Cork Airport Wowed by US link-up

Cork Airport is heralding a new era in transatlantic travel thanks to Wow Air’s new direct service to Iceland.

The low-cost Icelandic carrier yesterday launched its year-round Cork-Reykjavik service, which offers connections to 10 destinations across North America, including Boston, Chicago, Los Angeles, Montreal, Miami, New York, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Toronto, and Washington DC.

Wow will operate four weekly flights on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday during the summer season, and three flights a week during the winter.

Cork WOWs with New Services to #Reykjavik and North America with @wow_air https://t.co/KFukzIk2rZ via @CorkChamber pic.twitter.com/cdte6oilID

— Cork Airport (@CorkAirport) May 19, 2017

Fares to Reykjavik start at €59.99 each way, with connecting one-way fares to New York and Boston available yesterday for €160, and to San Francisco from €170.

Wow uses main city airports, with their Boston service flying to Logan Airport and their New York flight landing at Newark Airport.

Cork Airport’s managing director, Niall MacCarthy, said they are delighted to welcome the airline, founded and led by flamboyant entrepreneur Skúli Mogensen.

“Iceland is an amazing and unique country to visit and has become an increasingly popular destination for Irish travellers,” he said.

.@wow_air is whisked into the @wildatlanticway More Here: https://t.co/UJUDynV6zF via @annaaero pic.twitter.com/dKJUenG83V

— Cork Airport (@CorkAirport) May 19, 2017

“We encourage people to either take two holidays in one, stopping off for a day or two in Iceland en route to the States, or alternatively, grab a coffee in the modern terminal in Reykjavik and jump on a connecting plane to one of the 10 destinations.”

On board yesterday’s inaugural flight was a group of US and Canadian media, Svana Fridriksdottir, vice president of Wow’s communications section, and Dana Welsh, Tourism Ireland’s Canada manager.

Ms Fridriksdóttir said Wow is delighted to add Cork Airport to their expanding route network and that Ireland has become a popular destination for Icelanders.

Great excitement here @CorkAirport with the first @wow_air flight from #Reykjavik pic.twitter.com/lsYmJOxiTn

— Cork Airport (@CorkAirport) May 19, 2017

“We’re confident that our new route to Cork will be very attractive for weekend getaways to see one of Ireland’s most impressive cities and beautiful coastlines,” she said.

Tourism Ireland’s CEO Niall Gibbons said the new service is really good news for tourism to Cork and for the south of Ireland.

Cork Chamber CEO Conor Healy praised airport management for landing the route.

“In light of Brexit, better connectivity across the Atlantic will be particularly important to enable more market diversification,” said Mr Healy.