Icelandic carrier Wow Air has ceased operations this morning, following unsuccessful attempts to secure a rescue package.

The airline had been in talks with several parties including Frontier Airlines’ owners Indigo Partners, and fellow Icelandic carrier Icelandair, but these ultimately failed, leaving Wow with no choice but to cease flights.

A message on the airline’s website says simply that “Wow Air has ceased operation. All Wow Air flights have been cancelled”.

There is also information for customers with forthcoming bookings here.

Norwegian is offering repatriation fares on selected Wow Air routes. The carrier has released the following information:

“Available from tomorrow, Norwegian will offer repatriation fares to support affected Wow Air customers following the airline entering administration.

Repatriation fares will be available at a 25 per cent discount off economy net fares, subject to availability. The fares are available for travel until April 8, 2019. Wow Air customers must be able to show a valid Wow Air booking on the following overlapping routes:

• LGWBOS (Gatwick-Boston)
• LGWJFK (Gatwick-New York JFK)
• CDGBOS (Paris CDG – Boston)
• CDGJFK (Paris CDG – New York JFK)
• CPHJFK (Copenhagen – New York JFK)
• AMSJFK (Amsterdam – New York JFK)
• ARNJFK (Stockholm – New York JFK)
• BCNEWR (Barcelona – Newark)”

Wow Air launched in 2011, and grew quickly with a focus on offering one-stop services between Europe and North American via Reykjavik.

Concerns rose last year when Wow began cancelling US routes, leading to speculation that it had over-expanded.

In October the airline announced plans to restructure and “return to its roots”.

Wow Air is the latest in a string of carrier’s to cease operations in recent months, including Flybmi, low-cost carrier Primera Air, Cypriot carrier Cobalt Air, and Belgian airline VLM.

wowair.com