mr. and Mrs. Smith Kvosin Downtown Hotel in Reykjavik, the Canopy by Hilton Reykjavik City Centre and the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport near the airport all with points or free night certificates I’m going to share my experience at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport The property is an airport hotel that’s just a few years old and hosts one of the best restaurants in the area If you’re looking for a hotel near Iceland’s primary airport here’s why you’d want to consider the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport The Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport is conveniently located just over 1.5 miles from the Keflavik International Airport (KEF) terminal The airport is the nation’s largest and the main international gateway for visitors from abroad you’ll want to consider the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport for its easy access to the airport the hotel could make a good base for exploring the south side of the island by car for the day or when you have a layover at KEF and want to visit the Blue Lagoon The hotel is also situated right in the middle of the Reykjanes UNESCO Global Geopark and is “surrounded by geographical wonders and attractions,” as noted in the hotel’s brochure Here’s a map showing a broader perspective of the hotel’s location in relationship to Reykjavik and the south shore An advantage of staying at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport is the opportunity to redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for your stay or use your annual free night certificate that comes with several Marriott-branded credit cards so any time you can use points or free night certificates and receive good value Award nights at the hotel typically range from 32,000 to 40,000 Marriott Bonvoy points per night throughout the summer. We value Marriott Bonvoy points at approximately 0.7 cents each which translates to using approximately $224 to $280 worth of points per night for a summer stay I was able to use one of my 35,000-point certificates to book the stay A cash stay during the summer can exceed $300 per night with taxes and fees factored in the cash rate would have been ~$252 (33,000 ISK) I also had the option to pay with cash and points at a rate of ~$97 (12,514 ISK) plus $116 worth of points (16,500 x 0.007) for a total equivalent of ~$213 That’s a decent price compared to the cash rate I would have selected that option had I not had an expiring free hotel night certificate I received my free night certificate as a perk of holding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card. I also used the card for my hotel incidentals to earn up to 17x points for each dollar I spent at the property. I also have Marriott Bonvoy Titanium elite status which offers perks like complimentary breakfast (at participating properties) Apply Now(at Chase's secure site)Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit CardMarriott loyalists will love this card's annual Free Night Award and up to 17x points per $1 on Marriott hotel stays Welcome OfferEarn 3 Free Night Awards (each night valued up to 50,000 points) plus 50,000 bonus points after qualifying purchases.Up to 3 Free Night Awards + 50,000 pointsUP's Offer Valuation*:Up to $1,400Annual Fee$95APR20.49% - 27.49% VariableCredit RecommendedUpgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8 one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.Good to Excellent (670-850)Why We Like This CardIf you’re a frequent traveler and a Marriott loyalist there’s a lot to love about the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card The card comes packed with several great benefits like a free hotel night once a year automatic Silver Elite status (with a fast-track to Gold Elite status) Marriott Bonvoy it does not currently have an airport shuttle service the best way to reach the hotel is by taxi It will take less than 5 minutes and cost approximately $20 to $28 (2,500 to 3,500 ISK) You can walk to the hotel if you have little luggage and are up to it but it was not pleasant due to a strong headwind you have to traverse some rocky lava terrain covered in moss and then walk along a very busy highway There is another slightly indirect route you could take Hop on the Line 55 bus from the airport and take it to the first or second stop This will cut the walking time down to 15 to 18 minutes You can also tell the driver where you’re trying to go and they can advise you when to get off the bus The cost of the bus is about $3.70 (470 ISK) The hotel’s location is depicted by the red star on the map and the arrows indicate the bus stops closest to the hotel I have done all of these options and each has its obvious pros and cons you can reach the hotel by turning right on Highway 41 when exiting and keep right at the roundabout staying on 41 There is no charge for onsite parking at the hotel The hotel sits prominently in a lava field and stands out from its surroundings Since I was coming from my hotel in Reykjavik I first took a bus from the city to the airport then a taxi to the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport I was happy to finally arrive at about 2 p.m. and waited just a few minutes for my room to be ready I was greeted as a return guest and my Marriott Bonvoy Titanium status was acknowledged I was offered a choice between complimentary breakfast I chose the breakfast as my flight the next day wasn’t until 9:30 a.m. the hotel is less than 5 minutes from the airport and I wanted to make sure to snap some images of the breakfast buffet to share with you all One notable observation regarding Iceland is that bottled water is not always offered as a welcome gift at hotels, regardless of status. I received just 1 bottled water during my stays at 3 different hotels. This is because the tap water in Iceland is some of the best in the world. And it’s ice cold. I carried a refillable water bottle Should you need to wait for your room to be ready you’ll have several comfortable areas from which to select Whether waiting for your airport transport you’ll have plenty of comfortable places to sit The Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport does not have a huge footprint but it packs a lot into its compact floor plan Here are some of the amenities you can expect onsite Behind this unassuming door located next to the room elevators The door is marked with a sign that has the word GYM on it The fitness room is not large but it was clean and adequate for anyone wanting to have a morning workout you can freshen up at the vanity area near the exit door The hotel has 2 meeting rooms located directly off the lobby I was able to snap this peek of one with an open door Meeting Room 1 can hold up to 20 participants The meeting rooms can also be combined to hold up to 100 attendees The hotel also offers a complete stock of audio/visual equipment and supporting business services Having access to a desktop computer and a printer in these situations can be very helpful and high-speed internet available for tasks like these You’ll find the business center nook located in the lobby area In those rare instances when you need to print a document it’s nice to have a desktop and a printer handy.Advertisement You won’t spend much time in your hotel room during your time in Iceland That’s exactly what you’ll find at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport Here’s an overview of my room and the associated amenities The left nightstand offered a digital clock The work desk and right nightstand are extensions of each other (a clever design feature actually) The chair also served the dual purpose of being a desk chair and a chair with a footstool for relaxing The comfortable chair and ottoman were nice for a mid-work break Internet speeds in the room were consistent and sufficient for working online The bathroom was designed to use space efficiently there was plenty of floor space to move around The shower was sizable and had a handheld wand more and more hotels are utilizing full-size shampoo and shower gel containers mounted in the shower This was the case at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport In addition to the shower-mounted amenities and an offer to replace any toiletries you may have forgotten The room’s smart TV offered 25+ channels and allowed you to connect your own device for streaming personal content to the TV A compact cabinet in the corner of the room enclosed a closet The coffee station was stocked with an ice bucket There was no espresso/coffee maker in the room but coffee is also available at the breakfast buffet between 6 a.m The small refrigerator can come in handy to keep your road trip groceries cool and fresh I stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport twice in 3 weeks it’s important to note the gas station pumps in the parking lot and the airport off in the distance And here is the view from room 415 for comparison The Bridge Restaurant and Bar is a shining addition to the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport the guest rooms at the hotel are sparkling clean you’re more likely to leave with a warm feeling due to your initial front desk experience your interaction with the staff in the bar/restaurant The restaurant is separated into 3 distinct areas in an effort to provide a more intimate dining experience any of the areas can be used throughout the day or evening Titanium and Platinum Marriott Bonvoy elite members will be offered the option to select complimentary breakfast The breakfast buffet would cost approximately $22 (2,800 ISK) if you were to purchase it so it is by far the best option if you can fit it into your schedule Let’s look at the selections you can expect at breakfast time Walk right up and grab your morning coffee or hot cocoa without a wait as there are 2 hot beverage machines You’ll find a selection of naturally-flavored water Quality fresh fruit in a remote northern destination is a real treat and this assortment was very tasty The bread selection was good with 5 different bread choices and a toaster I really could have used an assistant to lift each lid while I snapped some shots of the hot breakfast offerings all are standard hot breakfast foods you’ve seen before The roasted potatoes were especially flavorful There was a fine selection of thinly sliced meats and cheeses If you prefer alternative milk to dairy versions you’ll find additional choices common in Iceland The cereal section had several options from which to select the choices were vanilla or blueberry skyr I chose the vanilla skyr and it had tiny pieces of shaved vanilla bean in it — delicious You can also add toppings to your yogurt or cereal such as chia seeds I was impressed with the quality of the fresh tomatoes and cucumbers for being on a remote island so early in the year I am sure the greenhouses on the island have contributed to the fine quality of fruits and vegetables here there are 2 easy options to avoid paying top dollar for your evening cocktail you can grab a bottle (or 3) of your favorite beverage at the airport duty-free store as soon as you arrive in the country you can plan to participate in a happy hour —- they’re everywhere The Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport has a great happy hour you’ll enjoy discounted select alcoholic beverages can be enjoyed for around $5.50 (700 ISK) or a glass of wine for around $7 (900 ISK) I was offered a taste of the house beer and I actually received a small glass It was a flavorful citrus lager and quite delightful Strike up a conversation with the incredible team of bartenders and servers as they’ll share a lot of information about the surrounding area and the hotel I’ve stayed at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport several times and never had a bad meal It’s difficult to beat fresh fish pulled from the cold North Atlantic waters just hours earlier I welcome the chance to eat the local fish whenever I can It’s worth noting that I had a conversation with 2 locals who frequent the restaurant and said it is the best restaurant in the area My server confirmed that a lot of locals eat there Here’s the current dinner menu offered at the hotel Here’s the fish dinner I had at the hotel during a previous visit The local arctic char (fish) I ordered during my current trip was so phenomenal that I believe it is the best meal I have ever had in Iceland So many flavors in just 1 dish and approximately $28 (3,690 ISK) There are 2 substantial arctic char filets hidden in there The meal also came with a small salmon and apple compote appetizer that spread nicely on the fresh bread The restaurant also serves a prix fixe menu that offers your choice of an appetizer When I visited it was an Italian-themed selection The dining room offers private booths that feature a personal smart TV convenient for connecting your own device or enjoying a virtual bonfire during your meal The Bridge restaurant serves brunch from 11:30 a.m All 4 selections are included in the price Check out the brunch menu available online The market is located adjacent to reception so you can just grab what you need and pay at the front desk the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport is not located near the capital city of Reykjavik making it a convenient option to stay before Here is some additional information regarding the immediate area surrounding the hotel you could take a taxi for about $65 to $80 you’ll be happy to know there’s a gas station located in the parking lot of the hotel perfect for topping off the gas tank before returning your rental car While a negative test is no longer required to enter the U.S. it’s still good to know there’s a COVID-19 testing center next door to the hotel you can schedule a test and have the results in 15 to 25 minutes You can make an appointment and pay online I’ve stayed in the town of Keflavik twice and it is a quiet place. You can, however, enjoy walking along the seaside and book boat tours that leave out of Keflavik harbor There is a Nettó supermarket located about an 8-minute walk from the hotel Turn left out of the hotel driveway and walk straight down the hill There is also a larger Bonus supermarket further down the same hill It’s worth noting that grocery stores do not sell alcohol in Iceland The Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport is well-staffed with friendly people who seem to care about each traveler having a pleasant stay I have stayed at the hotel several times and always experienced good service at the front desk You’ve probably noticed I feel quite comfortable at the Courtyard by Marriott Reykjavik Keflavik Airport usually before catching my flight back to the U.S I’m not the only traveler who appreciates the hotel, however. For 2021 the World Travel Awards voted the hotel as the top business hotel in Iceland and it was nominated for the award of the best overall hotel in Iceland I would say that it’s not the best hotel in Iceland — but I am a fan nevertheless The hotel is also where I normally say goodbye to Iceland so I’ll admit there’s a piece of sentimental value at work here I’ll continue to stay at the hotel on future trips and recommend it to my friends for all the reasons I’ve mentioned earlier I’ll also root for their success in securing an airport shuttle sometime in the near future The hotel does not offer a hotel shuttle at this time management at the hotel said they were working on it and hope to have arrangements completed in the future The easiest way to reach the hotel is via taxi The hotel can be reached by a 5-minute drive or taxi ride from Keflavik Airport The hotel is nearly a 45-minute to 1-hour drive from the capital city of Reykjavik The information regarding the Marriott Bonvoy Boundless® Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services offices This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter We respect your privacy. 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Google's privacy policy  and terms of service  apply OFFER ENDING SOONChase Sapphire Preferred® Card LIMITED TIME TRAVEL OFFERThe Business Platinum Card® from American Express BEST LOUNGE ACCESSThe Platinum Card® from American Express Privacy Policy | All Guides | Terms & Conditions | Web Accessibility Policy | Cookie Policy travel information and ancillary information concerning travel and credit cards The information provided is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial LLC uses reasonable efforts to maintain accurate information on the site — and prior to applying for any credit card offers found on UpgradedPoints.com all visitors should review other features of such credit cards including but not limited to interest rates and should determine the suitability of such credit cards considering their own individual financial position as an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases Editorial Disclosure: The content featured on UpgradedPoints.com has not been influenced or reviewed by the credit card companies mentioned comments and analyses are the responsibility of the author(s) and not any Advertiser or credit card issuer Anna Björk Bjarnadóttir, chief service and operating officer (CSOO) at Keflavik International Airport, discusses the moderated session ‘Challenges and benefits of integrating alternative fuels in airport development’ that she will participate in at Passenger Terminal Conference 2025 This panel discussion addresses the critical climate risks facing the aviation industry with a focus on transitioning to alternative fuel technologies Participants will explore the challenges and opportunities in adopting alternative fuels such as electric and/or hydrogen as a sustainable solution to mitigate climate change impacts The session highlights the five key risk areas – spatial stakeholder and financial – that airports must navigate Featuring real-world case studies and actionable insights the discussion emphasizes the role of innovative strategies and infrastructure development in driving resilience and sustainability within the sector the challenges will be costs of infrastructure for storage and distribution limited availability and supply chain constraints you always have to consider resistance to change from different stakeholders As Iceland is a nation of only 400,000 people far out on an island in the middle of the Atlantic Keflavík International Airport is the main gateway to Iceland and the only airport in our country that can fulfil the task of being the vital connectivity hub Domestic production of SAF is an unviable choice in Iceland and the vast majority of SAF would likely need to be imported under current technology – or we would have to import feedstocks for production production would require an almost 40% increase in new electricity generation just to support it The cost of importing SAF is likely to be high in addition to the carbon footprint of such import along with policies aimed at congested mainland Europe or altogether different emphasis on emissions in the US The magnitude and quality of air connectivity via Iceland is highly linked to the country’s capability of enhancing GDP and prosperity airport emissions account for about 10-20% of the aviation industry’s emissions such as ground support equipment and ground transportation for passengers staff and cargo; energy consumption powering the airport facilities; waste management; and finally emissions from building and expanding airport infrastructure can significantly enhance sustainability in airport development projects in several ways where we are fortunate to have renewable energy to power the airport facilities 65% of our emissions come from our fleet of heavy sweepers and other big vehicles for snow removal and de-icing on the runway system as well as fire fighter trucks and other ground vehicles We are now in the process of changing from diesel to biodiesel We’re also very closely following the development of technology for alternative fuels such as electricity and/or hydrogen Aviation needs to remain competitive and at the same time reach net zero play a key role in enabling the shift to sustainable fuels for aviation as a whole The European aviation industry alliance Destination 2050 has made a firm call for action toward the European Commission (EC) where they argue that the industry’s effective and successful transition to net zero is not achievable without more immediate EU public support The support needs to be in the form of strong policies and streamlined regulations funding and rapid certification of new technologies and plans that account for low-carbon energy and critical raw material needs Environmental change and the need for sustainable solutions have already sparked a lot of technological innovation and will It will be exciting to see how development and adoption of SAFs can further drive innovation supply chain logistics and airport operations overall the present geopolitical situation could cause some stagnation in innovation and development in the sustainability sector due to a change in national priorities Partnerships across the whole industry are vital to drive adoption of SAF Airports bring to the collaboration their role as airport ecosystem enablers They provide space and on-airport utility infrastructure such as pipelines regarding collaboration in the airport ecosystem is collaboration culture and collective use of real-time data We take our role as an airport ecosystem enabler very seriously and focus firmly on catalyzing a constructive and collaborative airport culture on one hand and a central open source of real-time data for successful operations of the airport on the other these two factors will prove a valuable foundation for successful collaboration in driving sustainability Partnering with airlines and suppliers on policy advocacy can help secure government support and funding for sustainable fuel initiatives airlines and suppliers can work together to influence regulations and policies that promote the adoption of SAF as the example of Destination 2050 alliance shows The same goes for raising awareness about the benefits of SAF among passengers and the general public sustainability reports and showcasing successful SAF initiatives airports can host pilot programs and demonstrations of SAF use in collaboration with airlines and suppliers These initiatives can provide valuable data and insights helping to refine and scale up sustainable fuel solutions To hear more valuable industry insights from top aviation executives, book a conference pass for Passenger Terminal Conference Icelandair and Play have reported a combined loss of ISK 9 billion in the first quarter traditionally the weakest period for airlines Both are expecting positive results in the coming summer As reported by RÚV Icelandair reported a $44 million (ISK 5.6 billion) loss—an improvement of ISK 2.1 billion on last year passenger numbers rose 9% year-on-year to 828,000 CEO Bogi Nils Bogason attributed gains to Icelandair’s cost-cutting measures which were expected to save $70 million in 2024 It was also stated that liquidity is currently at a record ISK 67.7 billion Icelandair’s CEO was quick to point out the economic uncertainty due to US trade policy He held off on confirming the company’s earnings forecast Read more: Flying to Iceland  Play posted a loss of $26.8 million (ISK 3.4 billion) Passenger numbers dropped to 286,000 after the airline scaled back US routes CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson said the strategy is paying off with many summer bookings and cash reserves now at ISK 2.7 billion Icelandair is launching flights to Istanbul and Nashville and Play is adding routes to Faro and Antalya In-depth stories and high-quality photography showcasing life in Iceland we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads may adversely affect certain features and functions Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen Our Route Opportunities feature explores the latest unserved and underserved routes promoted through Routes 360 providing supporting information for airline network planners to consider and capitalize on handles 98% of Iceland's inbound and outbound traffic As the country's main international gateway KEF connects to more than 90 destinations through 28 airline partners and is expanding its reach across North America and Asia The airport served more than 7.7 million passengers in 2023 Key sources of inbound traffic include passengers from the U.S KEF recently announced a new partnership with Discover Airlines which will begin operating three flights per week from Munich in April 2025 Also launching next summer is the airBaltic route to Tallinn Airport (TLL) starting in May 2025 and Icelandair began a 4X-weekly service to Pittsburgh with KEF welcoming WestJet’s inaugural flight from Calgary in May 2024 Air Canada has increased its flight frequency on routes to Toronto and Montreal As a member of Routes 360, the only digital platform dedicated to route development, KEF has uploaded multiple route opportunities to its profile to close connectivity gaps on long-haul services and enhance overall air connectivity ranked among the top 10 routes operated from KEF in 2023 The airport has identified substantial expansion opportunities in the region a limited-time direct route to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) with defunct carrier WOW Air carried over 4,000 passengers in January and February 2019 a figure that has surged to more than 27,000 passengers flying indirectly to LAX from KEF in 2023 the previous direct route to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) saw more than 26,000 passengers in 2019 with nearly 20,000 travelers opting for indirect flights to SFO in 2023 KEF has observed significant indirect traffic to destinations such as Hong Kong indicating considerable passenger potential in the region over the past year Chinese visitors were the 4th largest inbound nationality to the airport totalling 5.7% of  tourists Discover the latest available routes and identify new business opportunities Routes 360 is a powerful digital platform designed for the aviation community communicate key messages to engaged contacts and access the most up-to-date industry information.<\/p>Empower your route development strategy today.  insight and analysis from our award-winning editors delivered to your inbox daily Icelandic airports operator Isavia has awarded the Keflavik International Airport duty-free contract to Gebr The German travel retailer beat off three other bids to capture the concession building on its strong airport presence in the Nordic countries it will operate a departures duty-free shop (1,700sq m) Heinemann’s offer for Iceland’s number one travel hub was chosen based on predetermined selection criteria The operator noted emphasis was placed on “ensuring that passengers at Keflavik Airport feel they are in Iceland when passing through the duty-free stores” Heinemann’s proposed design for the duty-free shops but also from the range of products that will be on sale – the retailer has pledged that 30 per cent of the assortment will have Icelandic origins Heinemann Director Business Development Sales Nico Reifkogel said: “The tendering process carried out by the airport operator was extremely professional and transparent which enabled us to develop a tailor-made offer An important part of our offer was also to show that there is a high cultural fit We are very pleased that we were able to convince Isavia with our concept.” Heinemann Sales Director Nordics Jens Wolf commented: “We are very happy about being awarded and are looking forward to providing travellers from and to Iceland with a great modern duty-free offer A strong regional Icelandic sense was a key requirement which will play a key role in the future shopping experience among others with a comprehensive assortment of products from local brands “This will be complemented by a great selection of international brands across all product categories We always aim to serve the needs of all travellers those who are looking for a great special offer as well as those who are looking for something special For now our focus is on collaborating closely with all stakeholders involved to realise our plans.” Keflavik International Airport Chief Commercial & Airport Development Officer Guðmundur Daði Rúnarsson said: “I look forward to our collaboration This is a strong company with extensive and excellent experience in operating duty-free stores worldwide We are confident that Heinemann will greet travellers with warmth He added that the goal of the tender, the prospect of which was first and exclusively highlighted by The Moodie Davitt Report in August 2023 was to partner with a company experienced in running duty-free operations “This process was designed to ensure benefits beyond the current set up,” Rúnarsson continued “This change will bring advantages for passengers We are significantly increasing the airport’s revenue This will allow us to further develop Keflavik Airport and create more opportunities to add flight connections “ACI Europe has pointed out that a +10% increase in direct flight connections boosts economic growth by +0.5% in the respective country The Moodie Davitt Report is the industry’s most popular channel for launching commercial proposals and for publishing the results. If you wish to promote an Expression of Interest, Request for Proposals or full tender process for any sector of airport or other travel-related infrastructure revenues, simply email Martin Moodie at Martin@MoodieDavittReport.com We have a variety of options that will ensure you reach the widest most high-quality concessionaire/retailer/operator base in the industry – globally and immediately The Moodie Davitt Report is the only international business media to cover all airport or other travel-related consumer services Our reporting includes duty-free and other retail Subscribe to our newsletter for critical marketing information delivered to your inbox HMSHost will debut six new restaurants spanning over 725sq m Hudson separately captured a seven-year contract to launch a Manhattan-inspired retail store and Terminal 5’s first immersive video gaming lounge is relaunching its annual whisky festival under the name Whisky Social Club The Australian Airports Association Retail & Commercial Forum will include a blockbuster programme of seven extra-curricular activities Copyright © The Moodie Davitt Report | Website by Yellowball We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website Please click on one of the buttons below to accept We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze how you use this website and provide the content and advertisements that are relevant to you These cookies will only be stored in your browser with your prior consent You can choose to enable or disable some or all of these cookies but disabling some of them may affect your browsing experience Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this 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sustainable future for air travel: The Keflavík method Air travel today also finds itself at a crossroads With calls for caps to the frequency of air traffic in order to reduce carbon footprint the burden of choice is most frequently placed on the individual consumer and traveller While we should consider travelling by air as only one choice for transportation across long and short distances alongside other modes it is unrealistic to plan for a future in which flying does not play a major role in our way of life we should reduce the volume of commercial air travel as much as we can but also look for solutions to decarbonise what could a more systemic solution for a greener future for air travel look like In collaboration with the design firm KCAP Buro Happold has developed a masterplan for the Suðurnes Peninsula which includes Keflavík International Airport The project encompasses the creation of new industrial and research districts alongside the existing airport facilities Buro Happold is providing sustainability consultancy services to devise a regional energy strategy that draws from the airport’s unique location and natural resources on the peninsula and that investigates the possibilities of decarbonising air travel Working closely with the architects and the local and national government Buro Happold’s Energy team leverages a specific set of skills and knowledge to develop long-term solutions rooted in local conditions but global implications KCAP and Buro Happold’s Keflavík Airport Area Strategic Masterplan, or K64—so named because of its location along the 64th parallel north—proposes several potential solutions including a strategy for relying on renewable local energy systems to support aviation infrastructure 100% of the country’s electricity is produced by renewable means Transportation and aviation in Iceland still rely on fossil fuels K64 illustrates the possibility of using electricity to decarbonise air travel in the short term without the need for significant changes to existing aviation infrastructure such as aircraft engines and the fuelling system at the airport Both ReFuel EU and the US Aviation Climate Action Plan have set a target of decarbonising the global aviation industry by 2050 Buro Happold’s Energy team concluded that a new kind of synthetic aviation fuel that is chemically similar to kerosene and could be a substitute for the existing fuel offers a way forward Synthetic aviation fuel is chemically similar to kerosene and can be produced using a series of processes that have been understood for almost a century which consist of long chains of hydrogen and carbon atoms Fresh water from the environment can be split into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity either absorbed from the air or produced as industrial or domestic waste When hydrogen and carbon monoxide are mixed at high temperatures and pressures These hydrocarbons can then be cut into the desired lengths with a carbon-cracking process that relies on steam The length of hydrocarbon chains determines whether a hydrocarbon is a natural gas (short) K64 provides an opportunity to integrate sustainable aviation fuel into the operation of an international airport and demonstrates the possibility of making a sustainable shift across the aviation sector worldwide The Keflavík Airport Area could develop the energy capacity needed to produce synthetic aviation fuel for a considerable share of flights By expanding renewable energy capacities in the airport region and making use of existing resources most notably two nearby geothermal power plants the masterplan defines a holistic approach to energy production and consumption K64 is intended to facilitate the development of a sustainable business model inform the decision-making process of municipalities regarding the creation of jobs and the strengthening of local infrastructure and increase the production of renewable energy Achieving these objectives relies principally on Iceland’s renewable energy sources—hydroelectric The plan for the production of synthetic aviation fuel exemplifies the kind of sustainable-minded approach to the aviation industry that is necessary for the future of commercial air travel Sustainable aviation fuel is one solution among many possibilities for Keflavík and around the world Although the natural conditions around Keflavík Airport the approach to energy in K64 offers a strategy that can be adapted and applied across contexts Buro Happold’s Energy team uses the entirety of the context at hand to propose a solution that ensures lasting we have built an unrivalled reputation by delivering creative value-led solutions for the benefit of people The page you require is currently not available, please contact one of our specialists on this page for more information. Close Home - News - MK-Studios Releases Keflavik v2 MK-Studios has released Keflavik v2 for Microsoft Flight Simulator Keflavík International Airport serves the capital city of Iceland It’s a hub for Icelandic airlines Icelandair and Play and is visited by a large variety of airlines with seasonal and year-round destinations in both Europe and Northern America MK-Studios Keflavik V2 features a detailed rendition of the airport and terminal buildings while on the apron vehicles and other GSE add to the immersion The scenery extends its borders beyond the airport itself with the inclusion of several points of interest as well as a rendition of Reykjavík Airport (BIRK) This latter airport is located centrally in Reykjavík itself Features include custom jetways and vehicle models a correct runway profile and elevation data MK-Studios has also incorporated a handcrafted terminal building You can buy it from the iniBuilds store for the special discounted price of £14.25 (plus taxes). SAS is expanding its route network by introducing a new summer flight from Stockholm Arlanda to Keflavik, Iceland, for the 2025 season. This new service will complement SAS’s year-round connections from Copenhagen and Oslo, offering travelers more options to explore Iceland’s stunning landscapes and vibrant tourism sector. Flights between Arlanda and Keflavik, Iceland’s main international gateway, will operate overnight from June 22, 2025, to August 11, 2025. This schedule is ideal for long weekend trips, taking advantage of Iceland’s unique midnight sun, which offers 24 hours of daylight. The extended daylight hours allow travelers to fully enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking to waterfalls, exploring glaciers, volcanic areas, lava fields, and experiencing Reykjavik’s culture and nightlife. Henrik Winell, Vice President of Network at SAS, said:“We are excited to offer travelers the chance to experience all that Iceland has to offer, whether for business or leisure. The flight schedule is designed to maximize the extended daylight hours, allowing our passengers to make the most of their stay, while also saving on hotel costs with overnight flights.” The new route from Stockholm to Iceland meets the growing demand for travel to the country. This expansion allows SAS to offer enhanced connectivity between Sweden, the Baltics, Finland, and other countries, further supporting the booming Icelandic tourism market. With this new service, SAS continues to provide travelers with more ways to experience the natural beauty and adventure of Iceland during the peak summer season. All international capacity is located at Keflavik (KEF) Domestic capacity is exclusively at the domestic airport (RVK) which is right next door to downtown and perfect for visitors Now the authorities are looking again at a new domestic airport located along the A41 road to KEF because diversionary procedures at KEF have been shown to be inadequate and need to be improved The ultimate answer might be to build this new airport and connect it by way of a long proposed high speed rail line to the city and southerly suburbs in one direction But who would pay for that in the current economic climate is the 64,000 dollar question You must log in to read the rest of this article Got an account? Log In Get a taste of our expert analysis and research publications by signing up to CAPA Content Lite for free, or unlock full access with CAPA Membership All international capacity is located at Keflavik (KEF) You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience REDEFINING THE END-TO-END PASSENGER EXPERIENCE AND BUSINESS PERFORMANCE Airport | Ancillary | On the Ground // May 2024 Share on LinkedInLinkedInShare on TwitterTwitterShare on FacebookFacebookShare on RedditRedditShare on FlipboardFlipboardShare on TumblrTumblrShare via EmailGmailShare on WhatsAppWhatsApp Keflavik Airport has awarded SSP Group a contract to open two new Point convenience stores a Snæland Deli delicatessen and 17 high-tech vending machines in seven spaces at the airport The new contract comes just over a year after SSP made its debut at Keflavik Airport in spring 2023 will feature an evolved version of SSP’s retail convenience Point brand which was created for the Norwegian market in 2006 With a focus on fresh food and an aim to make Point a leading convenience concept in travel locations the concept has now been further developed for global roll-out and adapted to meet the needs of convenience shoppers on a global scale “A number of operators took part in the tender process,” said Gunnhildur Erla Vilbergsdottir “We were particularly keen to work with an operator with a high degree of professionalism in operations that can respond quickly and well to changing conditions in the complex operating environment and we are certain that SSP will live up to our expectations.” The Keflavik Point outlets have been specifically tailored to appeal to passengers travelling to and from Iceland They will offer a number of products unique to the country including Icelandic confectionery and beverage brands while hot food offerings including the renowned Icelandic pylsur (an Icelandic style hot dog) will feature prominently on the menu Snæland Deli is an entirely new concept created by SSP Iceland showcasing Icelandic cuisine to travellers from all over the world Snæland Deli offers a wide range of quality local foods and delicacies spirits and other beverages will also be featured the deal includes the operation of 17 Point branded smart vending machines in seven locations across the airport As the first introduction of smart vending in Iceland they represent a step-change for retail technology in the country and will provide customer-friendly and convenient retail options at the gate areas “This new deal means we have now increased our size in the Icelandic market enabling economies of scale and greater flexibility,” said Stian Lund Managing Director of SSP Norway and Iceland “It was a competitive tender against significant players in the market and to be expanding our presence at KEF less than a year after we were awarded our first contract is a testament to the hard work of the SSP team across our business and gratifying evidence of the airport’s faith in our abilities We’re very proud to be bringing the Point brand to travellers at Iceland’s largest airport and we’re certain it will be well received by passengers from Iceland as well as those from other parts of the world.” Hear more from Keflavik Airport at the co-located FTE EMEA and FTE Ancillary & Retailing events is participating in ‘The FTE Future Differentiation & Business Models Think Tank Live’ Vantage Airport Group & Chief Executive Officer IOT & Robotics case studies & knowledge sharing Content plans: Focus on the future of baggage handling Proof of Concepts updates & knowledge sharing Content plans: A worldwide summit uniting inventive minds to tackle aviation’s biggest challenges and uncover the city’s vibrant tech and innovation landscape Content plans: Strategies for revenue growth through collaborative retailing; discussions around progressive new business models & knowledge sharing Content plans: A gathering of air transport’s digital and innovation leaders who will inspire one another and reimagine travel together Content plans: Known as the ‘CES of Aviation’ FTE Global is THE DEFINITIVE EVENT FOR INNOVATORS Content plans: Asia’s biggest free to attend passenger experience & business performance expo A worldwide summit uniting inventive minds to tackle aviation’s biggest challenges Empowering the airline sector to profit from collaborative digital retailing opportunities at every step of the journey A gathering of air transport’s digital and innovation leaders creative designers and progressive minds who will inspire one another and reimagine travel together Where the world's most progressive travel facilitators define tomorrow’s end-to-end passenger experience Connecting vendors with airline and airport executives to transform tomorrow’s end-to-end passenger journey across Asia-Pacific Foreign departures from Keflavík Airport reached 162,000 in November Icelandic departures saw a significant decline during the same period Isavia – which operates all public airports in Iceland – published its passenger forecast for 2024 The forecast predicted that nearly 2.4 million foreign tourists would arrive in Iceland through Keflavík International Airport “If the forecast proves accurate,” an article in Viðskiptablaðið noted “2024 will be the third busiest year in the history of Keflavík Airport and the largest ever for foreign tourist arrivals in Iceland Only twice have passenger numbers been higher with 8.8 million in 2017 and 9.8 million in 2018.” This forecast has proven relatively accurate As noted in an article published on the website of the Icelandic Tourist Board on Tuesday nearly 2.1 million foreign passengers have departed Iceland since the beginning of the year This represents a 1.9% increase compared to the same period in 2023 “Departures during this period account for 97.3% of those recorded in the same timeframe of the record-setting year of 2018,” the article notes While the number of foreign travellers departing from Keflavík Airport has risen the number of Icelandic departures in November has declined Approximately 35,000 Icelanders departed from Keflavík in November of this year approximately 10,000 fewer than in November 2023 (-22.1%) Icelanders have travelled abroad 557,000 times a slight decrease of 1.5% compared to the same period last year,” the press release from the Icelandic Tourist Board notes As noted by the Icelandic Tourist Board departures of foreign passengers via Keflavík Airport reached approximately 162,000 in November This marks an increase of nearly 14,000 departures compared to November of last year Over two out of every five departures were accounted for by U.S Here is a breakdown of departing foreign passengers in November by nationality: A strong focus on local products and sense of place helped secure the German travel retail giant’s successful bid for Iceland’s main gateway Heinemann has secured the duty free concession at Keflavik International Airport (KEF) following a competitive tender process with operations set to begin in spring 2025 The agreement will see the German travel retail operator manage a 1,700-square-meter departure shop 2,280-square-meter arrival shop and a gate shop A key factor in Heinemann’s successful bid was its commitment to incorporating Icelandic elements throughout the retail program with 30% of the product assortment dedicated to local brands This aligns with the airport’s requirement for passengers to experience a strong sense of place in the duty free areas “The tendering process carried out by the airport operator was extremely professional and transparent An important part of our offer was also to show that there is a high cultural fit,” says Nico Reifkogel Director Business Development Sales at Gebr The design incorporates Icelandic elements to give travelers an authentic sense of place with 30% of the product assortment dedicated to local Icelandic brands The retailer plans to balance local and international offerings across all categories “A strong regional Icelandic sense was a key requirement which will play a key role in the future shopping experience among others with a comprehensive assortment of products from local brands,” says Jens Wolf the new partnership is expected to drive significant revenue growth while enhancing the passenger experience “This process was designed to ensure benefits beyond the current setup This change will bring advantages for passengers the airport and the community,” says Guðmundur Daði Rúnarsson Chief Commercial and Airport Development Officer at KEF The increased revenue is anticipated to support airport development and route expansion According to ACI Europe data cited by Rúnarsson a 10% increase in direct flight connections can boost national economic growth by 0.5% This latest win expands Heinemann’s Nordic presence where the company has extensive experience in travel retail operations The travel retailer will operate a departure shop (1,700sqm) an arrival shop (2,280sqm) and a gate shop Heinemann has won the tender process to take over the concession for operating duty free stores at Iceland’s Keflavik International Airport (KEF) from this Spring Heinemann’s bid above three other companies and the agreement has already entered into effect emphasis was placed on ensuring that passengers at Keflavik Airport feel they are in Iceland when passing through the duty free stores This is evident not only from the design of the shops but also from the range of products on sale – 30% of the assortment will consist of Icelandic products Heinemann will operate a departure shop (1,700sqm) Heinemann has a long-lasting experience in providing tailor-made travel retail offers to travellers who are travelling in and out of the Nordics Heinemann Director Business Development Sales Nico Reifkogel said: “The tendering process carried out by the airport operator was extremely professional and transparent Jens Wolf added: “We are very happy about being awarded and are looking forward to providing travellers from and to Iceland with a great modern duty free offer This will be complemented by a great selection of international brands across all product categories We always aim to serve the needs of all travelers For now our focus is on collaborating closely with all stakeholders involved to realize our plans.” KEF Chief Commercial and Airport Development Officer (CCDO) Guðmundur Daði Rúnarsson said: “I look forward to our collaboration This is a strong company with extensive and excellent experience in operating duty free stores worldwide ACI Europe has pointed out that a 10% increase in direct flight connections boosts economic growth by 0.5% in the respective country Tagged with: Sign up for email newsletters for up-to-date news In late March, customs officers at Keflavík Airport confiscated around 20.000 nonprescription tablets. At first glance, they seemed to be Oxycontin pills, valued at 115 million ISK, RÚV reports The Suðurnes Police claimed that the tablets were labelled by the pharmaceutical company Mundipharma A/S and should have contained oxycodone the pills included no traces of the chemical but a substance in the category of nitazenes — a group of synthetic opioids The police are hesitant about providing further information but stated that 14 individuals are in custody regarding drug importation at the airport 60% of pharmaceutical-related deaths in Iceland are traced to opioids Tourist Held Hostage On May Day Tourist Sexually Harassed In Blue Lagoon Culture Night Killer Sentenced To Prison Starbucks To Open In Reykjavík Soon An Ode to Flateyri Grapevine Events: The Clock, Other-Grounds Film Festival, Icelandic Sorcery Festival & More Police Officers Spied On Citizens For Iceland’s Richest Man From Army Brats To Luxury Flats Home - News - MK-Studios Announces Keflavik V2 MK-Studios Keflavik V2 sees large improvements with an MSFS native version. MK-Studios has announced version 2 of their Keflavik Airport (BIKF) scenery. The original version of MK-Studios Keflavik scenery was developed for Prepar3D v4 and was ported over to MSFS. Version 2 of the airport has been developed for MSFS natively and sees a large graphical update for the scenery. Keflavík International Airport serves the capital city of Iceland, Reykjavík, as well as the entire capital region. It’s a hub for Icelandic airlines Icelandair and Play, and is visited by a large variety of airlines with seasonal and year-round destinations in both Europe and Northern America. MK-Studios Keflavik V2 features a detailed rendition of the airport and terminal buildings. The terminal features terminal interior, while on the apron vehicles and other GSE add to the immersion. The scenery extends its borders beyond the airport itself, with the inclusion of several points of interest, as well as a rendition of Reykjavík Airport (BIRK). This latter airport is located centrally in Reykjavík itself, and only offers domestic flights. MK-Studios is planning on releasing Keflavik Airport V2 during the upcoming FlightSimExpo in Las Vegas. The developer did not share a price for the airport. Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Keflavik 9 win(s) Keflavik is playing home against Leiknir Reykjavik on Fri By Benedict Evans | Wednesday The concession win comes as Keflavik International Airport looks to add flight connections in the coming year the operator of Keflavik International Airport has awarded the concession contract to Gebr which will take over the concession for operating the duty free stores in spring 2025 Three other companies also submitted bids for the duty free store concession and facilities and  Heinemann’s offer was chosen based on predetermined selection criteria commented: “The tendering process carried out by the airport operator was extremely professional and transparent Isavia said emphasis was placed on ensuring that passengers at Keflavik Airport feel they are in Iceland when passing through the duty free stores at KEF evident in the design of the shops and the range of products on sale added: “We are very happy about being awarded and are looking forward to providing travelers from and to Iceland with a great modern duty-free offer among others with a comprehensive assortment of products from local brands.” 30 percent of the assortment – comprising a departure shop (1,700sq m) an arrival shop (2,280sq m) and a gate shop – will consist of Icelandic products “This will be complemented by a great selection of international brands across all product categories For now our focus is on collaborating closely with all stakeholders involved to realise our plans,” continued Wolf Chief Commercial and Airport Development Officer (CCDO) at KEF also provided a statement: “I look forward to our collaboration We are confident that Heinemann will greet travelers with warmth Rúnarsson noted the goal of the tender for the concession and facilities was to partner with a company experienced in running duty free operations Rúnarsson said: “This process was designed to ensure benefits beyond the current setup READ MORE: Heinemann receives ‘Golden Watch’ honour for contribution to confectionery READ MORE: Gebr. Heinemann and eurotrade strengthen long-standing partnership READ MORE: Umdasch hails shopfit of Heinemann’s expanded duty free store Vienna Airport TRBusiness Magazine is free to access. Read the latest issue now is planning to operate three weekly flights from Keflavik International to Miami As reported in the Miami Herald the connection marks Iceland’s 19th destination in North America The flight to Miami will last eight hours and cost approximately $549 for a single fare The flights will utilise Icelandair’s new Airbus A321LR aircraft It is the first time the airline has purchased an Airbus since its founding 87 years ago the plane can fit 187 passengers—22 in business class and 165 in economy.) Flying on Icelandair’s direct flights to Orlando Florida is a popular winter escape for Icelanders in dire need of sunlight Floridians often travel to the land of ice and fire in winter soaking in its frozen landscapes and cool climate The new Miami connection will offer both sets of travellers fresh vacation options until March 2026 The airline will hope this new connection might help turn around their recent financial woes. Icelandair reported losses of $20 million for 2024 though did see improvements in the last three months of the year Icelandair transported a record 4.7 million passengers in 2024 A global IT outage which is paralyzing airports and transportation systems is also affecting Iceland Keflavík International Airport may be affected and online banking at Landsbanki is disrupted According to CNN, the global tech disruption seems to originate from an issue with CrowdStrike a cybersecurity firm whose clients include Microsoft Windows CrowdStrike’s primary product is CrowdStrike Falcon a cybersecurity platform utilized by large corporations and government clients CrowdStrike has yet to address the ongoing outage that may be linked to its software The commercial bank Landsbanki announced this morning that they are also experiencing service disruptions both their app and online banking system are unavailable Flights to the United States may potentially be disrupted, states Vísir. However no flights to or from Keflavík International have been cancelled an Icelandair spokesperson stated that the company is analyzing the problem to determine if it affects the company and if it has any impact on their operations stated that the system failure has not yet impacted operations at Keflavik Airport Iceland Review explores the history and culture of Keflavík Iceland has always been less a melting pot and more a sandwich grill: a historical environment that melds together a handful of related ingredients (Wonder Bread and white cheese e.g.) to produce something consistently plain and predictable only one place that warrants the use of the first-mentioned analogy not least because of its association with the original referent (i.e With nearly a third of residents having immigrated from one of over 50 different countries the Reykjanesbær municipality – has long seemed a place for the out of place And a venue for various unseemly occurrences Widely reputed to be home to more fast-food restaurants than any other town in Iceland Keflavík is also known as the birthplace of Icelandic rock music a former fishing town (like most other towns) Iceland’s first – and current – gateway to the outer world and one of the country’s youngest communities To delve into the many curiosities of this peculiar community we began by acquainting ourselves with its recent history And no past phenomenon looms so large in that history as the former Naval Station Wriggling out from underneath its shadow seems altogether impossible There’s a big red house in downtown Keflavík If you ever find yourself standing in the middle of its living room you’d not be surprised to learn that it’s one of the oldest houses in town and almost every inch of its four walls is covered with landscape paintings and decorative dishes and the occasional stag-head wall clock There’s but a single disharmonious element in the entire quaint configuration: the house’s resident He’s lounging there on the padded brown sofa gripping the gilded handle of his brass-knuckle coffee mug – as if he’s starring in a pretty ironic music video When he lays down the mug and crosses his arms the letters of his nom-de-plume in aggressive font:  and it’s served as a place of refuge for members of the family ever since He lives here with his step-grandfather Böddi who exists as a mere cough on the other side of the wall and who is a much gentler soul than Kilo’s grandfather by blood for the most part: one bad thing chasing another These serial travails are documented on his latest album It’s one of the great Icelandic rap records and like many of the strange yarns spun in this part of the country traces its origin to the skein of the former Naval Station in Keflavík:  Kilo’s mother met an American soldier stationed in town They moved to the Naval Base when he was four or five and then they followed the bastard to New Orleans Kilo suffered horrific abuse at the hands of his stepfather – and he’s been trying to piece himself back together ever since and I’ve learned to face my trauma head-on; I feel like I’m crying all the time these days,” he says preserved in picture-form on an adjacent wall The impact of the Naval Station on rap music in Keflavík has not been well documented but there’s been plenty of ink spilt on the subject of rock ‘n’ roll there was only one state-run radio station broadcasting on a single frequency When the first broadcast station on the Keflavík naval base was established in 1963 its signal was just strong enough to be decoded by antennae in Keflavík and Njarðvík “For the first time in history,” Aníta Engley of the Icelandic Museum of Rock ‘n’ Roll tells me It was with the advent of American radio (Kanaútvarpið) that Icelandic teenagers were introduced to Elvis Presley and the Beatles you had over 50 garage bands in Keflavík – young kids performing in grandma’s kitchen,” Aníta explains By the time the antenna from the Naval Station was enlarged so that its signal reached the capital area musicians in Keflavík had enjoyed a two-year head start Among the bands that availed themselves most fully of this advantage and perhaps best synthesised the sound of rock music Hljómar was performing “relentlessly all over Iceland” (as noted by musician and music journalist Dr Gunni) and probably would have made it big abroad had they not Anglicised their name as “Thor’s Hammer.” and from Björk to Sigur Rós,” Aníta notes – the history of modern pop music in Iceland begins with the Naval Station in Keflavík “did the Naval Station have a direct impact on your life?”  you can tell by my last name,” Aníta responds My grandfather was an American soldier of Irish extraction.”  “The Situation” is a euphemism describing the romantic involvement of Icelandic women with Allied soldiers during World War II Such affairs were poorly received by local men (and the prudes of Reykjavík society) who very high-mindedly accused these women of prostitution or treason; when US troops returned to Keflavík unmarried men from lower ranks were made to observe a 10:00 PM curfew and only allowed to stay out till midnight once a week (Documents later revealed that the Icelandic government also asked the US to limit the deployment of soldiers of colour.) But it wasn’t just Icelandic women who fell for American men “There are no mountains; calm weather tends to pass through here pretty quickly.” Svanur Gísli Þorkelsson is laughing profusely from inside the municipal library in Keflavík He’s dressed in a dashing winter coat – made from “Scottish wool” – wearing six rings on five fingers curly locks are hanging down to his shoulders Besides being knowledgeable about the region’s history regularly contributing brief historical essays to the Facebook page Keflavík og Keflvíkingar (Keflavík and Keflavík Residents) He once met Margaret Atwood aboard a cruise ship in Canada She was so impressed with his powers of recitation that she convinced him to record an audio version of Beowulf in Saxon that Svanur Gísli awoke to the sound of someone barging into his bedroom but you’re not getting married today!” declared the intruder “Croatian freedom fighters have hijacked an American aeroplane – and they’re en route to Keflavík to refuel,” his brother explained This grand geopolitical gesture was not a problem for anyone else getting married in Keflavík on that day Only that Svanur happened to be engaged to Cynthia Farrell Commanding Officer of the Keflavík Naval Station Their wedding was to be held at 2:00 PM at the Farrells’ home which happened to be situated at the end of a runway – right where the Croats were being invited to refuel Determined to ensure that his daughter’s wedding could go ahead as planned Captain John Roger Farrell had been busy coordinating with police and firefighters all morning He had ordered security guards at the gate to admit wedding guests without harassment and instructed them to forgo the inspection of any goods that clearly resembled presents of the nuptial variety When the guests arrived at the Captain’s home Svanur’s mother-in-law sat down at the piano to play Clair de lune panoramic windows towards a Boeing 727 aircraft idling just a few metres from the house appeared on the runway and began kicking a big cardboard box toward the aircraft a man with a ski mask walked down the airstair and took hold of the box was directing operations through a walkie-talkie Captain John Roger appeared with Cynthia on his arm as a fuel truck pulled up to the aeroplane “His oration was promptly drowned out by the sound of jet engines,” Svanur says and Svanur eventually married a British woman Her kind “invaded” our island in the 1940s When Nazi jackboots tramped into Denmark and Norway in April of 1940 “Whoever possesses Iceland,” the old bulldog is to have observed would rebuff any overtures of military protection they dispatched a reconnaissance aircraft to survey the area Whether owing to accident or miscommunication By the time a small fleet of British warships rolled into Reykjavík harbour on Friday morning the British had scant reason to be alarmed (despite their blown cover); when the British Consul arrived at the harbour and observed the unfortunate proximity of the crowd to the mooring ships he spotted a local policeman and asked if he could instruct his people to step back eager to oblige the honourable British gentleman in his quest to conquer the island Approximately 25,000 British soldiers occupied Iceland between 1940 and 1941 and the British “invasion” helped end the recession; among other things 2,000 barracks were imported from Britain and Reykjavik Airport was constructed the Americans relieved the Brits (who’d previously been relieved by the Canadians) The base was split into two airstrips: Meeks Airfield which would later become Keflavík International Airport which served as home for most American officers the Americans returned in 1951 and were employed as Iceland’s Defence Force the naval base in Keflavík was home to some 5,700 people Despite being segregated from the rest of the community exercised an outsized influence on Keflavík’s history and culture Hilmar Bragi Bárðarson has the most villainous eyebrows in Keflavík They depart from the ridge of his eyes at an impressive 45-degree angle and although one is initially inclined to attribute some vague edge in his demeanour to his life-long career in journalism that it may have had more to do with those two devilish brows As he ushers us into the middle of the Víkurfréttir newsroom situated at the top floor of a relatively tall he begins talking about last year’s volcanic eruption; the building shook so vigorously in the months leading up to the event that he sometimes suffered bouts of vertigo “We were the first to report on the eruption,” he declares “The photo that accompanied the article was taken right out this window Hilmar Bragi visited the offices of Víkurfréttir on Career Day He was hired shortly after that and has been working there ever since Víkurfréttir has two other full-time employees: Páll the editor (who’s off skiing somewhere in Europe) who intermittently shoots us furtive glances from behind her desk “We also have another guy who works part-time along with a handful of freelance writers,” Hilmar explains you would do well to ask someone other than Hilmar Bragi “What differentiates Keflavík from other towns?” I ask I guess it’s the fact that there are no mountains; calm weather tends to pass through here pretty quickly,” he says with a straight face (as far as that’s possible) whether we’re talking the former Naval Station or the international one Víkurfréttir almost broke its biggest story When word got out that the Americans were about to depart from Keflavík who had stayed up the night before to report on a conflagration in Garður the Naval Station’s Public Relations Officer who vigorously denied everything until the official announcement was made later that day “Despite not breaking the news,” Hilmar Bragi says “we did manage to squeeze it into our paper which was sent to print later that afternoon It would have been a complete disaster if we hadn’t included it.” and Canada.” – Winston Churchill Pastor Erla Guðmundsdóttir is sitting on the second floor of her church and drinking a can of diet soda and is holding a large smartphone in a pink case “What distinguishes Keflavík from other towns?” “The residents of Keflavík are powerful,” Erla says which stretches out into all these directions.” “Our funerals are different – because of the music We were ‘the Beatle town.’ Rúnar Júlíusson was raised right here in this church He would sit here with his mother and sing Magnús Kjartansson would make out with his girlfriend in the cellar We have one of the greatest music schools in Iceland pastor Erla seems particularly in touch with the different strata of society – attuned to their struggles the site of the former Naval Station) that went dark And when the economic crisis struck two years later the unemployment benefits of many residents had already expired Our community in Keflavík dropped so low.” “We were going to build a college society,” she continues “to repurpose the apartments as housing for students Keilir Academy was founded to raise the education level since it was easy to find well-paying jobs with the Americans without an education.” Although Ásbrú did eventually become a college community that capital-area municipalities took advantage of the void left by the former Naval Station by shipping off “problematic cases” to Ásbrú: that they had paid to transport people to the neighbourhood It was perhaps something akin to modern hreppaflutningar a historical Icelandic practice of relocating impoverished individuals between counties You have many immigrants and asylum seekers but the cost of housing has remained relatively low.” Despite priding itself on being a multicultural society a recent paper published by the Social Science Institute of the University of Iceland revealed that more so than other inhabitants elsewhere in the country residents of Iceland’s southwest region (including Keflavík and Reykjanesbær) believe that “too many immigrants have arrived in the country” – and that they “pose a threat to Icelandic society.” my colleague inquires into the influence of the Catholic church there were 25 different religions practised at the church It had a rotating altarpiece to accommodate the different faiths.” a closed chapter in the history of Keflavík albeit one that still lives on in recent memory; it’s easy to elicit stories about the Americans What’s proven more difficult is getting a handle on what’s replaced them he’s spent some time in the shadow of the former Naval Station Home - News - New MK Studios Keflavik v2 Previews with BlueBird Simulations 757 A stunning combination that fit together perfectly in these new previews Both MK Studios and BlueBird Simulations will be at FlightSimExpo 2024 and the two developers have shared their love for each other by including their respective products in some new previews for the community MK Studios are bringing out their Keflavik Airport (BIKF) and BlueBird Simulations is working hard on the 757 for Microsoft Flight Simulator As Iceland AIr is such a big user of the 757 in real-life it was a collaboration that pairs perfectly they showed each other’s products off in some new previews Speaking on social media Can’t think of any place better than Keflavik to fly it As a reminder, BlueBird Simulation will be hosting a 20-minute session today at FlightSimExpo 2024 (which we’ll be covering of course), and MK Studios plans on releasing Keflavik v2 at some point this weekend Lagardère Travel Retail and Keflavík International Airport have teamed up to introduce a bright new food court in the North Terminal The Reykjavík Street Food Market is inspired by the Iceland capital’s growing food and culture scene Called Aðalstræti [‘Main Street’ in English -Ed] it is named after Reykjavík’s oldest street situated in the main international departures lounge (IDL) It is in a high footfall area of the airport part of a new extension that connects the IDL to six recently opened airline gates The three restaurants share a 220-capacity seating area and an 85sq m back of house zone Yuzu is a fast-growing trendy burger chain in Reykjavík owned by Head Chef Haukur Már Hauksson The restaurant has a staple offering of chicken beef and vegan burgers featuring flavours inspired by Asian cuisine The burgers are served with different fries options and customer choice dipping sauces There is also a dessert menu which includes glazed doughnuts and muffins and a breakfast menu featuring pancakes The drinks menu features sodas from trendy Icelandic brand Agla gosgerð Gull Lite and Yuzu Rice Lager from local brewer RVK Brewing Italian restaurant La Trattoria has a downtown location in Reykjavík’s Hafnartorg Gallery food hall owned and operated by Icelandic celebrity chef Hrefna Sætran and business partner Ágúst Einarsson The concept majors on breakfasts including Frittata Rustica and Italian omelettes; and classic northern Italy all-day dishes including numerous pizza and pasta choices Highlights from the menu include Linguine Frutti di Mare Risotto ai Funghi and Zenato Tagliata ribeye steak La Trattoria offers an aperitivo menu with classic drinks such as Limoncello Spritz The brand partners with Italian winery Zenato for an extensive list of red Zócalo – whose CEO is Icelander Einar Örn Einarsson also founder of the restaurant chain Serrano – has a chain of 16 fast-food restaurants across Iceland Additional restaurants are planned for opening in Ireland and England this year named after the largest square in Mexico City The all-day main dish menu includes five varieties of burritos The drinks menu features draft and bottled Mexican beers a wine list and Mexican cocktails such as Frozen Margarita Keflavík International Airport Commercial Manager Gunnhildur Erla Vilbergsdóttir (pictured leading a toast at the opening event below) told The Moodie Davitt Report: “We have been eagerly waiting for Aðalstræti to open in Keflavík International Airport and are incredibly proud of this addition to the airport La Trattoria and Yuzu are all fantastic restaurants with their own unique characteristics further enhancing the selection in the terminal Aðalstræti is specifically designed for the airport offering popular dishes that are quick to serve Special breakfast and children’s dishes are available and all establishments offer the option to dine in or take food to enjoy on the flight and customers can order directly from their tables using their phones at self-service stations or at each location “All three restaurants are established by Icelanders They provide the best of local food culture along with international cuisine.” Note: The Moodie Davitt Report publishes the FAB Newsletter events and campaigns from around the world of airport and travel dining Please email Kristyn@MoodieDavittReport.com for your complimentary subscription Today’s images come courtesy of Düsseldorf Airport which is currently sporting an orange theme and playful signage renaming it ‘Luchthaven Düsseldorf’ Severe flight disruptions are being caused by a northern and northwestern storm sweeping across Iceland. Numerous flights have been cancelled, though some remain on schedule, reports RÚV Sixteen departures from Keflavík Airport had already been cancelled early this morning. Guðjón Helgason, spokesperson for Isavia, advised travellers with booked flights to closely monitor Isavia’s announcements Many domestic flights have also been cancelled and the weather is expected to have a significant impact Morning flights between Reykjavík and Akureyri as well as between Egilsstaðir and Reykjavík For regularly updated information on road conditions visit road.is. Follow the weather at vedur.is A seriously ill Palestinian 11-year-old had his deportation halted today after public protests who needs a wheelchair and constant medical attention due to Duchenne muscular dystrophy He was awoken and removed from hospital by police last night and spent eight hours in Keflavík airport before the deportation was halted organised at short notice by the No Borders organisation has claimed that he was not allowed full access to his client with a suitable interpreter and condemned the police’s actions yesterday as reprehensible Yazan’s case has been bouncing around between various committees and ministers due to regulations surrounding the family’s arrival in Iceland via Spain Yazan is safely at Hringins Children’s Hospital The family’s ongoing residency situation is not yet known Iceland At A Crossroads Duty Free Iceland has opened a new store at the arrivals area of Keflavík International Airport with a design intended to emphasise Icelandic culture and the Icelandic language. The company celebrated its 65 year anniversary as well, Víkurfréttir reports which arriving passengers walk through on their way to the baggage reclaim area has been renovated and enlarged with the goal of improving service and product selection The baggage reclaim area was also renovated last year The new store covers a 2,400 square metre area and its design was meant to increase flow and capacity The store now has 16 self-service checkout machines and four staffed checkout points meant to address complaints over long lines that created a bottleneck and limited access to parts of the store The British design firm M Worldwide worked on the design and structure of the store with fixtures from the Italian company Imola Retail Solutions in cooperation with Verslunartækni “We felt it was important that the store which is the first stop for tourists visiting Iceland reflect Icelandic nature and culture,” said Þorgerður Þráinsdóttir and the fixtures were designed with Iceland in mind.” Þorgerður added that early on in the process a decision was made to highlight the Icelandic language most of the signage in the store is only in Icelandic “We see that this focus on Iceland has a positive impact on customer experience,” she said “Icelanders feel like they’ve arrived back home and foreign tourists get a good feeling for what Iceland is like in the first few minutes.” A record number of international tourists are expected to visit Iceland in 2025 A new east wing will become fully operational at the Keflavík International Airport this year More international tourists are expected to visit Iceland this year than ever before, according to a passenger forecast from Keflavík International Airport The forecast estimates 2.32 million foreign visitors in 2025 surpassing the previous record set in 2018 by 9,000 A press release quoted by Mbl.is notes that a total of 8.37 million passengers are expected to travel through the airport this year Passenger numbers exceeded this year’s forecast only in 2017 and 2018 Chief Commercial & Airport Development Officer at Keflavík International Airport marking the third-largest year for passenger numbers at Keflavík Airport and the highest ever for international arrivals,” Guðmundur remarked He noted the forecast highlights the strong position of Keflavík as a hub and Iceland as a desirable destination Guðmundur Daði referred to the development as a “significant milestone” for enhancing service quality and competitiveness: “This expansion strengthens our position in the global market and improves the experience for our guests and customers.” The press release notes that during the summer months 26 airlines will operate scheduled flights to 92 destinations while 21 airlines will fly to 70 destinations in winter The largest month-on-month growth is expected in April Transfer passengers who use Keflavík as a hub without staying in Iceland are expected to account for about 30% of total passenger numbers The forecast predicts a 1% increase in international travel by Icelanders in 2025 which translates to approximately 1.6 trips per person annually or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.