Icelandic start-up Niceair cancels flights and suspends operations

The airline Niceair, which has operated from Akureyri (North Iceland) with a single Airbus A319 aircraft since last year, has suspended its operations and cancelled flights.

Niceair cancels flights and pauses all its operations. Þorvaldur Lúðvík Sigurjónsson, Niceair’s managing director, says the reason is that HiFly, Niceair’s foreign partner, did not pay instalments to aircraft owners.

Þorvalður Lúðvík says that despite the fact that Niceair has paid all its instalments, they have not been transferred to the owner of the aircraft. Therefore, they lost the plane and are unable to fulfil their obligations towards the passengers.

Niceair started scheduled flights to Copenhagen from Akureyri in June last year, and then started flights to Denmark, Great Britain and Spain. The British flight had to be withdrawn from sale this winter, but the plan was to start it again in the autumn.

Þorvalður Lúðvík says he had no choice but to cancel all flights and reassess the company’s next steps. No flights will depart, and the passengers who are in Tenerife will be brought home. He says the next steps are unclear, but reiterates that Niceair is not bankrupt.

He says the staff has been informed of the situation, and they have been fighting to find another aeroplane, but it is difficult at this time. Those who have booked a flight and paid by card can get a refund through their companies.

Source: ruv.is