Icelandair is planning a route schedule for 2012 which will be the largest in the company’s history and 13 per cent more extensive than the 2010 edition.

A new year-round destination, Denver, Colorado, will be added, and the frequency of flights to various cities in the United States and Europe will be increased.

The number of the company’s passengers in 2012 is projected at two million, as compared to an estimated 1.8 million in 2011.

A total of 16 Boeing 757 aircraft will be used to serve the company’s route network next summer, two more than in the current year. 

The company’s aircraft will take off up to 400 times each week over the summer, and passengers will number about 10,000 per day at peak periods, according to estimates from the carrier.

Icelandair’s plans for the current year are materialising, and market research indicates opportunities for profitable growth next year.

The company’s strategy is to increase the flow of tourists to Iceland outside the high season; this was an influential factor in the decision to introduce year-round flights to and from Denver because of its strong winter market, including the market for ski tours.

In addition to four weekly flights to the new Denver destination, Icelandair will increase its number of flights to Washington, DC and Seattle and add more capacity from Manchester and Glasgow. 

In total, Icelandair will fly to 31 destinations next year. 
Hjörvar Sæberg Högnason, general manager, UK & Ireland, said: “With our new destination of Denver and increased capacity from both Manchester and Glasgow, we are giving our UK passengers more options and flexibility. 

“We provide an exciting way to travel to many of the top destinations in North America with some of the best elapsed travel times in the industry.  Plus our passengers can take advantage of an Iceland stopover which is truly unique.”