In September 2023, the Icelandic airline PLAY carried 163,784 passengers, marking a significant increase of 77% compared to the same month in 2022 when they carried 92,181 passengers. Their load factor for September 2023 was 85%, up from 81.5% in September 2022. PLAY also achieved an 85.1% on-time performance rate during the month.
Of the passengers travelling with PLAY in September 2023, 22.9% were departing from Iceland, 31.6% were travelling to Iceland, and 45.5% were connecting passengers (VIA). PLAY’s capacity expanded notably due to the addition of four new aircraft to its fleet earlier in the year.
Additionally, PLAY announced that its average ancillary revenue increased by 23% in September 2023 compared to the same month in 2022, suggesting a positive trend for the future.
In a separate achievement, PLAY’s cabin crew was honoured with the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Award for being the best cabin crew. The airline was nominated alongside major international carriers and secured the top position after a voting process that lasted four weeks.
Furthermore, PLAY Airlines reported a profit of USD 12 million during the summer months of 2023, marking the first time the company has reported a profit after tax for the summer season. This success indicates that PLAY’s business model is effective.
PLAY expects to carry approximately 1.5 million passengers in 2023 and forecasts an increase to 1.8 million passengers in 2024. The airline has also secured two additional aircraft for 2025, expanding its fleet to 12 A320neo family aircraft. PLAY is actively considering further capacity increases and remains optimistic about its future performance and growth.
The CEO expressed gratitude for the recognition received by the cabin crew and emphasised the dedication and commitment of the PLAY team in delivering a great passenger experience.