Niceair, A New Northern Icelandic Airline

There is a new airline being developed. The business model doesn't connect North America and Europe via Keflavik.

Niceair will fly from Northern Iceland

Niceair is a new airline that is planned to be based at the Akureyri Airport. The basic details we know about what is being planned.

• The airline plans to launch flights in June 2022
• The airline has secured an Airbus A319 with 150 seats (presumably in an all-economy configuration)
• It sounds like the airline will initially lease a plane, as the operating license will belong to an unnamed European airline
• The airline plans to initially operate year-round flights to the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Spain
• Ticket sales should begin in the coming weeks
• There are a variety of companies in Northern Iceland that have invested in the airline, though no party owns more than an 8% share

It's anyone's guess if that's true or not, and that's what the above is. The concept for the airline was described by the CEO of Niceair.

“The company’s intention is to establish scheduled flights throughout the year to foreign destinations from Akureyri Airport. This will at the same time improve the living conditions of individuals in the area, improve the access of foreign tourists to the North and, last but not least, increase the competitiveness of companies in the area.”

This is a cool, unique concept

There is a mixed track record of airlines in Iceland. It has been a struggle, but it does reasonably well.

I know I'm not an expert on aviation in Northern Iceland, but I've been wanting to visit the area, and getting there could be a lot easier. There are a few thoughts.

• Currently Icelandair operates four(ish) turboprop flights per day between Reykjavik and Akureyri; this isn’t ideal for connecting travelers, since they’d have to change airports in Iceland’s biggest city
• I’ve long been interested in visiting Northern Iceland, but is there enough demand currently for travel direct from other countries to Akureyri, or is this new airline about stimulating demand that didn’t previously exist?
• While I get that there are winter activities (like skiing) and spring and fall activities (like hoping to see the Northern Lights), Iceland is still a seasonal market, and without connecting traffic, it seems challenging to profitably fill planes year-round

It would be great to see this airline launch, as it will bring something new to the table. It's anyone's guess as to whether the airline will launch in June 2022, or if it will fall on the scale of Breeze Airways.

Bottom line

Niceair is going to be a new airline. The airline hopes to launch in June of 2022, with flights from Akureyri to international destinations in Europe. It's anyone's guess, but I'm excited to see an airline with a unique business model.

Do you think the Niceair concept is good or bad?