WOWair to offer transatlantic connections from Dublin (via Keflavik)

Idbatterim

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0205/677940-wow-air/

An Icelandic airline has announced plans to offer flights from Dublin to two US cities for prices beginning at €149 one way.

WOW air says it is the first low-cost airline to fly transatlantic from Dublin.

It plans to begin flights in October to Boston and Washington, from Dublin Airport via Icelandic capital Reykjavik.

Fares are to start at €149 one way, including taxes.

WOW air says flights will operate on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays.

Announcing the new route, Skúli Mogensen, CEO of WOW air, said: "We are thrilled to be able to offer our WOW prices for Irish passengers travelling between Dublin and North America.

"Our aim is to transform low-cost transatlantic flights and make travel to the US affordable for everybody," he said.

However, Mr Mogensen said that US customs pre-clearance will not be available for WOW passengers at Dublin airport due to the Reykavik stopover.

He said that the stopover will be no longer than two hours.

Speaking on RTÉ’s Morning Ireland, Mr Mogensen added that the airline expects to expand its service from Dublin next year to other destinations.

"So far the reaction has been very good. We fly to a number of major cities in Europe to and from Iceland already," he said.

"Based on the reaction we will be adding at least three new destinations in 2016."

Aer Lingus are already flying to Boston and starting to fly to Washington shortly. There is not a chance in hell living in Dublin that I am going to ad an extra 2 hours each way on the flight (even more so if you have to get off the plane in Reykjavik. Unless you were saving at least E100 per leg, the existing fares on the route are already fairly competitive IMO... The pre clearance here is also out the window if you go via Iceland...

Idbatterim

Idbatterim wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0205/677940-wow-air/



Aer Lingus are already flying to Boston and starting to fly to Washington shortly. There is not a chance in hell living in Dublin that I am going to ad an extra 2 hours each way on the flight (even more so if you have to get off the plane in Reykjavik. Unless you were saving at least E100 per leg, the existing fares on the route are already fairly competitive IMO... The pre clearance here is also out the window if you go via Iceland...

It's about €100 each way that you will be saving.

I find this whole thing of airlines claiming they are flying "transatlantic" from Dublin to be ridiculous; technically BA, Air France, Lufthansa etc do the same.

Now that fuel prices have dropped has EI's fuel surcharge been lowered or dropped, nah I doubt it. Just checked it and it's €75 one way to Boston for fuel also

The fuel surcharge is non-refundable

Idbatterim

It's about €100 each way that you will be saving.

I find this whole thing of airlines claiming they are flying "transatlantic" from Dublin to be ridiculous; technically BA, Air France, Lufthansa etc do the same.

Now that fuel prices have dropped has EI's fuel surcharge been lowered or dropped, nah I doubt it. Just checked it and it's €75 one way to Boston for fuel also

I checked the current figure given by aer lingus and it is E498, you are correct, in their sales, I believe they go down to E229 each way. Either way more competition is a good thing, at the E100 I might be tempted to do it. Another poster on bargain alerts has said those prices dont include a bag, which I am assuming Aer lingus does...

Competition for the consumer is good, EI need a bit on the Boston route.

They really need to address the fuel surcharge it's not valid any more.

Zonda999

To put this into perspective too, they're talking about another 540 seats per week available out of DublinDublin. It's welcome as a new route of course but the amount of publicity it's getting today has been ridiculous versus say Emirates going double daily on 77W's which in reality is a lot more meaningful

highlydebased

I looked at dates in October to Boston. €527 with Wow including baggage. You're also only allowed 1 5kg bag in the cabin

€557.03 direct with EI for same dates! I guess if you were really desperate to save €30...

Zonda999

Zonda999 wrote: »

To put this into perspective too, they're talking about another 540 seats per week available out of DublinDublin. It's welcome as a new route of course but the amount of publicity it's getting today has been ridiculous versus say Emirates going double daily on 77W's which in reality is a lot more meaningful

WOW and the DAA did their jobs then, the better these routes do the more likely there will be an increase in frequency and it'll draw in more routes as well.

Idbatterim

often when I go over for only a few days, I can do without a checked bag... I literally sit on my cabin bag and can get a large amount of stuff into it...

RebelButtMunch

Idbatterim wrote: »

http://www.rte.ie/news/2015/0205/677940-wow-air/



Aer Lingus are already flying to Boston and starting to fly to Washington shortly. There is not a chance in hell living in Dublin that I am going to ad an extra 2 hours each way on the flight (even more so if you have to get off the plane in Reykjavik. Unless you were saving at least E100 per leg, the existing fares on the route are already fairly competitive IMO... The pre clearance here is also out the window if you go via Iceland...

I'd be tempted to use the trip to spend a couple of days in Iceland!

Idbatterim

I'd be tempted to use the trip to spend a couple of days in Iceland!

yeah that would be great, I wonder if there is an option of taking a different flight though, i.e. a few days later when you make the booking or if it has to be straight through...

I looked at dates in October to Boston. €527 with Wow including baggage. You're also only allowed 1 5kg bag in the cabin

€557.03 direct with EI for same dates! I guess if you were really desperate to save €30...

Edit. I have just seen the above, so basically if you can only have a 5kg bag and it is strictly enforced, going via Iceland, unless you had the option to take the US leg a day or two later and spend some time in Iceland, is effectively a waste of time. But with the low headline fares, I reckon it will pull in a lot of people who are less than the astute posters on the aviation and aircraft forum

Chris_5339762

Aren't WOW doing a flight to Keflavik from this year though from Dublin?

LXFlyer

That's what this is!

Perhaps a mod could change the thread title to:
Wowair to offer transatlantic connections from Dublin (via Keflavik)

arubex

Plus ça change! 51 years ago... busting the IATA cartel fares.

NOBODY likes the little Icelandic airline Loftleidir except the travelling public and the US Civil Aeronautics Board.

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1964/1964%20-%201064.html

Stop-over in Keflavik, naturally; that was the 'hack' in the system, since the IATA fare levels only applied between Iceland and Europe. Breaking the journey allowed the airline to change sub-IATA fares on the US sector and therefore come in substantially cheaper on the overall journey.

Started with the DC props, then CL-44s and onto DC-8s.

dogcat

It's not too bad one way pricewise, it's just their return.

Idbatterim

I just went onto their website to check it out, they allow you to bump up the 5kg free cabin bag to 12kg for an extra E14 each way. I got a return fare for E385 including the 12kg bag.

Thinking about it, say you dont have a bag to check in and you dont have to pre clear in Dublin, the time loss by stopping in iceland isnt actually that bad. You could rock up to Dublin about an hour before the flight is due to depart unless you are travelling at peak times, when you might want to leave a little more time. With the USA pre clearance in Dublin, I would be showing up at least 2 hours early without a check in bag and 2.5 hours with one. Also the time for a lot of the US flights are an absolute killer currentl

jimbis

Would love to know if a few days stop over in Iceland can be done. Always wanted to visit there and a trip to Washington at the same time could be on the cards too........ http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/mall/

Razor44

I know Icelandair sell stop over tickets

FWVT

We got rid of the Shannon stopover, so why would anyone want it again, this time a bit further north? What planes will they be using? Any in-flight entertainment?

fits

A 2 hr stopover is nothing and its a nice enough airport for a wander. And the option for a stopover could be cool. The loss of pre clearance would put me off more than anything else. Also not a fan of Aer Lingus short haul although maybe they are better long haul.

L1011

FWVT wrote: »

We got rid of the Shannon stopover, so why would anyone want it again, this time a bit further north? What planes will they be using? Any in-flight entertainment?

A320 family and I think none

Tenger

jimbis wrote: »

Would love to know if a few days stop over in Iceland can be done............[/url]

Razor44 wrote: »

I know Icelandair sell stop over tickets

Icelandair used to sell T/A flights vis KEF. You were allowed to change you connection to have 1-2 nights stopover at no additional cost.

I always thought it was a great idea, extra income for the Ielandic economy. Personally I think the Irish Tourist Board should offer EI some incentive to mde the same offer for DUB. Some of their inbounds to DUB have 70% transfer pax, it would be good if only 10% of those pax decided to stop for a night in Dublin. Good for tourist revenues.

jimbis wrote: »

Would love to know if a few days stop over in Iceland can be done. Always wanted to visit there and a trip to Washington at the same time could be on the cards too........ http://airandspace.si.edu/visit/mall/

The museum on the Mall is very good......but the Udvar-Hazy museum locatd near Dulles is amazing:
Udvar-Hazy Museum by tearbringer, on Flickr

L1011

Tenger wrote: »

Icelandair used to sell T/A flights vis KEF. You were allowed to change you connection to have 1-2 nights stopover at no additional cost.

They still do - its their main business model.

LXFlyer

For the record, you can indeed still travel with Icelandair via Keflavik to North America from various European locations, and stop over there.

I have to say that I do find this a rather misleading thread.

This is no different than saying that you can fly with say British Airways to somewhere in Asia via Heathrow or Lufthansa to somewhere in Africa via Frankfurt or Munich.

These are not direct flights, they require a change of aircraft. They are connections via their Keflavik hub.

Wow Air have got huge publicity out of this, but it could be argued that for example Turkish Airlines should have got the same break by virtue of the additional destinations that are now feasible by virtue of their second daily flight to Istanbul.

Tenger

lxflyer wrote: »

I have to say that I do find this a rather misleading thread.

This is no different than saying that you can fly with say British Airways to somewhere in Asia via Heathrow or Lufthansa to somewhere in Africa via Frankfurt or Munich.

These are not direct flights, they require a change of aircraft. They are connections via their Keflavik hub.....

I agree, which is why I changed the thread title to include (via KEF)
But airline always do this. I have seen lots of adverts for Emirates "fly to Sydney from Dublin with Emirates" no mention of the DXB stop off either.

But it is a new carrier ex-DUB and it is a new way to get to the US so probably deserving of its own thread. Its also a new route to Iceland when previously we only got summer charters. I know of 2-3 guys who used to have to fly DUB-CPH-KEF to get there, they are very happy with this announcement.

LXFlyer

Tenger wrote: »

I agree, which is why I changed the thread title to include (via KEF)
But airline always do this. I have seen lots of adverts for Emirates "fly to Sydney from Dublin with Emirates" no mention of the DXB stop off either.

But it is a new carrier ex-DUB and it is a new way to get to the US so probably deserving of its own thread. Its also a new route to Iceland when previously we only got summer charters. I know of 2-3 guys who used to have to fly DUB-CPH-KEF to get there, they are very happy with this announcement.

Indeed but the thread title is still misleading. They are not flying transatlantic from Dublin.

They are offering a transatlantic connection via Keflavik, that requires a change of aircraft.

That's two completely different things.

I think it is important to be clear about that - people may be barking up the wrong tree.

Believe me I wish them well, and I think that the Dublin-Keflavik route will do very well for the sheer novelty factor alone of travelling to Iceland. It's great to see another destination from Dublin.

Rawr

I've done a trip to Iceland with Icelandair, and I can certainly see the appeal of breaking the trip there.

The island itself feels more like visiting the moon or Mars, than landing anywhere terrestrial. The vast seas of volcanic rocks make the whole place seem very alien.

Reykjavik itself is a very small city, reachable from KEF by Airport bus, which takes about an hour. It's a nice city, easy to walk to nearly everywhere, although seems to be regularly blasted by cold winds. Worth the visit.

One popular thing I've noticed for transferring passengers, is a trip the Blue Lagoon volcanic spas. This isn't all that far away from the airport itself and you'll find a good few passengers breaking their trip there. I've been to the lagoon, and it is indeed very relaxing. May be a very good way to get ready for the second leg of the journey.

If WOW do the same as Icelandair, and try to promote the 'stop-over' trip between DUB and the US, then they might do very well. Also from what I see on Wikipedia, they only have 3 A320s in their fleet. I'm going to guess that direct DUB to US flights are beyond their abilities at the moment

Halfbaker

The CEO of WOW air was on the radio yesterday. He said they hoped to get a lot of business from people interested in spending time in Iceland on the way to or from the US. I doubt there'll be any extra charge for adding stopover days.

Idbatterim

The CEO of WOW air was on the radio yesterday. He said they hoped to get a lot of business from people interested in spending time in Iceland on the way to or from the US. I doubt there'll be any extra charge for adding stopover days.

That will be what makes the difference IMO. I dont know if I would be interested in the messing around for E57.50 each way to be honest, it would depend on a few factors (mainly the times Wow's & Aer Lingus would leave Dub) Thing is, it is E57.50 now saving each way based on the cheapest fares, typically, but if Aer Lingus dropped prices down to even E449 from E499, all of a sudden I see no appeal, unless as has been mentioned, you get added value from a day or two stop in Iceland...

FWVT

DUB-KEF: 811 NM
KEF-IAD: 2432 NM
Total: 3233 NM

DUB-IAD: 2958 NM

Difference: 275 NM (around 45-60 mins extra travel time, taking into account taxiing in and out at KEF).

So up to an hour longer travel time taking the KEF option, not to mention the extra hassle of waiting in an airport, queing up again for boarding, etc. Not worth it imo.

L1011

FWVT wrote: »

not to mention the extra hassle of waiting in an airport, queing up again for boarding

And landing as an international passenger rather than cleared.

FWVT

FWVT wrote: »

DUB-KEF: 811 NM
KEF-IAD: 2432 NM
Total: 3233 NM

DUB-IAD: 2958 NM

Difference: 275 NM (around 45-60 mins extra travel time, taking into account taxiing in and out at KEF).

So up to an hour longer travel time taking the KEF option, not to mention the extra hassle of waiting in an airport, queing up again for boarding, etc. Not worth it imo.

+m.78/79 for the A320 versus m.82/83 for the A330 longer flying time as well.

arubex

Tenger wrote: »

I know of 2-3 guys who used to have to fly DUB-CPH-KEF to get there, they are very happy with this announcement.

Copenhagen?!

Couldn't they just pop up the road to Belfast International and take the Easyjet flight to Keflavik?

EZY6747 / 6748

LXFlyer

arubex wrote: »

Copenhagen?!

Couldn't they just pop up the road to Belfast International and take the Easyjet flight to Keflavik?

EZY6747 / 6748

Or Heathrow for Icelandair?

Tenger

Prices out of BFS and LHR are high so it was worth it for them to go via CPH apparently. I don't know them too well and they are cage fighters so didn't push for an answer!!!!

christy c

FWVT wrote: »

DUB-KEF: 811 NM
KEF-IAD: 2432 NM
Total: 3233 NM

DUB-IAD: 2958 NM

Difference: 275 NM (around 45-60 mins extra travel time, taking into account taxiing in and out at KEF).

So up to an hour longer travel time taking the KEF option, not to mention the extra hassle of waiting in an airport, queing up again for boarding, etc. Not worth it imo.

But this is an aviation thread, it's two takeoff/landings for the price of one

arubex

christy c wrote: »

But this is an aviation thread, it's two takeoff/landings for the price of one

So true! A double opportunity to play the on-approach game of 'spot the old lorry trailer up on blocks'. Usually at the back of a farm, or near a canal

There is one near Bristol airport in a Tesco livery that is so old I didn't recognise it at first.

basill

According to Wikipedia this airline has 3 airframes on a wet lease from another operator. Couldn't see from a quick search it being a member of IATA either but stand to be corrected on that. Bear this in mind when inevitably things go awry on the operational side of the business.

the-island-man

Just got my flights I had booked with WOW air for next October cancelled out of the blue by the airline.
I thought it was a bit crappy seen as they only announced the service.



WOW_Cancellation.JPG

Jamie2k9

the-island-man wrote: »

Just got my flights I had booked with WOW air for next October cancelled out of the blue by the airline.
I thought it was a bit crappy seen as they only announced the service.



WOW_Cancellation.JPG

Which dates, flights are still showing, have you being caught by the winter schedule changes from 25 Octover when it moves from Tu, Th, Su to Mo, Fri?

the-island-man

Jamie2k9 wrote: »

Which dates, flights are still showing, have you being caught by the winter schedule changes from 25 Octover when it moves from Tu, Th, Su to Mo, Fri?

That is exactly what happened, I was returning on the 25th of October. I would have thought that their systems would account for their own schedule changes and not let people book days they weren't flying!

LXFlyer

the-island-man wrote: »

That is exactly what happened, I was returning on the 25th of October. I would have thought that their systems would account for their own schedule changes and not let people book days they weren't flying!

Airlines won't always necessarily have finalised timetables for the following period more than six months in advance - they will have an idea of frequencies and days of operation etc., but the schedules can always change.

For future reference winter and summer timetables for most airlines change on the weekend that the European clocks change, which is always the last full weekend in March or October. Worth bearing in mind when making bookings.

duskyjoe

There's no free lunches as this includes wow. This service will collapse on its face with service given to punters like above

man98

duskyjoe wrote:

There's no free lunches as this includes wow. This service will collapse on its face with service given to punters like above

Unless you want to drive up to Belfast or connect in the UK, there is no viable alternative for flights to Iceland.
If you are connecting, don't forget that NAX's LGW - LAX service has no free meal, but is still popular iirc.

LXFlyer

duskyjoe wrote: »

There's no free lunches as this includes wow. This service will collapse on its face with service given to punters like above

Right - that's quite a conclusion to draw, given that there have been numerous incidents of the likes of Ryanair, Aer Lingus, British Airways, etc. advising passengers of schedule changes once their schedules are finalised.

This is not exactly uncommon. In fact I don't of any airline that doesn't have this issue.

Airlines will sell seats for flights based on an advance planned frequency, but, that can and does change for all of them once they finally settle on the overall schedule that they plan to operate for that season.

To suggest that a route will fail because of this is really adding two and two together to make five.

duskyjoe

duskyjoe wrote: »

There's no free lunches as this includes wow. This service will collapse on its face with service given to punters like above

One of my flights next month with Aer Lingus has changed 7-8 times since I booked it late last year.

It's obviously annoyed you which is understandable, but it won't collapse, Aer Lingus and Iceland Air had up till last week been soon flights there so there is a market and WOW will/should capture it and encourage growth on it.

duskyjoe

lxflyer wrote: »

Right - that's quite a conclusion to draw, given that there have been numerous incidents of the likes of Ryanair, Aer Lingus, British Airways, etc. advising passengers of schedule changes once their schedules are finalised.

This is not exactly uncommon. In fact I don't of any airline that doesn't have this issue.

Airlines will sell seats for flights based on an advance planned frequency, but, that can and does change for all of them once they finally settle on the overall schedule that they plan to operate for that season.

To suggest that a route will fail because of this is really adding two and two together to make five.

Apologies, I thought pax was coming from USA and the stopover at KEF to DUB was cancelled.

the-island-man

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I guess the fact that they cancelled my flight, they seem to have no backup planes for cover and there are multiple bad reviews about them on Trip Advisor and other websites I have decided to get a refund and connect through London Gatwick with EasyJet.

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k5568679-WOW_airlines-Air_Travel.html

LXFlyer

the-island-man wrote: »

Thanks for all the feedback guys, I guess the fact that they cancelled my flight, they seem to have no backup planes for cover and there are multiple bad reviews about them on Trip Advisor and other websites I have decided to get a refund and connect through London Gatwick with EasyJet.

http://www.tripadvisor.ie/ShowTopic-g1-i10702-k5568679-WOW_airlines-Air_Travel.html

I think you're perhaps over-reacting.

The cancellation has been explained to you as the seasonal schedule change - that is not an uncommon experience. The change of days of operation is probably the reason it was cancelled rather than rescheduled.

As for backup aircraft cover, most airlines these days don't have aircraft sitting around as cover - they end up hiring in a replacement.

So I'm not sure why that should be a particular reason to cancel your booking.

Also, reading trip advisor has to have a serious health warning - people will always complain faster than they write a compliment.

the-island-man

lxflyer wrote: »

I think you're perhaps over-reacting.

The cancellation has been explained to you as the seasonal schedule change - that is not an uncommon experience. The change of days of operation is probably the reason it was cancelled rather than rescheduled.

As for backup aircraft cover, most airlines these days don't have aircraft sitting around as cover - they end up hiring in a replacement.

So I'm not sure why that should be a particular reason to cancel your booking.

Also, reading trip advisor has to have a serious health warning - people will always complain faster than they write a compliment.

A person can be told until their blue in the face about this stuff but if you have a bad experience with an airline it turns you off.

I have never had a flight cancelled due to a screw up by the airline before. I've had flights delayed sure, i've even had flights cancelled due to strikes by cabin crew but all in all it's bad form that the airlines website allows you to book flights in advance before they've settled on a schedule. I have no proof either way whether or not this would happen with the likes of Aer Lingus or Ryanair. The fact is it has happened to me with WOW.

LXFlyer

the-island-man wrote: »

A person can be told until their blue in the face about this stuff but if you have a bad experience with an airline it turns you off.

I have never had a flight cancelled due to a screw up by the airline before. I've had flights delayed sure, i've even had flights cancelled due to strikes by cabin crew but all in all it's bad form that the airlines website allows you to book flights in advance before they've settled on a schedule. I have no proof either way whether or not this would happen with the likes of Aer Lingus or Ryanair. The fact is it has happened to me with WOW.

Well all I can tell you is that every airline does it - I've had rescheduled flights with all of Aer Lingus, BA, Swiss, Thai for example due to the seasonal schedule changes.

It's not a "screw-up" per se. Airlines plan roughly what their schedules are going to be and sell them accordingly. However, the final schedules are usually only settled on about six months in advance - for many flights that might just mean a rescheduled time, but for routes that aren't served daily, that can involve a change of day. If airlines were not allowed sell flights until schedules were completely finalised, then they would only go on sale 6 months in advance, rather than the almost one year in advance that we currently have.

Changing flight times when schedules are finalised is not uncommon, and while a change of day on a route is an unfortunate change, it does happen.

The problem, as was explained above, is your trip straddled two timetable periods - as I posted above timetables change on the Sunday morning of the last full weekend in October and March (the clock change weekends). It might be worth bearing that in mind in future when booking trips in advance.

As I say, I really do think you're over-reacting. But that's your decision to be honest. But to suggest that this is specific to WOW is really pushing things too far.

the-island-man

lxflyer wrote: »

Well all I can tell you is that every airline does it - I've had rescheduled flights with all of Aer Lingus, BA, Swiss, Thai for example due to the seasonal schedule changes.

It's not a "screw-up" per se. Airlines plan roughly what their schedules are going to be and sell them accordingly. However, the final schedules are usually only settled on about six months in advance - for many flights that might just mean a rescheduled time, but for routes that aren't served daily, that can involve a change of day. If airlines were not allowed sell flights until schedules were completely finalised, then they would only go on sale 6 months in advance, rather than the almost one year in advance that we currently have.

Changing flight times when schedules are finalised is not uncommon, and while a change of day on a route is an unfortunate change, it does happen.

The problem, as was explained above, is your trip straddled two timetable periods - as I posted above timetables change on the Sunday morning of the last full weekend in October and March (the clock change weekends). It might be worth bearing that in mind in future when booking trips in advance.

As I say, I really do think you're over-reacting. But that's your decision to be honest. But to suggest that this is specific to WOW is really pushing things too far.

Most of your response is informative, I have to take issue with the last paragraph though. Where did I suggest it was specific to WOW?