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Play marks first anniversary as annual carryings revealed

Icelandic budget carrier Play marks its first anniversary on Friday by revealing 320,000 passenger carryings.

The airline made its debut with flights from Stansted to Reykjavík in June 2021 and is now serving 22 destinations including three transatlantic routes.

A further four points are being added, including the start of flights from Liverpool in October to the Icelandic capital.

The airline is expected to have 300 employees and doubled its fleet from three to six aircraft this summer.

The on-time performance in May was 88.9% and 90% average for the year.

Chief executive Birgir Jonsson said: “Launching an airline against the backdrop of Covid-19 and the emerging variants certainly had its challenges, but we have proven that with a knowledgeable team, concrete financial backing, and a measured expansion plan, the Icelandic-based budget hub and spoke model can thrive.

“In the last few months alone, we’ve seen positive growth in both passenger numbers and new routes, as we strive to meet travel demand, including the launch of 12 more routes from Iceland this summer.

“The future remains bright and we’re counting down to further UK launches as we take off from Liverpool this October, just in time for Iceland’s winter season.”

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