Latest news with #transatlanticFlights
The Independent
11 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Budget airline axes all flights to US as airspace restrictions bite
An Icelandic-based airline has announced it plans to axe all its flights to the US, stopping trips to major cities like Washington D.C. and New York by the autumn. Low-cost airline Play operates flights between Iceland and destinations in the US and Europe, offering budget tickets on Airbus aircraft to and from its main hub, Keflavík International Airport. Play flies in and out of Iceland to European countries such as Denmark, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. As well as Europe, the airline also directly links Iceland to Baltimore, Boston, and New York City. The airline operates on a hub-and-spoke model, meaning it uses one central airport, Keflavík, to connect to other airports around the world. Play launched its transatlantic flights in the spring of 2022, and has been flying to the US for just over three years. Play's hub-and-spoke routes have since financially underperformed, and an over-saturation in the transatlantic market has meant a growth in competition between airlines. Play will suspend its flights to New York Stewart on 1 September, followed by Boston Logan on 15 September, then finally Baltimore/Washington on 24 October. Its routes in Northern Europe are also expected to be scaled back due to Play dropping the hub-and-spoke strategy it has used since launching four years ago. The strategy has seen a loss of $20 million (£14.7 million) in 2024 in comparison to profits made in point-to-point European leisure markets. The restructuring will come as part of a proposed executive takeover by Play's CEO Einar Örn Ólafsson and Vice Chairman Elías Skúli Skúlason. In a notification to the Central Bank of Iceland, the executives said they plan to submit a voluntary offer for all outstanding shares in the airline via a new holding entity, Aviation Week reported. 'Due to airspace restrictions, several European airlines have redeployed capacity across the Atlantic, leading to overcapacity in the transatlantic market,' the offer document seen by Aviation Week says. 'Many carriers have suspended or terminated East Asia routes, facing a competitive disadvantage against Asian airlines still able to overfly Russia. 'This has increased pressure on transatlantic yields.' If the proposal is approved, Play's revised strategy hopes to target the leisure and VFR (visiting friends and relatives) market. The airline wants to target 'underserved sun destinations' and has recently announced new flights to Antalya, Faro and Agadir. 'We're focusing on the profitable aspects of the business—sun destination flights—and discontinuing those that have not yielded results,' Mr Ólafsson said. The airline will also offer wet-lease services, which provide short-term aircraft and crew to help other airlines fill gaps in schedules.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New UK airline slashes transatlantic flight prices in half ahead of inaugural trip
Start-up carrier Global Airlines has reduced prices by half for its inaugural transatlantic passenger flights, with promotional codes introduced around two weeks after seats first went on sale. Global Airlines is currently running a flash sale for its first passenger journeys, scheduled to depart from Glasgow on 15 May and Manchester on 21 May for flights to New York JFK on four-day round trips. The airline's Instagram states that passengers can book 'a spontaneous escape to the Big Apple' from the two UK cities to New York on return flights at £380 when using promo code GLOBAL380. Discounts are also available on business class seats for £1,999 return when using the promo code GLOBAL1999. Tickets for both flights went on general sale on 15 April. On 28 April, Global Airlines announced 100 'Global Traveller' seats and 20 business class tickets were available to be bought in a flash sale. When the tickets went on sale before the promo codes were introduced, and when the code is not applied, economy return tickets from Glasgow are priced at around £778 return and £696 from Manchester. The airline said limited seats were available, while its founder and CEO, James Asquith, said earlier this week it is the 'last few days of special fares,' although it is unclear when the deal will end. Mr Asquith wrote on LinkedIn: '£380 return!!! We love our Global Traveller cabin on the Global A380. 'If anyone wants to jump onboard for one of the next 'A380 Experience' flights to JFK flights [sic] this month, you can get economy tickets for just £380 return. 'Come join us – it will be fun!' Mr Asquith founded Global Airlines in 2021, promising 'a new era of commercial air travel' and 'fast relief from the aches and pains associated with commercial air travel'. Global Airlines flew its Airbus A380 aircraft from the maintenance facility of Beja in Portugal to Barcelona on Friday 2 May before it later took off for Berlin. This marked the first time the aircraft, 9H-GLOBL, landed at a major airport since it was brought out of retirement to be refurbished ahead of proposed transatlantic flights. The aircraft is at the Beja Air Base as of Saturday 3 May, after flying to Gatwick for the afternoon from Berlin. The initial commercial flights will use the Global Airlines A380 but will be operated by a Portuguese firm, Hi Fly, which specialises in providing short-term aircraft and crew to help airlines fill gaps in schedules. A spokesperson for the airline said: 'As the first Global owned A380 prepares to take to the skies with its first passengers, the Global team and partners have achieved what many thought was impossible and are now focused on the next phase of development. 'Global intends to introduce further widebody aircraft in 2025 before announcing a timeline for scheduled operations. "During the past year, Global has successfully inducted one A380 into service, and is now progressing with the acquisitions of further A380 aircraft scheduled for entry into service.' The Independent has contacted Global Airlines for comment.
The Independent
08-05-2025
- Business
- The Independent
New UK airline slashes transatlantic flight prices in half ahead of inaugural trip
Start-up carrier Global Airlines has reduced prices by half for its inaugural transatlantic passenger flights, with promotional codes introduced around two weeks after seats first went on sale. Global Airlines is currently running a flash sale for its first passenger journeys, scheduled to depart from Glasgow on 15 May and Manchester on 21 May for flights to New York JFK on four-day round trips. The airline's Instagram states that passengers can book 'a spontaneous escape to the Big Apple' from the two UK cities to New York on return flights at £380 when using promo code GLOBAL380. Discounts are also available on business class seats for £1,999 return when using the promo code GLOBAL1999. Tickets for both flights went on general sale on 15 April. On 28 April, Global Airlines announced 100 'Global Traveller' seats and 20 business class tickets were available to be bought in a flash sale. When the tickets went on sale before the promo codes were introduced, and when the code is not applied, economy return tickets from Glasgow are priced at around £778 return and £696 from Manchester. The airline said limited seats were available, while its founder and CEO, James Asquith, said earlier this week it is the 'last few days of special fares,' although it is unclear when the deal will end. Mr Asquith wrote on LinkedIn: '£380 return!!! We love our Global Traveller cabin on the Global A380. 'If anyone wants to jump onboard for one of the next 'A380 Experience' flights to JFK flights [sic] this month, you can get economy tickets for just £380 return. 'Come join us – it will be fun!' Mr Asquith founded Global Airlines in 2021, promising 'a new era of commercial air travel' and 'fast relief from the aches and pains associated with commercial air travel'. Global Airlines flew its Airbus A380 aircraft from the maintenance facility of Beja in Portugal to Barcelona on Friday 2 May before it later took off for Berlin. This marked the first time the aircraft, 9H-GLOBL, landed at a major airport since it was brought out of retirement to be refurbished ahead of proposed transatlantic flights. The aircraft is at the Beja Air Base as of Saturday 3 May, after flying to Gatwick for the afternoon from Berlin. The initial commercial flights will use the Global Airlines A380 but will be operated by a Portuguese firm, Hi Fly, which specialises in providing short-term aircraft and crew to help airlines fill gaps in schedules. A spokesperson for the airline said: 'As the first Global owned A380 prepares to take to the skies with its first passengers, the Global team and partners have achieved what many thought was impossible and are now focused on the next phase of development. 'Global intends to introduce further widebody aircraft in 2025 before announcing a timeline for scheduled operations. "During the past year, Global has successfully inducted one A380 into service, and is now progressing with the acquisitions of further A380 aircraft scheduled for entry into service.'
