Tourexpi
Starting
a promising winter season a new Boeing 737-8 airplane has entered service for
Europe’s leading leisure, travel and tourism company, TUI, and will become the
new flying ambassador for the capital city of Iceland. The airplane with the
flight number TOM 4308 arrived at the Airport of Keflavik at 10:15 a.m. having
departed London Gatwick (United Kingdom) at 7:25 a.m. It received its name
Reykjavik by Mrs. fiórdís Lóa fiórhallsdóttir, Deputy Mayor of Reykjavik City and
chairperson of the council's executive committee. Around 50 guests, including
Bjarnhei›ur Hallsdóttir, Chairwoman of The Icelandic Travel Industry
Association (SAF), as well as various hotel and excursion partners attended the
naming ceremony. They were joined by Grýla and some Yule Lads – the iconic
mountain-dwelling pranksters of Icelandic Christmas folklore.
"Today,
we continue on our journey of becoming Europe’s most fuel-efficient airline as
we welcome another Boeing 737-8 airplane into the TUI Airline fleet. Our
Reykjavik is now an ambassador for the city, the island and the TUI Group –
right across Europe. This morning we arrived with a fully booked flight at
Keflavik Airport - it is impressive to see that holidaymakers can’t wait to
travel up North this winter to the country of extraordinary contrasts and
dramatic landscapes. TUI is the strategic partner for holiday destinations all
across Europe and we have been offering holidays to Iceland with our own
flights for nearly eight years, now. This winter season we are expecting more
than 10,000 guests from the United Kingdom to arrive to the land of fire and
ice," said Sebastian Ebel, CEO TUI Group, during the naming ceremony at
Keflavik airport. He was accompanied by Marco Ciomperlik, Chief Airline Officer
of TUI Group, and Andrew Flintham, Managing Director TUI UK & Ireland.
“It
is a great pleasure to be the godmother of this TUI Boeing 737-8 named after
our beautiful city, the northernmost capital in the world. Reykjavik continues
to inspire and captivate travelers from all corners of the globe. We might be
small, but we make up for it with boundless energy, unyielding perseverance,
and a creative spirit that knows no bounds. Our new ambassador will make
us even more popular”, said fiórdís Lóa fiórhallsdóttir.
"It
is clearly an honour that a long-standing partner such as TUI has chosen to
name one of its airplanes after our capital city. Yet more importantly this
marks not only the close relationship between TUI and Iceland, but also the
confidence put on us as an important holiday destination", says Gu›mundur
Da›i Rúnarsson, CCO and Airport Development Officer Keflavik Airport.
From
17th December 2023 till 28th February 2024, TUI Airways takes off from London
Gatwick, Manchester and Bristol to Reykjavik and has increased its flight
offering. In total, more than 100 flights to and from the Iceland are planned
till the end of the winter season in 2024. Since starting with its own flights
in January 2016, TUI Airways will have flown more than 115,000 guests to
Iceland (by the end of February 2024). TUI guests from other European markets
are also flocking to Iceland, mostly using flights of partner airlines.
TUI
Iceland holidays cover both go-at-your-own pace getaways, and adventures that
come with experiences included. These packages are perfect for a first-time
trip to Iceland – each holiday comes with an exciting hunt for the Northern
Lights and a Golden Circle tour. The latter helps guests to tick off Iceland’s
most iconic sights, including Gullfoss waterfall, thermal geysers and the
Thingvellir National Park. And aside from two included experiences, the rest of
the holiday is free to explore Reykjavik at one’s own pace. Holidaymakers due
to go in April the Northern Lights tour may be switched to the Midnight Sun
experience. On this trip, there is plenty of time to experience Iceland’s
bright-as-day nights and to watch a beautiful sunset.
Image Credit: © Isavia
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