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Play (airline)

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Play
IATA ICAO Call sign
OG[1] FPY[2] PLAYER[3]
FoundedJuly 2019
Commenced operations24 June 2021
HubsKeflavík International Airport
Fleet size1
Destinations2
Key people
  • Birgir Jónsson (CEO)
  • Sveinn Ingi Steinþórsson (founder and CFO)
Websiteflyplay.com Edit this at Wikidata

Fly Play hf. (styled as PLAY) is an Icelandic low-cost airline based at Keflavík International Airport.[4]

History

In July 2019, two former WOW air executives, Arnar Már Magnússon and Sveinn Ingi Steinþórsson announced the formation of a new airline, tentatively named WAB air ("We Are Back"). Avianta Capital, an Irish investment fund owned by Aislinn Whittley-Ryan (daughter of Michael Kell Ryan, one of the founders of Ryanair) held a 75% stake; the remainder was held by Neo, a company founded by Magnússon and Steinþórsson. The company aimed to operate six aircraft to 14 destinations across Europe and the US, with a target of one million passengers in the first year.[5] The new company applied for an air operator's certificate (AOC) from the Icelandic Transport Authority.[6]

In November 2019, WAB air rebranded as Play, and the hiring of operating staff was initiated. The airline announced that it would lease Airbus A321s configured with 200 passenger seats, and would start flights with two aircraft to six European destinations in the winter of 2019–2020. The airline's livery was also planned to be red.[4][7] By late 2019, Play planned to initially serve six destinations in Europe, consisting of Alicante, Tenerife, London, Paris, Copenhagen and Berlin.[8] There were plans to introduce flights to four North American destinations in the spring of 2020.[7] Play originally planned to start operations with two Airbus A321 aircraft[7] configured for 200 passenger seats and add four more aircraft by the summer of 2020. By November 2020, the company had received a landing permit for only three airports, consisting of London Stansted Airport, Gatwick Airport, and Dublin Airport.[9]

In April 2021, it was announced that a group consisting of some of Iceland's largest investment companies and two pension funds was providing PLAY with six billion Icelandic Króna ($47 million). It was also confirmed that Birgir Jónsson would replace Arnar Már Magnússon as CEO.[10] In May 2021, the airline announced the registration of its AOC, as well as the acquisition of its first aircraft, an Airbus A321neo formerly operated by defunct Mexican airline Interjet.[11] Soon after, the airline began ticket sales for its first flights,[12] the operations of which launched with its inaugural flight from Keflavík International Airport to London Stansted Airport on 24 June 2021.[13] On the same day as its maiden flight, Play announced an initial public offering (IPO), seeking to raise at least $32 to 35 million, after which its shares would be traded on Nasdaq First North Growth Market Iceland.[14]

Destinations

Play operates to the following destinations as of June 2021:[15]

Country City Airport Notes Refs
Austria Salzburg Salzburg Airport Seasonal
Begins 22 January 2022		 [15]
Denmark Copenhagen Copenhagen Airport Begins 22 July 2021 [15]
France Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport Begins 15 July 2021 [15]
Germany Berlin Berlin Brandenburg Airport Begins 2 July 2021 [15]
Iceland Reykjavík Keflavík International Airport Hub [15]
Spain Alicante Alicante–Elche Miguel Hernández Airport Seasonal
Begins 13 July 2021		 [15]
Barcelona Josep Tarradellas Barcelona–El Prat Airport Seasonal
Begins 16 July 2021		 [15]
Tenerife Tenerife South Airport [15]
United Kingdom London London Stansted Airport [15]

Fleet

As of June 2021, the Play fleet consists of the following aircraft:[1]

Play fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
Airbus A321neo 1 2 192 Ex-Interjet
Total 1 2

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "PLAY Fleet Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  2. ^ "PLAY airline profile". airhex.com. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Play Fleet | Airfleets aviation". www.airfleets.net. Retrieved 25 June 2021.
  4. ^ a b Hafstað, Vala (5 November 2019). "New Icelandic Airline, Play, on the Way". Iceland Monitor. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  5. ^ Burbaitė, Rūta (17 July 2019). "'We Are Back': defunct WOW air breathes life into new LCC". www.aerotime.aero.
  6. ^ "WAB air has requested its AOC". Aviation24.be. 16 July 2019.
  7. ^ a b c "WAB air becomes PLAY" (PDF) (Press release). PLAY. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  8. ^ Tómas, Ragnar (8 November 2019). "Play Air to Fly to Six European Cities". Iceland Review. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  9. ^ "Play fær úthlutuð lendingarleyfi". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  10. ^ Ahlgren, Linnea (14 April 2021). "Icelandic Startup PLAY Has Raised $40 Million To Start Operations". Simple Flying.
  11. ^ "PLAY secures certification, first aircraft". PaxEx.Aero. 16 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Iceland's PLAY Launching Flights This Summer". onemileatatime.com. 16 May 2021.
  13. ^ Bailey, Joanna (24 June 2021). "Ready To Go: Icelandic Startup PLAY Operates Its First Flight". Simple Flying.
  14. ^ Kaminski-Morrow, David (24 June 2021). "Icelandic start-up Play details IPO ahead of small growth market listing". Flight Global.
  15. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Destinations". Play.
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