Faroese airline Atlantic Airways completed its first commercial transatlantic flight, to New York Stewart

Atlantic Airways celebrated a momentous occasion with its inaugural flight to New York on 22 August. Flight RC407, operated by an Airbus A320neo registered OY-RCL, departed from Vágar Airport (FAE) in the Faroe Islands. The airline’s staff was visibly excited, although the departure was slightly delayed due to the festivities. The flight covered a distance of over six hours across the Atlantic, landing at Stewart Airport (SWF), 70 miles North of New York City.

Atlantic Airways chose Stewart Airport due to favourable permit conditions, even though it’s a low-cost airport. Passengers arriving at Stewart Airport were transported by bus to New York City. To accommodate travellers to the New York-New Jersey metropolitan area, Coach USA provides conveniently timed bus transfers to and from SWF.

The flight to New York had limited seating (150 seats) due to fuel constraints.

Originally planning seven round trips, Atlantic Airways reduced the number to five for this period, with the last departure set for September 19, 2023. However, the company announced plans to increase flights to New York in the spring of 2024, offering between seven to ten round trips. This long-anticipated route had been in the works for over a decade and is now a reality, allowing residents of the Faroe Islands to fly directly to New York for the first time.