News and Events
Direct flights between Iceland and Canada
Icelandair plans to offer three flights a week from Keflavík, Iceland to Halifax, Canada on a seasonal basis, from May to September 2007. Icelandair is emphasizing new possibilities for travellers between Canada and Europe; Passengers will fly direct to Iceland and can connect with European cities from there.
Icelandair stopped passenger flights between Reykjavik and Halifax in October 2001, citing Ottawa’s refusal to allow daily service, a downturn in the economy and high fuel prices.
The Halifax daily "ChroncialHerald" writes:
"Thursday’s release indicated Ottawa has warmed to the company, but an Icelandair official wasn’t available for comment.
"Icelandair has been interested in flying between Canada and Iceland for a long time," sales and marketing executive Gunnar Mar Sigurfinnsson said in the release.
"However, due to restrictions on the number of flights to Canada, we’ve not been able to build up our services to Canada. It now appears the Canadian authorities have a more positive attitude towards our needs and we have therefore, decided to add Halifax again to our destination network following a hiatus of a few years."
The paper also said that Halifax International Airport Authority and tourism officials welcomed the news.
Authority president and CEO Eleanor Humphries said the connection will act as a gateway to Europe for business and leisure travellers.
"And while this is a step in the right direction, we will continue to work toward our goal of year-round service," Ms. Humphries said in a release.
Tourism Minister Len Goucher wasn’t available for comment, but department spokeswoman Adele Poirier said officials are looking forward to working with Icelandair again and the possibilities Keflavik presents.
"That city is a major hub for flights from many European cities," Ms. Poirier said.
"This means the new flights have the potential to bring not just Icelanders to Nova Scotia, but also Europeans."
Darlene Grant Fiander, acting president of the Tourism Industry Association of Nova Scotia, said the previous Reykjavik service had a significant economic impact in Nova Scotia.
"The visitor from Iceland is a high-yield visitor; they tend to spend more money," she said.
The airport authority said it expects the new flights to boost the trend to rising passenger volumes, which were up 5.6 per cent last year.
It added the recent opening of the United States pre-clearance facility — the only one in Atlantic Canada — will also help. The facility allows passengers travelling non-stop to the U.S. to clear customs before leaving Halifax.