Reykjavik Airport (Reykjavíkurflugvöllur- isl.) - the main air unit for servicing domestic flights from / to the capital of Iceland . It is located a couple of kilometers from the city center, receives and produces passenger aircraft flying within Iceland, Greenland and the Faroe Islands, and serves cargo flights across the Atlantic. Reykjavik Airport is used as a reserve landing terminal if the neighboring Keflavik International Airport for some reason does not accept airliners up to Boeing 757-200.
At the airport in Reykjavik, two airlines are based - Air Iceland and Eagle Air. Of the three runways throughout the year, two are actively operated. Reykjavik Airport is owned by the state-owned Isavia enterprise.
History and prospects of Reykjavik airport
For the first time the Icelandic aircraft Avro 504 flew from Reykjavik airport 97 years ago, when in its place there was not yet a full-fledged air hub with the appropriate infrastructure. The construction of the airfield and terminal was started by the British military in the autumn of 1940, when the Second World War was going on. After 6 years, the airport was transferred to the government of Iceland and the Civil Aviation Administration of Iceland, under whose control it is now.
Reykjavik has significantly expanded its territory since the construction of the airfield, so now the Reykjavik airport is almost in the heart of the capital. This arrangement creates difficulties for the city itself and residents, but it is convenient for passengers.
The prospects of the airport in Reykjavik are heatedly disputed, the participants of which are considering several options: to leave the air facility at the same place, to build a new airport in the capital, to transfer domestic flights to Keflavik International Airport and to close Reykjavik airport. The results of the referendum on the fate of this air hub, which took place 15 years ago, showed that more than 48% of voters wish to leave it at this place until 2016. As expected, this year the term of the current general development plan of Reykjavik is coming to an end.
Airlines and directions for Reykjavik airport
On the territory of Reykjavik airport there are two terminals operating on different sides of the runways. One of them accepts domestic and international flights of Air Iceland, the other - serves domestic and international business flights of the carrier Eagle Air.
Air Iceland flies to Akureyri , Egilsstadir , Isafjordur , Kulusuk, Nerlerit Inaat, Nuuk. The company Eagle Air - in Bildudalur, Gyogur, Hoebn, Soydarkroukur , Vestmannaeyar. Also the carrier Mýflug performs charter flights from the airport of Reykjavik and flights for emergency medical care. In 2015, the passenger traffic of the airport in Reykjavik reached almost 389 thousand people.
How to get to Reykjavik airport?
Since the terminal is located in the center of the capital of Iceland , it is not difficult to get there. You can take a taxi or take a bus from the station BSÍ, which is 1.6 km from the airport.
Useful information about Reykjavik airport:- Information service of the airport: +354 424 4000;
- Opening hours: weekdays from 07:00 to 23:00, Saturday to Sunday from 08:00 to 23:00;
- Online scoreboard: www.isavia.is.