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2 Amsterdam Schiphol checkin area on a busy summer morning . During the COVID-19 pandemic , this area of the airport became notorious for its endless security queues .
3 Icelandair ’ s check-in in Amsterdam , with dedicated lines for Saga Premium passengers
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significant tax footprints of any private company in Iceland , but we also have a great indirect impact , as we transport the highest proportion of tourists to Iceland , and tourism is one of the largest industries ”
To fully experience Icelandair ’ s connectivity model , our review of Icelandair starts on the Old Continent . In June , I flew Icelandair from Amsterdam Schiphol ( AMS ) to Seattle-
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Tacoma ( SEA ), via Keflavik ( KEF ). The destination was not random : the beautiful city of Seattle is the birthplace of both my aircraft on this journey .
Icelandair flies twice daily to the Dutch capital with its Boeing 737s , 757s , and 767s . All flights are scheduled to enable transferring passengers to avail themselves of streamlined connections in Keflavik . The first flight of the day , FI501 , is usually operated by
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the airline ’ s Boeing 767-300 or the 757-300 , the largest variant of the type .
The check-in opened three hours before departure . I took advantage of priority checkin , security , and lounge access despite some planned hiccups on the way . Unfortunately , Icelandair uses the Aspire Lounge 26 in Schiphol ; I have paid many visits to this ‘ exclusive ’ lounge in Amsterdam and have been constantly disappointed by the time spent here .
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This time , my experience was even worse than usual , from the long queue to access the lounge to the poor food options and lack of seating space and comfort . After queuing for 30 minutes and a quick stay , I grabbed an iced tea and headed to the gate well before departure . |
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There , I found TF-ISN , a Boeing 767-300 wearing Icelandair ’ s new livery . Launched in 2022 , the design features a larger logo on the fuselage , matched by one of five different colors . Both Icelandair ’ s Boeing 737 and 767 fleets wear this new , refreshed look . During our interview , Bogi Nils Bogason confirmed that the airline ’ s backbone , the Boeing 757 , will not receive the new paint job due to planned retirement . |
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The Boeing 767 is Icelandair ’ s only twin-aisle aircraft . On board , the Saga Premium Business Class accommodates 25 passengers over five rows . This is made possible by a unique 2-1- 2 layout that creates a central ‘ throne ’ seat accessible from both aisles . I could not miss the opportunity to try such a unique product , so I pre-selected seat 5D , the aftmost throne in the cabin . Economy Class is located just behind the Saga Premium |