Booking flights for Sits abroad

I often book Icelandair for flights between the US and UK/Europe as well, bc in addition to their prices and cancellation policies they are, in my experience, highly reliable. With all the nightmare delay/cancellation/lost luggage scenarios folks are facing with other airlines these days, I trust Icelandair to get me there on time, with all my belongings intact!

8 Likes

Hi @teddypdx this is worth knowing, thank you.

Can you share this, where is their UK hub and how do prices and classes compare with other major carriers on the same route?

Hi, Angela. I don’t know that Icelandair has a UK hub; they fly to several UK airports. Most if not all of their international flights transit through Reykjavik (you can stop over for free!), though. In years past KEF was a very small airport with limited options, but I was just there and it now has food and shopping options comparable to other busy airports.

Fares are so variable it’s hard to say, but generally speaking their prices compare favorably to other airlines. If you book economy you will usually have the opportunity to bid for an upgrade, and their premium service is very nice (harder to get the upgrade now, though, since flights are starting to fill up). There are no meals included with economy tickets, but one advantage to the KEF stopover is that the flights on either side are somewhat shorter than, say, a nonstop from the US west coast to Europe.

2 Likes

Thank you for the info, really interesting and have they come back to full services since COVID? As we know so many airlines are still struggling with staff shortages. Norwegian was another similar to this although I’m not sure of their post COVID status.

Guess I could G it … :wink:

I flew PDX>KEF>GVA on 28 June 2022 and it went flawlessly, no problems at all.

How is the seat space/size? Can you book exit rows/bulkhead seats?

@Angela_L Norwegian have currently suspended their trans-Atlantic flights and I forgot to mention we love Icelandic Air, I first flew with them when I was 15 years old, they were excellent back then and still excellent now :+1:t2::slightly_smiling_face:

1 Like

I find the seats reasonable – neither the best nor the worst. I recommend using SeatGuru (if you don’t already) before choosing seats on any airline. Icelandair does have exit row seats in which the door intrudes some into your space and it’s chilly for your feet, but how much that bothers you is an individual matter :slight_smile:

1 Like

In the US, Delta has moved to credit for cancellations and no penalty fees unless you purchased a super cheap ticket. This applies to domestic and international travel originating in North America. Tried to paste a link here, but didn’t work.
Doesn’t work if originating out of NA, though, there are still change fees. And the airline will sit on your money until you rebook.
I had a 3 week UK sit for Aug-Sept 2022 cancelled last June. It was the last sit of a string in the UK that starts next week. I’ve been able to fill in all but 2 of the dates - including one London sit that fills almost the whole time.

1 Like

Yes, Seatguru is the best. Thanks! We always try to book bulkhead seats if we can.

We had flights booked to the UK with Icelandair (stopover in Iceland) when covid hit. Our experience was awful in trying to get a refund/credit. We had other flights booked with Westjet, accommodation, trains etc and everything eventually got sorted out apart from Icelandair. I ended up having to go through my credit card to dispute charges and get a refund that way so hopefully they are easier to deal with if you cancel a flight. I was really looking forward to our week in Iceland too

On our upcoming hop to Canada & The US, am doing everything possible to avoid Air Canada plus any lay overs. All i’ve read about lately is lost luggage issues & has reinforced as usual, why packing all my race day gear in my hand luggage is 100% essential! The fear of flight delays, lost luggage etc post Canadian Thanksgiving is keeping me from applying for a couple of sits but am cool with that.

I’ll ensure to air out my smelly running shoes before I fly :sweat_smile:.

We usually send our Home Owners a copy of our flight itineraries.

Westjet is MUCH better than Air Canada. All airlines can have delays and lose luggage etc but WJ has had a lot fewer issues.

I like the window seats on or behind an exit row, where there’s no seat in front of you. Ahhhhh sweet leg room <3

1 Like

That sounds awful, but I wouldn’t judge them by their response to the unanticipated disaster that was the arrival of covid. I would say they’ve gotten their act together now. You might give them another chance :slight_smile:

1 Like

@teddypdx thanks for the info-love the idea of a stopover in Iceland. Back in 2017, when WOW airlines was in existence, they offered amazing prices which included a 2 day stop over on flights overseas. We enjoyed our stop there on a trip to Frankfurt, Germany. We will enjoy an overnight again, on our transatlantic cruise back to the states in September.

A transatlantic cruise – how fun! That’s an adventure I’d love to have someday.

2 Likes

We love cruising, and it’s a great relaxing way to get over the pond without stepping foot on a plane!

4 Likes

You cruise across the Atlantic? From where to where? How long does it take? Does the cost compare to flying in any way?