Transport

Wow Air cuts Cork to Reykjavik service

Service was launched in May and due to run three times a week during winter

Pilots and cabin crew of Wow airline: the Cork to Reykjavik service will be suspended at the end of October
Pilots and cabin crew of Wow airline: the Cork to Reykjavik service will be suspended at the end of October
Olivia Kelleher in Cork
Sun Jul 30 2017 - 20:13

Icelandic airline Wow has cut its Cork to Reykjavik service five months after it started.

In a statement Wow Air said it will continue to operate the service until October 27th, at which point the route will be suspended for the winter season.

"The airline will continue to operate its Dublin to Reykjavik route up to nine times per week, offering onward connections to nine US destinations for Irish passengers," the statement added. "A decision on Wow air's plans for summer 2018 from Cork will be made later in the autumn. Wow Air became the first airline to operate a direct scheduled service between Ireland and Iceland when it began operating here over two years ago."'

The Cork Reykjavik flight was launched last May. It operates four times a week and was due to run three times a week during winter. An Icelandic wedding party were among the first arrivals on the inaugural flight in to Cork earlier this year. Fares to Iceland started at €59.99 each way. Reykjavik Airport has connectivity to 10 US cities.

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Transatlantic flights

The leader of the Seanad Jerry Buttimer called for a substantial marketing fund to drive the promotion of transatlantic flights from Cork following the decision by Wow.

"The suspension of the Wow Cork Reykjavik flight for the winter highlights the need for a substantial marketing package right across the transatlantic routes. The airport deserves great credit but there is an obligation on the council and tourism bodies to establish a forum to see how we can promote and market Cork. It [the suspension of the Cork Reykjavik service] makes the transatlantic route provided by Norwegian Air all the more important."

The Norwegian Air service will continue to fly to the US from Cork Airport. Aviation history was made at the airport on July 1st with the inaugural flight of Norwegian D81821 to Boston/Providence – the airport’s first ever scheduled transatlantic service.

The new transatlantic service operates three times per week, linking the south of the country to the Greater Boston, Rhode Island and New England areas.