(Photo Credit: PLAY Airlines)
PLAY, a low-cost Icelandic air carrier, began service from the U.S. to Europe in April. Now the airline has reached another critical milestone: Today marks its 1-year anniversary of offering flights.
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The best part is that you can help PLAY celebrate.
In recognition of its anniversary, PLAY is offering a flash sale on select flights booked today, June 24, through midnight Eastern Time on June 26, 2022. During the sale, the fare booked on select flights from Boston, Baltimore/Washington, and New York to Iceland, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Dublin, Liverpool, and Brussels will be offered at half price.
“PLAY boldly launched during the pandemic, taking a strategic approach to a risky endeavor that has made our first year a success,” Birgir Jónsson, CEO of PLAY, told TravelAwaits in a statement. “In the first year of flight operations, PLAY has weathered a difficult market while continuing to grow, doubling our workforce, expanding our destinations within Europe and to North America, and flying an increasing number of passengers.”
Jónsson went on to note that “In the first year of flight operations, PLAY has built a reputation for 90 percent on-time reliability and low prices that enable passengers hungry for travel to resume their holidays and vacations.”
An Ambitious Launch
If you aren’t familiar with PLAY, it may be because the airline, which enables passengers to “pay less, play more,” was founded in Reykjavík, Iceland, in 2019. It then began service across Europe in June 2021, operating seven routes to five countries – including service to Paris, London, Berlin, Copenhagen, and Barcelona.
PLAY’s first U.S. flight, on April 20, departed from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport bound for Iceland. The airline then expanded U.S. operations by offering service from Boston in May, and New York earlier this month. Plans call for PLAY to begin offering service from Orlando this fall.
Today, PLAY serves 22 destinations.
“Years ago, launching an airline during a pandemic would have been a crazy idea but the pandemic has been a rare opportunity for PLAY’s successful launch, with low aircraft prices and availability at key airports that have been critical to supporting PLAY’s business model and affordable prices,” Jónsson told TravelAwaits in April. “Not only is there pent-up demand for travel, but passengers have also drastically changed their travel habits to begin booking trips spontaneously, with short notice compared to long booking times before the pandemic.”
Building On Success
So what’s the first year of operations been like for PLAY?
Consider, for instance, that in 2021, more than 100,000 passengers flew on PLAY. So far, however, 150,000 passengers have flown PLAY in 2022. What’s more, because the airline continues adding routes, the company expects passenger loads to keep growing.
“In one year, PLAY has quickly established our reputation as a reliable low-cost airline that will be the foundation for growth,” Jónsson explains. “After achieving these milestones, PLAY has a positive outlook for our expansion in the years ahead.”
What You Need To Know About The Flash Sale
There are some restrictions on the flash sale. For instance, the half-price fare is good on seats on flights bound for Keflavík, Iceland, on Saturdays between September 9, 2022, and November 11, 2022. Meanwhile, the sale price is also offered for flights bound for Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, and Dublin on Saturdays between September 3, 2022 and November 11, 2022; November 26, 2022 and December 10, 2022; and January 21, 2023 and March 25, 2023.
You can learn more about the flash sale and its details here.
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