Atlantica - 01.03.2001, Qupperneq 9

In March this year Icelandair takes delivery of an addi-
tional brand new Boeing 757, the second such aircraft
with the new and advanced passenger cabin interior,
initially featured in the stretched Boeing 757-300. In the
summer of 2001 Icelandair will be operating a total of ten
Boeing 757 aircraft, including a B757-200F freighter.
During the three-year period from spring 1989 to spring
1992, Icelandair renewed all its aircraft. The Boeing 727s,
used in European services, were replaced by new Boeing
737-400s, of which Icelandair was one of the initial-
launch customers. New Boeing 757-200s replaced the
previously operated DC-8-63s in transatlantic services,
and new Fokker 50 turboprops replaced the Fokker F-27
Friendships, which, for 27 years, had provided an excel-
lent service on the Icelandic domestic routes and the
international flights to the Faroe Isles and Greenland.
In May 1992 the average age of this advanced fleet of air-
craft was only 1.3 years, the lowest known for any inter-
national flag carrier. The new fleet lowered the average
fuel consumption by 35 per cent, maintenance costs by
30 per cent, flight crew costs by 25 per cent, and weight-
related user charges (landing and en-route fees) by 18 per cent. Of course, the associated
higher financial costs, including depreciation and interest, increased significantly, but were
still less than the combined positive effects of the previously mentioned operating costs.
Finally, and just as important, the punctuality of services improved dramatically, as did the
achieved annual utilisation of the aircraft, especially for the Boeing 757s.
With the constantly expanding Icelandair route network, using Keflavík Airport as its hub, the
size of the aircraft fleet also had to grow. To achieve further cost efficiencies it was decided to
standardise the Icelandair fleet on a single “family” of jet aircraft. Initially both the Airbus 320
and the Boeing 737 “Next Generation” families were considered. However, it was soon found
that both featured an insufficient range/payload capability for Icelandair’s transatlantic opera-
tions via Iceland.
For these unique route requirements the Boeing 757 is tailor-made. It was therefore decided
to standardise the Icelandair fleet using the Boeing 757 family. The Boeing 757 offers out-
standing fuel efficiency and excellent airport performance (even better than the smaller
Boeing 737s), it is one of the most environmentally friendly aircraft types available, and is
highly flexible for use in multiple markets and stage lengths. It has also proved to be extreme-
ly reliable in service. One measure of this is the amazing absolute world record of 40,531
engine flight hours “on-wing” achieved in February 2000 by a Rolls-Royce RB211-535E4
engine on one of Icelandair’s B757-200 aircraft.
The basic jet aircraft in Icelandair’s fleet will continue to be the popular B757-200, which in our
configuration offers 189 seats, of which 22 are four-abreast transatlantic Saga Business Class
seats. From the spring of 2002 these basic aircraft will be supplemented by the new and larger
B757-300, which in Icelandair’s configuration will offer 228 seats. In June 1997 Icelandair was
the second airline to order this new and advanced aircraft type.
The Sept./Oct. 2000 issue of Aircraft Economics published its own analysis of nine Airbus and
Boeing aircraft in the 200–300 seat category. The results made the B757-200 the clear winner
in the category of lowest relative trip cost, and gave it second place for the relative seat costs.
And the new B757-300 was the winner by a large margin with regard to the lowest relative
seat costs, and took second place for the relative trip cost. Thus, by operating both of these
highly efficient aircraft in its fleet, Icelandair hopes to be able to continue to offer its
customers the best possible travel deals, both to those flying to/from Iceland and also to the
passengers crossing the North Atlantic.
From the spring of 2002, it is most probable that Icelandair will be the first airline in the world
operating all three subtypes of the popular Boeing 757 family, namely the B757-200 and B757-
300 in international passenger services, and the B757-200F in international cargo services
A T L A N T I C A 7
Sigurdur Helgason, President and CEO, Icelandair
ICELANDAIR IN-FLIGHT MAGAZINE
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Continued Fleet Development
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