Iceland's PLAY Operates Inaugural Flight from Greater Toronto

DALLAS – PLAY (OG), the low-cost Icelandic airline, on June 22 operated its inaugural flight from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport (YHM) to Reykjavik (KEF), marking the commencement of daily flights from Greater Toronto to Iceland and Europe.

Hamilton International Airport, also referred to as Toronto–Hamilton International Airport or simply Hamilton Airport, is located 59 Km from Toronto.OG is marketing this flight to the latter due to Hamilton's proximity to Toronto, the most populous city in Canada, and accessibility between both cities.

The Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA), which refers to the GTA, and the city of Hamilton, is located along the western border of the Greater Toronto Area. While Hamilton's population is around 800,000, Toronto's is almost 3 million (as of 2022).

The GHTA is OG's first destination in Canada and its fifth route in North America, along with New York (SWF), Washington (IAD), Boston (BOS), and Baltimore (BWI).

As it celebrated this inaugural service, OG announced a limited-time flight sale, offering Canadians up to 25% off fares for flights to Iceland (KEF), Amsterdam (AMS), Berlin (BER), Copenhagen (CPH), Stockholm (ARN), London (STN) and to Dublin (DUB), using the promo code PLAYCANADA.

Ticket sales began June 19 and end June 25. Canadians can book the discounted fare for travel dates between October 2023 to March 2024. The service is scheduled to begin with flight times as follows:

OG201 Reykjavik (KEF) to Hamilton (YHM), departing at 2:50 pm and arriving at 5:10 pm
OG202 Hamilton (YHM) to Reykjavik (KEF), departing at 6:35 pm and arriving at 4:20 am the next day

PLAY Airlines Ramp Tour. Photo: Alberto Cucini/Airways

Young Fleet

With a fleet of ten Airbus A320/321neo aircraft, PLAY is known for having the youngest fleet in Europe, with an average age of around two years. By leveraging Iceland as a hub, PLAY says it is able to provide affordable flights between Europe and North America.

The airline says that the modern fleet and its extensive network of strategic routes allow it to offer both cost-effective travel and a safe and reliable journey.

PLAY achieved an 87 percent On-Time Performance rating in the month leading up to its inaugural flight to Toronto.

"Our inaugural flight out of Toronto is a tremendous milestone for PLAY," said Birgir Jónsson, CEO, PLAY. "We have invested significant effort into launching this destination, and I am immensely proud to witness the hard work of my PLAY colleagues coming to fruition. Wherever we operate, we strive to provide the most competitive prices. By challenging the competition in Toronto, we aim to benefit the residents of the area by offering an affordable means of travel to Iceland and beyond into Europe."

"We are excited to have PLAY join the Hamilton International Airport network and bring connectivity to over 26 European destinations, via Iceland," said Cole Horncastle, executive managing director, of John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport.

"PLAY's low-cost 'pay for what you need' model aligns perfectly with Hamilton International's commitment to bring more travel options and affordable airfares to passengers in Southern Ontario and continue to drive economic benefits for the City and the region."

Featured image: PLAY via Facebook