The lounge is equipped with a buffet , multiple coffee stations , different seating areas and , to my surprise , two shower cabins . I could not miss the opportunity , so I had my first-ever shower at an airport . Towels and toiletries were provided , together with a hairdryer . The refreshing experience made me reflect on the modern amenities of airplane travel . Something unthinkable until a few decades ago is now a reality for billions of passengers who should never take safety and international cooperation for granted . |
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I grabbed some afternoon tea just in time to watch Italy ’ s last EURO2024 match against Switzerland live on TV . After some writing , I had a light dinner before boarding . Once again , the food options and quality were superb : salmon , lamb , salads , and much more .
Scattered around the lounge , travelers can find a few of Icelandair ’ s aircraft models , including Boeing 757s with the carrier ’ s beautiful special liveries . As Icelandair plans to retire its Boeing 757 fleet , it aims to ensure continuity in displaying its spectacular special liveries . I asked Bogason about Icelandair ’ s plans .
“ We are phasing out the 757s in the next few years , so we don ’ t expect to repaint them ,” he replied . “ We have gotten great feedback on our special liveries from both customers and aviation enthusiasts and are excited to introduce new special liveries on some of our newer aircraft , but we haven ’ t made any decisions yet .”
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9 After a few hours in the Saga lounge , I finally boarded TF-ISJ , my first Boeing 757 . The aircraft features Icelandair ’ s old livery , with the characteristic yellow engines . The boarding process took a while due to a full flight .
10 The onboard product on the Boeing 757 is similar to the one of the Boeing 767 . The seat , IFE , and Wi-Fi plans are basically the same . On this flight , a full meal was served , together with an amenity kit and a welcome drink .
11 The powerful Rolls-Royce engines powering us across the Atlantic for one of the longest flights in Icelandair ’ s network . Soon , the new Airbus fleet will further boost the airline ’ s fleet .
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I finally left the lounge — and the memory of Italy getting kicked out of EURO2024 — and headed to passport control , after which I lined up for priority boarding . A bus took us to a remote stand on the opposite side of the apron , in front of Icelandair ’ s hangars . The boarding took significantly more time than expected , but I took the opportunity to take some pictures of TF-ISJ , the Boeing 757 that would take us to Seattle .
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Carrying 180 passengers out of 183 , the aircraft ’ s range and payloads would be fully used on this flight . For decades , the Boeing 757 has suited Icelandair well . However , in 2023 , Icelandair announced an order for 13 Airbus A321XLRs , the most logical next-generation replacement for the 757 . The type is expected to join Icelandair ’ s fleet in 2029 . |