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), slightly better than last year. Passenger numbers dropped to 286,000 after the airline scaled back US routes, shifted focus to Europe, and leased aircraft to Malta. CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson said the strategy is paying off, with many summer bookings and cash reserves now at ISK 2.7 billion. Both airlines are expanding this season. 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! © 2024 - Iceland Review ehf. All rights reserved. To provide the best experiences, 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. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, 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, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen. Industry and market insights and forecasts Key figures and rankings about companies and products Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries Detailed information about political and social topics All key figures about countries and regions Market InsightsMarket forecast and expert KPIs for 1000+ markets in 190+ countries & territories Consumer InsightsInsights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide eCommerce InsightsDetailed information for 39,000+ online stores and marketplaces Directly accessible data for 170 industries from 150+ countries and over 1 million facts: Full-service market research and analytics Strategy and business building for the data-driven economy Transforming data into content marketing and design: Industry-specific and extensively researched technical data (partially from exclusive partnerships) A paid subscription is required for full access Although the number of passengers recorded at Keflavík International Airport located near Iceland’s capital Reykjavik increased over the last years until 2018, it declined in 2020 to less than 1.4 million due to the COVID-19 pandemic but had recovered to about 7.8 million passengers by 2023. Keflavík remained by far the most popular airport in the Nordic country based on the number of international passengers While nearly 4.6 million people arrived at or departed from Keflavík in 2022 the number of international passengers at Reykjavík and Egilsstaðir airports amounted to overall only about 53,000 passengers In 2022, the leading nationality of visitors arriving at Keflavík International Airport Roughly 27 percent of foreign passengers were recorded from this country The United Kingdom and Germany followed in second and third place Its planes used this airport as a hub to reach destinations in Europe and North America Market share of selected airlines at airports in Iceland 2023 Number of passengers at airports in Iceland 2023 Number of aircraft movements at airports in Iceland 2023 Revenue from transport of the Icelandair Group 2012-2023 To download this statistic in XLS format you need a Statista Account To download this statistic in PNG format you need a Statista Account To download this statistic in PDF format you need a Statista Account To download this statistic in PPT format you need a Statista Account As a Premium user you get access to the detailed source references and background information about this statistic As a Premium user you get access to background information and details about the release of this statistic you will immediately be notified via e-mail … to incorporate the statistic into your presentation at any time You need at least a Starter Account to use this feature View specialisms glossary Home » News » A 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 You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience 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 which means the combined number of arriving and departing flights at Keflavík International Airport increased annually the annual air transport movement had more than tripled compared to 2009 the number of arriving and departing flights at Keflavík International Airport amounted to 21,500 flights it had increased up to roughly 67,700 in 2018 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions air transport movements dropped to only 45,200 air movements air transport movements had increased above the 2018 level and totaled 76,575 Number of passengers at Keflavík Airport in Iceland 2009-2023 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: 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 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 Icelandair has launched flights to Nashville The service is scheduled to operate four times a week until the end of October 2025 The new route expands Icelandair’s partnership with Southwest Airlines It just so happens that Southwest is the airline with the largest schedule at Nashville International Airport flying passengers to roughly 90 destinations across North America it is hoped these new routes will further enhance travel options for customers Tómas Ingason, Icelandair’s Director of Revenue, Service, and Marketing, told mbl.is “It is very pleasing to add Nashville to our robust route network We are particularly pleased with the good reception we have received from customers in Iceland and on both sides of the Atlantic The reception was so good that we decided to start the flight five weeks earlier than originally planned.” who are known for their love of music themselves is known for its rich history of country music no less its charming southern culture and cuisine Among its many cultural contributions, Tennessee’s capital is famously home to RCA Studio B, where beloved icons such as Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and Dolly Parton recorded many of their best known hits. Nashville also plays host to Tin Pan South the world’s largest songwriter’s festival A small explosion happened in Keflavík International Airport’s departure area today with the unidentified object going off near an airport employee The bomb squad attended the scene to investigate The explosive is suspected to have been a homebrewed firework of some kind and as all you armchair detectives out there might be surmising — they may well have fled the country Sunna Karen Sigurþórsdóttir of the RÚV broadcasting agency has reported that the explosive might have been adapted from everyday fireworks She adds that law enforcement are working together with airport staff on the matter A small explosion at Keflavík International Airport that occurred yesterday, July 19, is still under investigation, RÚV reports. a minor explosion occurred in a Keflavík International bathroom stated to RÚV that the incident occurred when a plumber picked up an unidentified object with his pliers The traces of the explosive are still being examined by local authorities Initial reports indicate that it may have been homemade fireworks Police stated further that they are reviewing security footage of the area in order to determine who may have left the explosive object Bjarney stated that although the police are taking the matter seriously there is no threat posed to travelers in the terminal The plumber in question is reported to have suffered minor injuries 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.” Iceland’s low-cost airline, PLAY including cuts to Europe-bound destinations and transatlantic flights Changes to PLAY’s flight network were presented last week, as originally reported by AeroRoutes Seasonal connections to two US destinations have been cancelled; John C Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) and Washington-Dulles This means that the only transatlantic flights PLAY will offer during the summer season are to New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) and Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) The airline has also planned to shorten three routes in 2025: Keflavík (KEF)–Athens Eleftherios Venizelos Airport (ATH) These changes follow the Icelandic airline’s announcement on October 16, 2024, that it would be changing its business model to reflect the market, as covered by Simple Flying Many saw this call as a direct consequence of their Q3 2024 results and described as considerably worse than expected the airline saw earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) of $9.6 million and net profit of $3.5 million during these three months PLAY’s restructuring of its flight network reflects their refocus on direct flights to Europe while cutting back on connection flights to North America Read more info about travelling here in: Flying to Iceland  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 The group has been awarded a contract to open two new Point convenience stores, a Snæland Deli delicatessen and 17 high-tech vending machines in seven spaces at Keflavík Airport (KEF) The new contract comes just over a year after SSP made its debut at the airport will feature an evolved version of SSP’s highly successful 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 The Keflavík 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 to showcase the national cuisine The 17 Point-branded smart vending machines will offer a range of fresh food Their deployment sees the introduction of smart vending in Iceland Stian Lund, managing director of SSP Norway and Iceland said: “This new deal means we have now increased our size in the Icelandic market enabling economies of scale and greater flexibility 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 gratifying evidence of the airport’s faith in our abilities We’re very proud to be bringing the Point brand to Iceland’s largest airport.” Are you an airport industry decision maker Register today for your complimentary subscription to Airports International magazine plus digital access to all previous issues Entry refusals at Keflavík International Airport have reached a record high of 752 this year owing largely to increased border surveillance The Suðurnes Police has called for stricter border controls and enforcement of passenger data submission laws The introduction of EU systems like EES and ETIAS is expected to enhance border security in the near future Entry refusals at Keflavík International Airport have reached a record high of 752 individuals so far this year, according to a statement published on the website of the Suðurnes Police 14 foreign nationals – originating from Spain and Colombia – are in custody for drug smuggling all of whom arrived in Iceland from other Schengen states As noted in a recently published government strategy on border management increased border surveillance by the police and actions against organised international crime have led to “a significant rise in cases involving deportations and entry refusals of foreign nationals particularly at the borders.” As noted in the document 318 individuals were refused entry to the country in 2023 “The increase in such cases pose significant challenges as ensuring their efficient implementation can be difficult and accommodation facilities at the borders are limited.” In its statement the Suðurnes Police called for the future coalition to address issues at the border stating that it “expected Iceland’s new government to strengthen and enhance border controls during the upcoming term.” As previously reported, parliamentary elections in Iceland will be held on November 30, weather allowing Among the problems highlighted by the Suðurnes Police is that provisions in customs laws requiring passenger transport companies – such as airlines – to submit manifests have not been enforced since Iceland joined the Schengen Agreement in 2001 information is missing for 7% of passengers entering the country through Schengen’s internal borders “This is expected to change soon,” the statement notes “The Chief of Police has harshly criticised the fact that Icelandic legislation regarding this obligation to provide information has not been followed for many years as those with understanding and expertise in border matters can clearly see.” the Schengen Agreement is built on two fundamental principles: the elimination of individual border checks at the internal borders of Schengen countries and countermeasures primarily involving cooperation among European police forces to ensure the safety of citizens within the Schengen Area “The removal of personal checks at internal borders is intended to facilitate the free movement of people within the European Union a core element of the EU’s four freedoms under the internal market Iceland became a participant in this system through its membership in the European Economic Area (EEA).” Despite the record number of refusals – and the police’s criticism of customs laws not being followed – the Suðurnes Police remains hopeful that the implementation of two new systems will enhance control of the border First, the implementation of the Entry/Exit System (EES) – an automated IT system designed to register travelers from outside the Schengen area including both short-stay visa holders and visa-exempt individuals every time they cross an EU external border The Suðurnes Police notes that the implementation of the system is in progress and is expected to launch early next year with the necessary equipment already installed in the arrivals hall at Keflavík Airport and border guards have received training on its use which will continue until the system is operational The EES will undoubtedly strengthen border controls at Schengen’s external borders,” the statement notes the implementation of the European Travel Information and Authorisation System (ETIAS) which will be implemented six months after the introduction of the EES system ETIAS will play a crucial role in improving security and oversight Icelandic authorities are well-prepared for these upcoming changes which aim to significantly bolster border management.” The following measures are among those included in the four-year strategy and national plan 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 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 The Australian Airports Association Retail & Commercial Forum will include a blockbuster programme of seven extra-curricular activities Today’s images come courtesy of Düsseldorf Airport which is currently sporting an orange theme and playful signage renaming it ‘Luchthaven Düsseldorf’ 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 site such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " One Australian Tiktoker has attracted international attention for her choice to walk to Keflavík International Airport to save on taxi fare The video was posted with the text: “When there is no public transport to the airport in Iceland at 5am and a taxi is €200 so you walk 2.5 hours to the airport with your suitcase.” At the time of writing the video has been viewed some 2.5 million times reveals that the traveler was likely not staying in the Reykjavík area Keflavík International Airport is located some 55 km from downtown Reykjavík and about 40 km from the suburb of Hafnarfjörður Walking to Keflavík International Airport from either of these locations would take the better part of a day The traveler was more likely staying in a hotel in the town of Keflavík or one of the neighboring towns of Njarðvík or Vogar from where taxi fare would be considerably cheaper Fly Bus airport transfers also run regularly from Reykjavík and are generally scheduled around flights 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 either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content Braced against cutting winds slicing through the Keflavík air base one of the U.K.'s most advanced stealth fighter jets sits on the tarmac Huddled meters away from the British Royal Air Force (RAF) F-35B aircraft Iceland's foreign minister does not hesitate to agree that the Arctic "We very much hope that it will continue to be a region of low tension," Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir told Newsweek This is why the U.K. has sent four F-35B fighter aircraft from the country's 617 Squadron to the southwestern tip of Iceland, the jets just getting started with a NATO air policing mission focusing on the Arctic It is the first time that London's F-35B stealth fighters have taken on air policing for NATO although other RAF jets have just rounded off several months of monitoring the alliance's eastern flank from Romania The radar-absorbent fifth-generation fast jets are designed to be hard to detect by radar with the F-35B model is able to land vertically and take off from very short distances Standing by the sleek jet, Wing Commander Stewart Campbell, who heads up 617 Squadron, described the F-35s as able to "speak to each other." When used together the connection between the jets serves up a "huge advantage over what we've seen in NATO before." The NATO of 2024 is not just monitoring Eastern Europe—it is keeping a careful eye on hotspots across the globe from lobbying for de-escalation in the Middle East to doubling down on its Indo-Pacific presence There is an increasing sense that NATO is also homing in on the inhospitable Arctic dragging its attention north as Russia quietly builds up its presence in region "This latest air policing mission in Iceland displays the U.K.'s ability to operate and deter our adversaries across the alliance's airspace," British armed forces minister The alliance has a firm grip on the Arctic region—the vast majority of the nations bracketing the Arctic are NATO members, boosted by Finland and Sweden stepping into the alliance after Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in early 2022 The impression is certainly one of NATO solidarity in Iceland's Keflavík just under an hour from the national capital The alliance's members have repeatedly said the Russian full-scale invasion of Ukraine has forged tighter bonds than ever before an attitude reflected on the sprawling Keflavík air base The F-35Bs' presence in Keflavík "is a really practical demonstration of the unity of NATO," said RAF Group 11's commander "We have a real interest in ensuring very much that it remains this area of high cooperation and low tension," Dr "Iceland continues to be strategically important because of its location and that definitely does not change when you when you look at the foreseeable changes in the High North both because of climate and also the security situation," Gylfadóttir said opening it up to more traffic and spikes of activity in a previously hard-to-access region with the withering of relations between Russia and Western nations after Moscow's troops crossed over into Ukraine nearly two and a half years ago The Kremlin may be tied up in Eastern Europe but Russia has capabilities not currently being utilized in and around Ukraine that could be deployed in the Arctic Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022 created a "new reality," she added saying NATO countries must adapt to these altered conditions Added into this mix is Beijing. The Pentagon said last month that China is dipping its toes further into the region "We can see their increased interest in the region," said Gylfadóttir NATO air policing constantly covers a handful of regions including the Baltic states and the eastern flank of Europe Air policing missions coordinated from Keflavík rotating stints typically lasting a few weeks with jets from contributing NATO nations are part of the Joint Expeditionary Force—or JEF—molded by NATO to be a flexible option when it comes to security in northern Europe But another part of the alliance's strategy for protecting the Arctic is predicting what the region will soon look like through the likes of new scientific studies it depends on science—so we are doing as much as we can to really try and understand the region to enable us to predict what the future might look like for the Arctic," she said Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground Newsletters in your inbox See all SSP Group has been awarded a contract to open two Point convenience stores a Snæland Deli delicatessen and 17 vending machines in seven spaces at Keflavík Airport in Iceland The contract comes just over a year after SSP made its debut at the airport in the spring of 2023 will feature an updated version of SSP’s retail convenience Point brand the Keflavík Point outlets have been tailored to appeal to passengers traveling to and from Iceland They will offer products unique to the country including Icelandic confectionery and beverage brands including the renowned pylsur (an Icelandic-style hot dog) Snæland Deli is an entirely new concept created by SSP Iceland to showcase Icelandic cuisine to travelers from all over the world It offers a wide range of local foods and delicacies spirits and other beverages will also be featured The deal also includes the operation of 17 Point-branded smart vending machines in seven locations across the airport they will be the first smart vending machines in Iceland managing director of SSP Norway and Iceland “This new deal means we have now increased our size in the Icelandic 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 travelers 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.” “A number of operators took part in the tender process 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.” For more top insights into the future of Keflavík Airport, read Passenger Terminal World’s exclusive feature “How Isavia’s historic K64 masterplan could change everything for Keflavík Airport”, here 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 Since July, 2024, the Suðurnes Police have not been able to use a drug detection dog during its monitoring of Keflavík Airport. The dog on duty suddenly died last summer, RÚV reports Suðurnes Police Chief Úlfar Lúðvíksson said that no decision has been made to hire a new hound the Keflavík Airport Customs Unit is supplied with a dog for a few hours each week to conduct randomised searches In 2023, mbl.is reported of 10 canine units graduating from police training Play Airlines’ stock has plummeted following an announcement about significant business model changes, including reducing connecting flights and focusing on leisure markets in Southern Europe, Vísir reports This drop in share prices comes ahead of a scheduled Q3 presentation on October 24 The stock price of Play Airlines is in free fall following an announcement earlier this week regarding a change in the company’s business model, Vísir reports One of the airline’s four largest shareholders sold 71 million shares this morning at a price of one krona per share The closing price on Wednesday was 1.92 krona As noted by Vísir, Play announced two days ago that it would undertake significant operational changes including substantially reducing connecting flights between Europe and North America The airline further announced that it would shift its focus towards leisure markets The number of aircraft and staff in Iceland is set to decrease and the company plans to apply for an airline operating licence abroad As noted by GlobeNewsWire on Wednesday the airline’s returns from its hub-and-spoke operations across the Atlantic have been underwhelming “The North American market has changed substantially recently with a general increase in supply with a negative effect on PLAY’s financial results.” Speaking to Vísir yesterday stated that Play’s announcement struck him as an attempt to save the company’s operations “It’s quite obvious that the company has been losing money and the owners have had to inject capital,” Jón Karl observed “If I understand the information correctly the performance this year is worse than they had expected so it stands to reason that more funding will likely be needed.” Jón Karl conjectured that Play was setting up a business model that would allow the company to ask the owners for more capital noting that it was difficult to predict whether these changes would save the company’s operations Whatever the case, Wednesday’s announcement, as noted by Vísir appears to have been poorly received by investors; yesterday the company’s stock dropped by 28.13% At the time that Vísir’s article was published “That was the price in by far the largest trade of the day, as 71,651,440 shares were sold and bought at 11:00 A.M. for one krona per share. In a public offering last April, each Play share cost 4.5 krona,” Vísir notes As noted by Mbl.is this morning Play’s management is scheduled to hold a presentation on its financial results on October 24 Based on the movement of the company’s shares it is clear that the management needs to clarify the company’s situation more thoroughly appear to have lost confidence,” the article from Mbl.is reads 105 ReykjavikMon-Thu 8:30am-4pmFri 8:30am-2:30pm 101 Reykjavik Weekdays 8am-6pmSaturdays 10am-6pmSundays 12 noon-6pm Reykjavik City ID Number: 530269–7609 Icelandair has cancelled flights to and from Orlando today and tomorrow due to the approaching hurricane Milton US President Joe Biden has urged those under mandatory evacuation orders in Florida to “evacuate immediately.” Icelandair has cancelled its scheduled flights to and from Orlando, Florida this afternoon and tomorrow as hurricane Milton nears the peninsula In an interview with Mbl.is last night noted that a flight from Orlando to Iceland last night had been pushed forward and a flight from Iceland to Orlando yesterday afternoon had been cancelled the airline is keeping customers with booked flights informed via text messages Hurricane Milton is approaching the Florida Peninsula from the Gulf of Mexico As noted by CNN the National Hurricane Centre warns that tropical storm conditions are anticipated to start along Florida’s west coast around midday today gradually spreading across the peninsula and reaching the east coast by night Although Milton has weakened slightly over the past hours, it remains a category five storm, with winds of up to 270 km/h (165mph). Milton is expected to be the most powerful to hit the area in a century. President Joe Biden has urged those Floridians residing in areas under mandatory evacuation to evacuate immediately; it was a matter of life and death As noted by the BBC Milton follows less than two weeks after Hurricane Helene – the deadliest storm to hit the U.S mainland since Katrina in 2005 – which claimed at least 225 lives United Airlines started today seasonal direct flights between Keflavík International Airport and its home port New York/Newark The airline previously offered this route between 2018-2022 but canceled the flight in the summer of 2023 It is now added to the airline’s flights between Keflavík International Airport and its home port at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport head of airlines and route development at Keflavik Airport as saying that Keflavik Airport has had a good relationship with United in the past and looks forward to further strengthening that relationship United Airlines operates between the destinations on Boeing 757-200 aircraft Flights between Keflavík International Airport and New York/Newark (EWR) began today and run until the end of October The airline's flights between Keflavík International Airport and O'Hare Airport in Chicago began on 10 May and will run until 25 September “We are pleased to resume direct flights between Iceland and New York/Newark for the first time since 2022,” commented Amit Badiani Routes is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC severe weather conditions of various kinds disrupted operations at Isavia airports hardly a week went by without wind or snow affecting flights to Keflavík International Airport saw considerable snowfall this winter – an estimated 270cm of uniform snow This is 7% higher than the average snowfall over the past five years This obviously resulted in significant snow-clearing operations at the airport An estimated 250,000 tonnes of snow was cleared from runways and aprons over the winter – this is 34% more than over the previous winter the winter weather subsided to make way for news of a new dangerous coronavirus and the COVID-19 disease it causes The virus has brought disease and casualties the world over piled pressure onto health services and brought flight operations to a near standstill Borders have been closed and the number of passengers at Keflavík International Airport has fallen considerably The figures show that passenger traffic at Keflavík International Airport in the first half of April 2020 was 99% lower than at the same time last year told the Icelandic current affairs programme Kveikur on 8 April that total passenger numbers for 2020 could end up being half of what they had been in 2019 When the programme was broadcast on 21 April the situation in terms of passenger numbers had changed considerably and the drop is now expected to be significantly greater than previously predicted The outlook is now considerably gloomier and we should assume that the downturn will be deeper and last longer than previously thought On the first morning of official summertime in Iceland on Thursday April 23rd it was reported that only a few places in the country had seen freezing temperatures According to Icelandic folklore scholar Árni Björnsson in the olden days it was considered a good omen if the temperature fell below zero during the night between the last day of winter and the first day of summer People apparently used to place a bowl or shell full of water outside on the evening before the first day of summer then check it at the crack of dawn to see whether or not it had frozen Despite only a few places in Iceland seeing freezing temperatures on the night in question this year let’s hope that this summer will nevertheless be a happy and prosperous one Staff at Isavia are in any event looking ahead with optimism There are many opportunities in the pipeline and flights will continue to bring Icelandic society new and exciting opportunities in the future The coming months with be full of challenges for Isavia and society as a whole and we shall continue to meet them with our customary hardiness Although COVID-19 appears to be subsiding and the first measures for lifting the ban on mass gatherings are just around the corner it is very important for everybody to be aware that the danger of infection is still present It is vital to keep our eye on the ball as we move into the summer and going forward until such time as we can say that we are truly out of the woods Director Airline Relations & Route Development Key Account Manager Airline Relations & Route Development The Eurobus is currently travelling around the country where experts from Rannís - the Icelandic Research Centre will visit a total of 12 towns and villages and share information about EU funding opportunities via EU programmes managed by Rannís The team will share local success stories of Icelandic participation in EU programmes and projects as well as inform about the many opportunities that exist for Icelandic institutions Akureyri and Reykjanesbær as a part of the Eurobus tour The Eurobus' first stop was in Akranes where Rannís experts held an event about EU funding opportunities provided through Icelandic participation of EU programmes such as Horizon The event was held in the town's innovation centre the chair of the Akranes town council and discussed EU funding to impactful projects in the town as well as the future development of the town and its considerable population growth in the past few years the European Union has contributed some 2.6 million EUR to local projects involved in EU programmes since 2000 This funding has been distributed to projects involving kindergartens as well as to research and innovation projects Ambassador Ganslandt and Mr Valgarður Lyngdal Jónsson Ambassador Ganslandt and Ágúst Hjörtur Ingþórsson at Breið Þróunarfélag The second stop of the Eurobus was in Blönduós a presentation about EU programmes and EU funding opportunities was held in the town's community centre Ambassador Ganslandt was warmly welcomed by the Mayor of the town The Ambassador visited the Icelandic Textile Centre where she was able to admire local textile art and contribute to a tapestry project which has been in the making for over 13 years the art piece will depict important moments of the region's history as described in the Vatnsdælasaga Ambassador Ganslandt had a chance to speak with local residents about EU-Iceland cooperation learn about local success stories of EU funded projects Ambassador Ganslandt contributing to a tapestry project at the Icelandic Textile Centre Ambassador Ganslandt visiting the Textile Lab in Blönduós where Rannís invited residents to listen to presentations about EU funding opportunities over some soup and freshly baked bread in a local café Ambassador Ganslandt visited the Icelandic Regional Development Institute (Byggðastofnun) where she received presentations about Icelandic regional development policies and development projects managed by the institute across the country Sendiherra ESB ásamt forstjóra Byggðastofunar Sendiherra ESB heldur ræðu við opnun súpufundar um Evrópustyrki An event about EU funding opportunities and local success stories was held in the town's beautiful culture centre Ambassador Ganslandt visited the University of Akureyri which has been an active participant in EU educational and research programmes Ambassador Ganslandt met with the university's Rector Sendiherra ESB heimsækir Háskólann á Akureyri Sendiherra ESB heldur ræðu á opnun fundar um Evrópustyrki í Hofinu á Akureyri Ambassador Ganslandt participated also in the Eurobus visit to Reykjanesbær where an event about EU funding opportunities was held in Fjörheimar The President of the Town Council of Reykjanesbær received Ambassador Ganslandt and Deputy Head of the EU Delegation at the Town Hall to discuss the town's expansion and population growth the volcanic eruptions in Reykjanes peninsula and its impact on local communities Sendiherra ESB ásamt Guðnýju Birnu Guðmundsdóttur Sendiherra ESB flytur ræðu á kynningarviðburði um Evrópustyrki í Reykjanesbæ / Ambassador Ganslandt gives a speech at an event about EU funding opportunities in Reykjanesbær Two F-15 fighter jets and 120 NATO personnel arrived in the country today to conduct NATO air surveillance and routine exercises, Vísir reports. spokesperson for the Icelandic Coast Guard stated that two additional fighter jets are expected to arrive soon for exercises are planned at the Akureyri and Egilsstaðir airfields in the coming days The squadron is based at Keflavík International Airport The Icelandic Coast Guard is overseeing the visit in collaboration with airport operator Isavia The exercises are expected to conclude at the end of June Recent inclement weather has however raised the possibility that the exercises may be delayed Ásgeir stated that no decision had yet been reached Weather alerts are currently active for all of Iceland with Yellow weather warnings over Southwest are in effect over the rest of the country Bit Digital will expand its crypto mining operations here in Iceland The decision comes amid concerns that the government of President Joe Biden plans to tax cryptocurrency Mining of cryptocurrency is a highly energy-intensive activity, but the CEO of Bit-Digital tells The Wall Street Journal that roughly two-thirds of the company’s mining operations are carbon-free He also says that increased operations in Iceland would use hydropower and geothermal energy A press release from Bit-Digital states that the company has already entered into an agreement with the Icelandic company GreenBlocks ehf for hosting an electronic mining operation in Reykjanesbær one-fifth of the company's mining machinery will be hosted in Canada and here in Iceland The company has already purchased 2,500 new machines that will be used in the e-mining business All of these machines will be housed in Iceland The cost of the machinery is USD 3.6 million or ISK 508 million The computers are expected to be in Iceland by the end of this month New proposals from the U.S. government for introducing a tax on cryptocurrency follow the collapse of FTX Western governments have long been concerned about the heavy electricity consumption of electric coin companies saying such activities raise the cost of electricity for Americans as companies share electricity networks with the nation Strikes at Keflavík International Airport have been averted following the signing of agreements between the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise on behalf of ISAVIA and the labour committees of the Union of Aviation Workers and Sameyki will now be presented to union members for a vote agreements were signed between the Confederation of Icelandic Enterprise (SA) on behalf of ISAVIA and the labour negotiation committees of the Union of Aviation Workers (FFR) and Sameyki The strikes that had previously been announced at the Keflavík International Airport have been called off As noted in an article published in IR last weekend negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement had been ongoing since last September with the labour dispute being handed over to the Office of the State Mediator on April 8 As reported by Vísir State Mediator Ástráður Haraldsson expressed satisfaction with the parties reaching an agreement He noted that people are generally not overly joyous after wage negotiations – but he hoped that everyone was “reasonably dissatisfied.” The agreements will be presented to the members of Sameyki and FFR A desired balance struck between negotiating parties In an interview with Vísir stated that the negotiating parties had achieved the desired balance between their interests Þórarinn added that the unions were quite pleased with the outcome although “one is never completely satisfied when signing wage agreements.” Þórarinn characterised yesterday’s negotiations as “a tough working day” with many positive developments although one never fully achieves all their goals As noted by Vísir the union members’ vote on the agreement will conclude around May 20 Þórarinn expressed confidence in taking the agreement to the members noting that an information campaign will now begin followed by a voting process just before May 20 expected to end between May 23 and 24 Þórarinn remains optimistic about the agreement’s approval though he acknowledged that nothing could be guaranteed Like reading about Iceland? How about winning a free trip to Iceland? Find out more here! About us | Advertise with us | Contact us Positioned around 50km southwest of capital Reykjavík Keflavík Airport is one of Iceland’s major transportation hubs It is the largest airport on the island and the country’s main transfer site for international travellers owing to its prime location and Iceland’s continued popularity as a tourist destination One of its primary concerns has been the rapid growth in passenger volumes over the past decade These have soared from just over 3 million in 2013 to 9 million in 2017 international requirements concerning aviation security issues at airports have also increased substantially Keflavík has been eager to maintain – and improve – the experience for passengers To improve its operations, the airport chose to install Vanderlande’s PAX OPTIMA advanced passenger checkpoint (APC) solution It has allowed Keflavík to increase passenger throughput and improve the overall experience for passengers , By No comments yet All subscriptions include online membership giving you access to the journal and exclusive content By By Comment *document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "af91592e12bbc7d8dde1b99fd7f5792f" );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. All rights reserved. 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 "Necessary".cookielawinfo-checkbox-performanceThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent WordPress Plugin The cookie is used to remember the user consent for the cookies under the category "Performance".PHPSESSIDThis cookie is native to PHP applications The cookie is used to store and identify a users' unique session ID for the purpose of managing user session on the website The cookie is a session cookies and is deleted when all the browser windows are closed.viewed_cookie_policyThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies It does not store any personal data.zmember_loggedThis session cookie is served by our membership/subscription system and controls whether you are able to see content which is only available to logged in users The new K64 masterplan will deliver a historic legacy for Keflavík International Airport enhancing the country’s reputation as a strategic location between Europe and the USA Keflavík International is the largest airport in Iceland and functions as the gateway to the country Its passenger numbers rose by 20-30% every year between 2015 and 2019; last year they reached 6 million and are expected to rise to 7.8 million in 2023 introduced a 25-year masterplan developed to ensure responsible decision making throughout each stage of development at Keflavík and published an updated and reviewed version in March 2023 with the scope of each stage determined by factors such as the number of passengers and their needs “Much of the planned work relates to anticipated growth and a phased approach means we can continue to have a fully operational airport during and after each project,” says Brynjar Vatnsdal manager of airport planning and development at Isavia “Since 2015 we’ve seen incredible ups and downs Traffic went through the roof – it grew much faster than anticipated it’s that by doing things in phases we can slow down development if growth decelerates,” he adds The original masterplan looked at all aspects of the airport – from the airfield to the terminal – and included a “pretty big airport city” this has evolved in the 2023 updated masterplan partly due to the launch of the K64 project in March the airport has mainly functioned as part of the country’s infrastructure but the new K64 masterplan outlines the enormous potential to use the wider airport area – Suðurnes – as a bigger economic driver for the region and even potentially the country as a whole the K64 masterplan was developed by Isavia and the Reykjanesbær and Suðurnesjabær municipalities Designed as an integrated masterplan that combines transportation it aims to diversify the local economy into high-value sectors supported by new living and cultural spaces “This is an extremely strategic location between the US and Europe which was why the US military originally built an airport here in the 1940s,” notes Pálmi Freyr Randversson managing director of the Kadeco airport development company “This is how we came up with the masterplan’s name The K refers to the airport and development company while 64 is Suðurnes’ degree of latitude.” The K64 masterplan focuses on the development of four distinct areas: an ecological industrial park an airport visitor plaza and business center Different aspects of the project will move forward at different timescales but Kadeco has estimated that a minimum of €1bn (US$1.1bn) will be spent on the development of 400,000m2   of land between now and 2050 “We have a timescale for the mobilization of projects then a 2035 vision of which projects could be started by then and another picture for 2050,” says Randversson and right now we’re looking at further planning tenders and impact and environmental assessments.” Steps have already been taken to turn the Helguvik-Bergvik harbor site into an ecological industrial park transforming abandoned factories into something much greener “There’s a lot of underutilized land there and we’re going to reuse these old factories Work has already begun to repurpose a 27,000m2  aluminum smelter building into a site that welcomes companies working on eco-friendly projects,” explains Randversson “What we want is to put this site on the map as a place green companies can come and work located just five minutes from an airport and three minutes from a harbor It’s going to be really interesting to see how that goes.” there are plans to redevelop the area into a residential district sheltered from Keflavík International by land that was once used as the old military airport’s apron to shelter the residential area from the airport itself – both aesthetically and acoustically,” Randversson explains healthcare and leisure facilities will be created here helping to bring more people to the area and retain them Kadeco expects to see major environmental benefits as fewer people will travel into the capital region for work and pleasure Randversson expects development to start within a year and he’ll be able to keep an eye on progress because the old naval base is also the site of Kadeco’s K64 HQ Focusing on the heart of K64 – the airport – the location of the planned R&D hub is particularly strategic for aviation-related projects as well as developing testing and implementing circular economy technologies “It will definitely focus on the future of aviation and we’ll be able to build hangars that provide both air- and landside access We already have an aviation academy nearby it could be extremely interesting to dig deep into the future of aviation fuel Iceland could be the center point for those kinds of studies,” Randversson enthuses “If the development of sustainable aviation fuel turns out well then latitude 64 will become extremely strategic again in the sense that long-haul flights between Europe and the US may need to land here to refuel That’s one of the opportunities we’re seeing,” he explains Then there’s the proposed landside forecourt development to the north of the airport terminal which K64 will develop in close collaboration with Isavia This will feature hotels and facilities for airport-related services including but not limited to a commercial zone “This is probably the lowest-hanging fruit,” says Randversson Isavia already had some big plans for this area as part of its own masterplan but the organization has simply not been able to find the internal capacity to move ahead and so we’ve taken these on so that the operator can focus on operations “We’re going to look at getting passengers out of the airport and supporting more landside alternative revenue streams,” he continues “There are a lot of hotel development companies already showing an interest but that’s just one part of what we could do here half of the tourists that visit Iceland hire cars and right now rental companies are spread about so we’re looking at how we can improve on this by creating a coordinated car rental terminal outside the airport.” Nature is also a key component of the masterplan which includes the development of a peninsular park that starts close to the airport forecourt and offers a network of walking paths and bike trails These will not only provide more pleasant commutes for workers and residents but also enable transfer passengers to get out of the terminal and back to nature between flights bike rental and luggage storage available right outside the terminal The K64 masterplan has enabled Vatnsdal and his team to update their airport masterplan to focus entirely on the development of the airport’s core operations “It’s helped us to focus on the development of the terminal and airfields,” he says “We’re also looking into the supporting functions that are directly related to airport operations – cargo maintenance of aircraft services and the like.” Keflavík is unusual in that it relies heavily on transit traffic (approximately 40% of the total) and it is a popular transiting hub between Europe and the US Isavia knew the airport needed to add capacity and remove any bottlenecks and they depend on getting their fleets in and out quickly We need to offer quick turnaround times and make it fast and easy for passengers to transfer between any gate and therefore need to add capacity during our busiest hours to better manage traffic,” explains Vatnsdal Key features of the original masterplan were the development of the east and west piers These are still at the core of the revised plan which now also includes a diamond gate area a north and south terminal connecting building and airfield improvements The project is divided into two main phases The first is based on the capacity of Keflavík’s two current runways and current capacity for up to 12.9 million people with Keflavík’s new east wing building under construction and expected to be fully operational next year This will be the connection to the future east pier “The east wing building will have a new commercial area and reclaim belts and we expect the basement and first floor to enter operation in June 2023 The second and third floors will be operational by next summer,” explains Vatnsdal Next in line is construction of the new connection between the north and south terminals “Building this connection is essentially open-heart surgery on the airport – it’s right in the middle of where everything happens so it’s a huge challenge for us,” Vatnsdal says “The terminal connection building will host the centralized functions we need in order to be able to grow further to the east with a centralized immigration area and extended commercial area so we can begin work on the stands for the east pier.” will involve the construction of a third runway to mirror the pier to the west which will increase capacity to the 15.1 million passengers forecast by 2045 US B-2 Spirit bombers arrived at Keflavìk Air Base on the 13th of August This is the third time the US Air Force has deployed this type of bomber on Iceland This is an important contribution to deterrence in Northern Europe Iceland has recently welcomed German fighters US strategic bombers – as well as the commander of both the US Air Forces in Europe and NATO's Air Command Russian strategic bombers have carried out two sorties in the High North.  Norwegian version US B-2 Spirit strategic bombers and around 200 soldiers are currently deployed at Keflavìk Air Station The base serves as a starting point for the three aircraft' co-training with Northern European allies Commander of the US Air Forces in Europe and NATO's Air Command He had a meeting with the Icelandic MFA Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir about the Ukraine War NATO's strengthened deterrence and defense – and Iceland's contribution as a country without its own armed forces "We discussed the evolving security situation and how NATO is adapting particularly within air defense and air surveillance Iceland contributes to the security of the Alliance by operating the Radar and Communications sites that play an important role in maintaining situational awareness in the skies above the North Atlantic," says Gylfadóttir in a press release General Hecker also visited the allied radar station at Bolafjall and the American soldiers at Keflavìk "It has been valuable to see the extent of NATO infrastructure that is operated by Iceland which forms an important contribution to air domain situational awareness in a strategically important region I have also had the pleasure of visiting the B2 Bomber We are grateful to our Icelandic partners for enabling this deployment and to the professional Icelandic Coast Guard that provides host nation support in Keflavik." Iceland's MFA Thórdís Kolbrún Reykfjörd Gylfadóttir (Independence Party) was recently visited by General James B (Photo: the Icelandic Ministry of Foreign Affairs) The American force in Iceland is solving a Bomber Task Force Mission (BTF) for strategic deterrence in the High North Strategic Command routinely orchestrates BTF operations to not only showcase the United States' commitment to collective defense but also to seamlessly integrate with operations conducted by [various note] America’s Geographic Combatant Commands," informs the US Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) The specific mission is under the US European Command (USEUCOM) this was designed to bolster this command's "overarching security mandates across the European continent"  – as well as affording aircrews the opportunity to acclimate themselves to the challenges of joint and coalition operations in foreign locations "Each bomber task force mission underscores the prowess of our armed forces in navigating today's intricate and unpredictable global security terrain He also points to the US' "unwavering cooperation" with European allies and partners to thwart possible challenges against their sovereignty – The B-2 Spirit is an American intercontinental strategic bomber with massive firepower It can carry up to 18 tonnes of weapons – also nuclear munitions.  – The aircraft was developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation in the 1980s and delivered to the US Air Force as of 1993 It was first used in combat in 1999 during NATO's air operation in Kosovo – The B-2 is a four-engine jet-powered bomber designed as a flying wing with several stealth features Stealth refers to military equipment designed to be difficult for an adversary to detect – The aircraft's range is 9,600 kilometers without refueling the aircraft keeps a low profile regarding visual form The B-2 is the most feared and respected weapon system Faced with the problem of simultaneity – having to be militarily present both in Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world – the US has adopted a more unpredictable pattern of operations to deter its adversaries. operational flexibility or unpredictability is highlighted when referring to the bomb force mission which is currently being solved from Keflavìk "The B-2 bomber is arguably the most strategically significant airplane in the world but that doesn’t mean it’s inflexible; dynamically deploying the bombers forward is a unique and important capability," says Lt a mobile operational center and a concept for Agile Combat Employment (ACE) is utilized "ACE addresses today’s changing threat environment instead of treating overseas bases as sanctuaries it shifts the generation of strategic airpower to networks of small bases and dispersed locations," informs the Whiteman Air Station in Missouri “We remain strategically predictable – ready to answer our security commitments globally – while also being operationally unpredictable and flexing our ability to employ global strike from anywhere This BTF allows us to exercise those muscles," adds Lt director of operations of the 393rd Bomb Squadron It can also be mentioned that the Icelandic government in April gave permission for US nuclear submarines to make short service visits to Iceland. There is currently significant civil and military air traffic in Keflavìk Norway is among the allied countries with which the American bombers train during their stay in Iceland On Tuesday last week – after co-training with Norwegian F-35 fighters and the Army – B-2 Spirit bombers landed on Norwegian soil for the first time the bombers had a pitstop at Ørland Main Air Station in Mid-Norway to refuel This is called "hot pit refueling" – a technique in which the motor runs (rather than being stopped) while the fuel tank is being filled in order to reduce downtime establishing temporary operational hubs at strategically chosen and even unpredictable locations These adaptive capabilities are the core of modern airpower projection," says General Hecker US B-52 strategic bombers landed in Norway for the first time (Photo: Heather Salazar/US Air Force) > Norwegian F-35 fighters co-trained with US B-2 strategic bombers in the airspace above Keflavìk It is the landing and the conducting of host country support that stands out as Norwegian forces have trained with American bombers earlier Such training has taken place in both Norwegian and Icelandic airspace as well as over international waters.  two B-2 aircraft returned to Ørland after a new round of training with Norwegian F-35s this includes the bomber types B-1B Lancer (Note that this overview is not necessarily exhaustive for this period) Norway is also engaged in the NATO-led mission on periodic fighter preparedness and surveillance of Icelandic airspace This is also known as Iceland Air Policing (IAP) and was established in 2009 A German air squadron has also recently operated in Iceland as part of the Rapid Viking exercise The first part of the exercise consisted of the quick and agile combat deployment of six Eurofighter Typhoon fighters in Keflavìk The deployment was conducted at the end of July with minimal personnel (30 persons) and equipment – transported by two A400M transport aircraft The German group of fighters conducted around eight training sessions each day until the 10th of August and familiarized themselves with Icelandic airspace and operational challenges in the High North This activity was in collaboration with the Icelandic Coast Guard NATO's Control and Reporting Center in Keflavìk Preparation for takeoff at Keflavík air station for a German Eurofighter Typhoon fighter at the beginning of August "The deployment of a 30-strong contingent with six Eurofighters to the High North demonstrates Germany’s readiness and ability to swiftly employ an air power capability with lean structures to any location we are needed," said Lt "The changed global security situation has had impacts on the High North the German Air Force makes a valuable contribution to Icelandic security and sovereignty and Alliance Deterrence and Defence," he added This deployment supplemented the Iceland Air Policing and enabled the deepening of an already growing German-Icelandic defense cooperation German fighter jets have operated in Iceland twice before – in 2010 and 2012 The map on the left illustrates typical forms of Russian military activity in the High North – while the map on the right outlines normal allied operations vis-à-vis Russian forces Note the so-called GIUK gap – the two strategically important stretches in the sea areas between Greenland (Screenshot of figures 10.7 and 10.8 in the Norwegian Defense Commission's report of 2023) also trained in the north in the same time period as the German and American forces have operated out of Iceland.  two bomber sorties were carried out in Arctic air space according to the Russian Ministry of Defense: missile-carrying strategic bombers of the Tu-160 and Tu-95MS types carried out flights in several places in the Arctic these aircraft are to have operated over neutral waters in the Barents Sea the Arctic Ocean – including the East Siberian Sea the Chukchi Sea (marginal sea to the Arctic Ocean) The bombers were escorted by fighters of the types Su-35 The longest flight is said to have lasted for over seven hours two Tu-160s carried out a sortie over neutral waters in the Barents Sea and the Arctic Ocean Photo gallery of mentioned bombers: A Russian Tu-160 strategic bomber A Russian Tu-95 strategic bomber (NATO designation: Bear) "All flights are carried out in strict accordance with international rules for the use of airspace," says Lieutenant General Sergej Kobylash Russia's Long-Range Aviation Commander The flights are also referred to as planned and regular in the Arctic the Russian Ministry of Defense reported the following bombing sorties within the Northern Fleet military district in northwestern Russia: It is also relevant that the Northern Fleet's MiG-31 fighters practiced countering enemy aircraft over the Barents Sea on 23rd of August The exercise scenario was an air force crossing Russia's state border in an attempt to carry out missile or bomb attacks on strategic objects The Russian fighter jets flew out to locate – The Keflavík air station was built by the US and opened in 1943 – The US and Iceland entered into a bilateral defense agreement in 1951 It stipulated that the USA would make arrangements for the defense of Iceland on behalf of NATO and granted base rights Keflavík became a base for American forces the air station was run by the US Air Force it was transferred to the country's navy and named Naval Air Station Keflavik (NASKEF) the USA decided that its military presence in Iceland should be significantly reduced – and NASKEF was closed down Washington DC and Reykjavik signed an agreement on various conditions surrounding the closing down of the base (including the return of facilities) as well as on future security cooperation to defend Iceland and the North Atlantic region US forces have not been permanently stationed in Iceland but Keflavík Air Station (run by the Icelandic Coast Guard) has been used for temporary deployments or short service visits the USA and Iceland signed a new joint declaration on security cooperation This partly deals with American deployments to support the NATO mission of Iceland Air Policing (established in 2009) the US seems to use F-15C fighters primarily American strategic bombers of the types B-52 and B-2 have operated in Icelandic airspace but only the latter has been temporarily stationed in Keflavík The US also uses this air station to deploy P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft – As part of the USA's 'European Deterrence Initiative,' the air station's facilities were upgraded in 2020 – The airport in Keflavík has also been important for developing Icelandic commercial aviation A new terminal for civil traffic opened in 1987 this is Iceland's largest and only international airport Photo gallery with other featured aircraft: A US B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber flies over Keflavík during a ceremony in 2018 An American B-1B Lancer strategic bomber (as seen from the tanker KC-135 Stratotanker) in Iceland's airspace after training off the island's coast during the NATO exercise Trident Juncture 2018 American P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft at Keflavík Air Station in 2019 US F-15C Eagle fighter jets at Keflavík air station in August 2018 to solve the NATO-led mission Iceland Air Policing This article was originally published in Norwegian and has been translated by Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen High North News is not responsible for the content or opinions expressed on external web pages Editor in Chief:Trine Jonassen E-mail High North News Editor/Commentator: Arne O. HolmTel: (+47) 905 29 472 Journalist:Hilde-Gunn Bye Journalist:Astri Edvardsen Translator:Birgitte Annie Molid Martinussen The Road Administration is preparing to expand Reykjanesbraut (Route 41) the road which connects Keflavík International Airport and the capital area The Road Administration has submitted an assessment plan to the National Planning Agency for an environmental impact assessment for doubling lanes on Reykjanesbraut between Hafnavegur and Garðskagabraut The construction section in question is approximately 4.7 kilometers long extending from the roundabout at Fitjar to Rósaselstorg where two lane highway currently ends to the roundabout where Reykjanesbraut and the traffic directions will be separated by a barrier Work on expanding Reykjanesbraut began in 2003 The coming development will be the final section of this expansion work Read the plans here. Tourists at Keflavík International Airport are often completely unaware that it is possible to take a Strætó bus to and from the airport This is due in part to the fact that Strætó’s service at the airport was not set up with tourists in mind tourists are greeted with a number of ways to get from the airport to Reykjavík Shuttle bus service is available just outside the airport and have arrivals and departures in harmony with the airport’s flight arrivals and departures with a typical ride from the airport to Reykjavík costing about 20,000 ISK However, there is also bus service from Strætó. A ticket from the airport to the greater capital area costs only 2,280 ISK. Even so, many tourists that RÚV spoke with were unaware this was even an option Strætó bus service for the airport does not begin until 6:30 in the morning and the bus schedule is not harmonised with flight arrivals and departures Strætó is operated by the the Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (IRCA) to make the availability of the bus service more available and accessible to tourists That said, IRCA is responsible for the schedule for this bus. Bergþóra Kristinsdóttir, the managing director of the service department for IRCA, told RÚV that this schedule was not created with tourists in mind but rather residents of the Suðurnes peninsula She added that they have not bought space close to the airport for this bus because they had not wanted to compete with private companies A workgroup within the Ministry of the Interior is working on recommendations regarding travel to and from the airport or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen.