Icelandair abandons plans for Wow Air takeover

Back to Forum
Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)

  • AMcWhirter
    Participant

    We posted this piece today. If you have long-haul flights booked with Wow Air in the coming months I would suggest you check the flight status.

    For example, with Pittsburg (although Wow Air has yet to make an official comment) no services between Europe/Reykjavik and this city are displayed after January 11.

    Icelandair abandons plans for Wow Air takeover


    ABowen1
    Participant

    Reported this morning that another 5 planes, including the remaining A330 are leaving, reducing the fleet from 20 to 11. Delhi, only begun a few days ago, will end in January as will LAX which is currently being flown by an A321 with a stop in Edmonton. This looks as though it may be following Primera into the airways of the departed


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    As Wow Air has not made an official announcement yet regarding any further cuts I must stress that, as I mentioned above, readers with Wow Air flights in the coming weeks and months must check their flight status.

    All this airline has said officially so far is that there are no changes to its schedule this month and for early January.

    Airlineroute is saying that flights to Delhi, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver have been closed for advance reservations.

    It’s also understood that Chicago will cease (again Wow Air has made no official statement).

    Any of Wow’s really long routes will have to cease because these were operated by A330s which will be quitting its fleet.

    Wow Air’s Vancouver route, planned for June 2019, was reported by BTUK only two months ago.

    Wow Air’s latest transatlantic route will be Vancouver


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Wow Air had been hoping to be rescued by Indigo Partners.

    But a few days ago Indigo announced the deal would not be proceeding.

    https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/wow-air-resumes-talks-with-icelandair-as-indigo-walk-456829/

    Wow Air then reopened talks with Icelandair and said it hoped a deal would be concluded by March 25.

    However this evening Icelandair issued the following statement:

    https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/2019/03/24/1759838/0/en/Icelandair-Group-ends-discussions-with-WOW-air.html?print=1


    Folium
    Participant

    It has come to pass that the sound of a cock crowing has been heard now that Wow Air has been denied three times (twice by Icelandair, once by Indigo Partners).
    It didn’t end well in the Bible and it now seems likely that Iceland will soon be down to one airline.
    At least Iceland are favourites for this year’s Eurovision.

    1 user thanked author for this post.

    canucklad
    Participant

    Seems like the end is nigh as WOW Air announces cancellation of it’s flights ….
    Another Long Haul LCC bites the dust !!


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    Latest news this evening.

    https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/wow-seeks-agreement-with-bondholders-to-restructure-456854/?cmpid=SOC|Twitter|Flightglobal|sf209902634|sf209902634&sfid=701w0000000uP3H#sf209902634


    pheighdough
    Participant

    Looks like WOW is grounded for now

    https://news.sky.com/story/wow-air-grounds-all-flights-as-cash-lifeline-sought-11676973

    But will they resume?


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    [quote quote=925684]But will they resume?[/quote]

    I would not expect Wow to resume operations. It over expanded (see link below) and, as a sixth-freedom carrier, it could not compete with the volume of seats and keener fares being added to the non-stop/direct flight transatlantic market.

    Has Wow Air over-expanded?


    canucklad
    Participant

    It’s sad to see another airline bite the dust. Especially for the employees and then for those who’ve had holiday plans scuppered at the last moment.

    I actually was investigating using WOW later in the year .
    Never been to Reykjavik , so thought their stop over option on my way from EDI to YVR was quite attractive.

    IMO, one of the reasons that long haul LCC’s struggle is simply that they don’t offer clear differences between themselves and established legacy carriers. Particularly Price Points !!


    GivingupBA
    Participant

    [quote quote=925798]It’s sad to see another airline bite the dust. Especially for the employees and then for those who’ve had holiday plans scuppered at the last moment.[/quote]

    It is indeed sad for employees and for passengers. But I’ve seen so many LCCs bite the dust over the last many years.


    Folium
    Participant

    Sitting in Iceland right now and all the prices to/from have spiked this morning following the demise of Wow.

    One company’s misfortune provides an opportunity for others.
    As Wow flew some 2.5 million passengers last year it will be interesting to see how this impacts tourism in this wonderful island at a time when the growth rate of tourism had already slowed dramatically.
    Lots of worried people here.


    AMcWhirter
    Participant

    [quote quote=925849]Sitting in Iceland right now and all the prices to/from have spiked this morning following the demise of Wow.[/quote]

    And I hope you’re not one of the unlucky ones. What has become apparent today is that Wow Air was selling seats online until almost a couple of hours before it ceased trading.

    [quote quote=925849]As Wow flew some 2.5 million passengers last year it will be interesting to see how this impacts tourism in this wonderful island at a time when the growth rate of tourism had already slowed dramatically.
    Lots of worried people here.[/quote]

    But remember Wow Air was a sixth-freedom carrier. Many of those travellers would have been flying through, rather than to or from, Iceland.


    capetonianm
    Participant

    Iceland is yet another place that has become over-touristed. I accept that there are benefits in that to the local economy, but there is a cost to the environment which has to be considered.

    Less tourism of a more upmarket nature might be the way to go.

Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 16 total)
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Business Traveller March 2024 edition
Be up-to-date
Magazine Subscription
To see our latest subscription offers for Business Traveller editions worldwide, click on the Subscribe & Save link below
Polls