Atlantica - 01.11.2001, Qupperneq 73

71
Fleet of Aircraft
Number of seats 176–189
Average cargo capacity 4,000 kgs 8,800 lbs
Length 47.3 m 155' 3''
Wing span 38.1 m 124' 10''
Cruising speed 876 km/h 544 mph
Maximum range 6,300 km 3,900 mi
Gross weight 113,400 kgs 250,000 lbs
Engines (two) RB211-535E4
Total take-off thrust 36,400 kps 80,200 lbs
Maximum range based on full passenger load.
Number of seats 50
Average cargo capacity 500 kgs 1,100 lbs
Length 25.3 m 82' 10''
Wing span 29.0 m 95' 2''
Cruising speed 490 km/h 304 mph
Maximum range 1,770 km 1,100 mi
Gross weight 20,820 kgs 45,900 lbs
Engines (two) PW 125B turboprops
Total take-off power 3,728 kW 5,000 shp
Maximum range based on full passenger load.
Number of seats 144–153
Average cargo capacity 2,700 kgs 5,950 lbs
Length 36.4 m 119' 7''
Wing span 28.9 m 94' 9''
Cruising speed 790 km/h 490 mph
Maximum range 3,400 km 2,100 mi
Gross weight 65,990 kgs 145,480 lbs
Engines (two) CFM56-3-C1
Total take-off thrust 21,320 kps 47,200 lbs
Maximum range based on full passenger load.
BOEING 757-200 (Icelandair)
BOEING 737-400 (Icelandair)
FOKKER 50 (Air Iceland)
The History of Icelandair
THE HISTORY OF ICELANDAIR extends
far back beyond its formation in 1973 by the
merger of Flugfélag Íslands (Icelandair), estab-
lished in 1937, and Loftleidir (Icelandic Airlines),
founded in 1944. Its staff can draw on a vast
experience of international air transport, dating
from 1945 on European routes and 1952 in the
North American skyways.
FLUGFÉLAG ÍSLANDS operated an exten-
sive routes system within Iceland, and served
destinations in Sweden, Denmark, Norway,
Scotland and England as well. The first interna-
tional passenger flight was made on 11 July 1945
when a Catalina seaplane took off from Reykjavík
and landed in Largs Bay in Scotland.
LOFTLEIDIR ceased domestic flying in 1952,
concentrating instead on international services
to countries on both sides of the Atlantic and
earning worldwide recognition as a pioneer of
low fares on its transatlantic routes.Transatlantic
passengers were soon offered the option of
stopping over for a day or more in Iceland. To
meet demand for this popular innovation the air-
line built Hótel Loftleidir in Reykjavík and later
set up a car rental service.
An Icelandair subsidiary today operates seven
first-class year-round hotels located across
Iceland.Two of them, Hótel Loftleidir and Hótel
Esja, are in Reykjavík; the other hotels are in
Keflavík, Flúdir, Kirkjubæjarklaustur, Höfn í
Hornafirdi and Egilsstadir. The subsidiary also
runs the Edda Summer Hotel Chain. Another
Icelandair subsidiary operates the Icelandair/Hertz
car rental.
Icelandair introduced a new generation of Boeing
jets over the period 1989–1993. Another brand
new Boeing 757-200 is being delivered to
Icelandair in March of this year. The company
takes delivery of two larger B757-300s in 2002
and 2004. Additionally, options have been
reserved for up to four more B757 aircraft which
could be delivered between 2003 and 2005.
Today, Icelandair’s route network of 20 interna-
tional destinations includes six North American,
and 14 European, gateways. With additional
services to Iceland’s closest neighbours, the
Faroe Islands and Greenland, Icelandair can
justifiably claim to link the West Nordic countries
both with each other and with the rest of the
world.
Icelandair’s route network is based on a hub-and-
spoke system with Reykjavík’s airport, Keflavík
International, as the nerve centre. Fourteen flights
departing from six North American cities arrive in
Iceland 60–90 minutes before departures to 14
destinations in Scandinavia, the UK and Central
Europe. The procedure is reversed in the after-
noon with flights arriving from Europe at Keflavík
International shortly before the Icelandair fleet
takes off for North America.
In 2000 Icelandair carried a total of 1,430,000
passengers.This was an increase of 7 per cent on
the previous year.
Air Iceland is an Icelandair subsidiary airline
operating a domestic service to five destinations
from Reykjavík and five destinations from Akureyri.
The airline also operates flights to Vágar in the
Faroe Islands and to two destinations in
Greenland: Constable Point and Kulusuk.
In 2000 Air Iceland carried a total of 370,000
passengers, which was an increase of 19 per cent
on the previous year. Air Iceland’s fleet was
renewed in 1992 with new 50 prop jets, each with
50 seats.The airline also operates 19-seater Twin-
Otter, Metro and ATR-42 prop jets.
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