The Port of Seattle announced today that Icelandair will begin serving Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on July 22, 2009. The airline will provide connecting flights to 18 European cities, via its hub in Reykjavik, Iceland.
“It’s my great pleasure to announce this new service,” said Port of Seattle Commission President Bill Bryant.  “Sea-Tac generates more than 160,000 jobs in King and Pierce counties, and this new service strengthens our airport and helps us to keep these jobs.”

Icelandair will be the only Nordic carrier serving the West Coast and it will provide a strong connecting gateway to Europe. The airline touts an all-Boeing fleet and will serve Sea-Tac Airport with a 183-seat Boeing 757.

“We look forward to partnering with the Port of Seattle to serve its passengers, especially the large Scandinavian population in this region,” said Thorsteinn Egilsson, Icelandair’s General Manager - The Americas.

Icelandair will provide four flights a week, departing on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, and Sundays at 3:30 p.m., and arriving in Reykjavik at 6:45 a.m.  Nonstop connections through the Reykjavik hub will include flights to Copenhagen, Oslo, Stavanger, Stockholm, Paris, London, Manchester, Amsterdam, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Munich, Barcelona, Madrid, and more.

“We’re excited to welcome new and returning travelers from Iceland and Europe,” said Tom Norwalk, President & CEO of Seattle’s Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We look forward to working in partnership with Icelandair to jointly market Seattle and Washington State for many years to come.”

 

Within the United States, Icelandair provides service from Boston, New York-JFK, Minneapolis-St. Paul and Orlando. The airline offers travelers personal entertainment centers and three service cabins (including new Economy Comfort Class).

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport is the 18th busiest airport in the U.S., serving more than 32 million passengers in 2008.  In the past few years, the Port of Seattle has celebrated the addition of several new international carriers, including Air France, AeroMexico, Lufthansa, and Hainan airlines.
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