ormer WOW Air Executive Is Launching A New, Low Cost Airline

Only a few months after budget Icelandic airline WOW Air ceased operations, a former executive from the company is now starting his own.

Arnar Már Magnusson, ex-vice president of operations for WOW Air, is now launching a brand new airline called PLAY, according to The Points Guy. Operations are slated to begin as early as next year and the company already has two Airbus A321 aircraft which will fly between the new company’s hub at Keflavik Airport in Reykjavik, Iceland to six destinations in Europe.

Flights to North America are planned to begin in late 2020.

According to the PLAY website, the airline, much like the former WOW Air, will be a low-cost carrier. Tickets will go on sale later in November for flights beginning in 2020. It’s unclear whether the new airline will also feature a more a la carte style of pricing and perks that WOW Air offered.

The airline intends to eventually expand its fleet to 10 aircraft within three years, The Points Guy reported.

And to entice travelers, the company will be giving out 1,000 free tickets to some of its first passengers, once bookings go live. The site has a link to sign up for updates, including when sales begin and for a chance to win a free ticket. And if any flight attendants in Iceland are looking, the new carrier is also currently hiring.

WOW Air was a go-to for travelers looking for a bare-bones flight to Iceland and other countries in Europe. But after its collapse in March 2019, leaving hundreds of passengers (and even some of its planes) stranded, it seemed unlikely that the airline would make a comeback. Recently, the defunct airline announced that it will indeed continue operations in the future, but only as cargo flights.