WOW air links Iceland to Asia for the very first time Barbara Kingstone December 29, 2018 News, Travel Tips WOW air has expanded its network from Keflavik Airport by launching the Icelandic hub’s first non-stop flight to Asia, with the airline offering services to Delhi. Launched today, the service will operate three times weekly using 345-seat A330-300s, with the route not only offering the first direct flight to Asia, but also provides the only low-cost option for passengers travelling between India and North America via a seamless transfer at Keflavik. Commenting on the opening of the airport’s first ever service to Asia, Hlynur Sigurdsson, Commercial Director, Isavia, commented: “To date, Keflavik Airport has only had direct flights to Europe and North America. With 27% of international visitors to Iceland coming from destinations outside of these regions, and with this market having grown by 11% during the first nine months of 2018, it is great to see WOW air expanding Keflavik’s global reach with non-stop flights to Delhi.” Adding further to this, Sigurdsson added: “We also understand that these flights not only bring a direct connection to Asia, but we know too of the important cultural and strong relations between India and North America. With this being the only low-cost option for passengers between these two global regions, we are happy to support WOW air in offering a new travel option to the six million passengers that fly between the two regions each year.” The addition of Delhi to Keflavik’s network tops what has been another record-breaking year for the European hub. Just under 10 million passengers having passed through Keflavik Airport this year, making 2018 the ninth consecutive year of double-digit passenger growth, with traffic having grown by 12% versus 2017. T. Armstrong Changsan, Ambassador of India to Iceland; Björn Óli Hauksson, CEO, Isavia; and Skúli Mogensen, CEO, WOW air, cut the ribbon to officially launch WOW air’s new service from Keflavik to Delhi. Isavia handles the operation and development of all airports in Iceland, including its four international airports – Keflavik, Reykjavik, Akureyri and Egilsstaðir. Keflavik welcomed more than 8.8 million passengers in 2017, flying on the airport’s scheduled services to 107 destinations across 33 countries. Passenger traffic growth at Keflavik in 2017 was 28% year-on-year increase. Keflavik won anna.aero’s Euro ANNIE award for the fastest growing airport in Europe in the 5-10 million annual passenger category in July 2017. Keflavik’s route development includes: Norwegian twice-weekly service to Stockholm Arlanda, 26 March 2018; Wizz Air three times weekly service to Poznan, 31 March 2018; WOW air four times weekly service to Detroit, 25 April 2018; WOW air daily service to London Stansted, 25 April 2018; WOW air four times weekly service to Cleveland, 3 May 2018; Icelandair six times weekly service to Dublin, 8 May 2018; WOW air four times weekly service to Cincinnati, 9 May 2018; Luxair weekly service to Luxembourg, 9 May 2018; Icelandair four times weekly service to Cleveland, 16 May 2018; WOW air four times weekly service to St. Louis, 17 May 2018. WOW air three times weekly service to Dallas/Fort Worth, 23 May 2018; United Airlines daily service to New York Newark, 23 May 2018; Icelandair three times weekly service to Kansas City, 25 May 2018; Icelandair four times weekly service to Baltimore/Washington, 28 May 2018; Icelandair four times weekly service to Dallas/Fort Worth, 30 May 2018; Icelandair four times weekly service to San Francisco, 1 June 2018; American Airlines daily service to Dallas/Fort Worth, 7 June 2018; S7 Airlines seasonal weekly service to Moscow Domodedovo, 9 June 2018; Icelandair four times weekly service to Düsseldorf, 30 October 2018; WOW air three times weekly service to Delhi, 6 December 2018;WOW air three times weekly service to Orlando, 18 December; To launch: WOW air six times weekly service to Vancouver, 6 June 2019. For more information: Jonathan Ford, Account Manager, Isavia Aviation Development PR PPS Publications, Media & Events (44) 1293 783851/mobile (44) 7808 172723 or jonathan.ford@pps-publications.com