Icelandair's Final Boeing 757-300 Flight is Set for October 29

Icelandair is set to operate its last Boeing 757-300 flight on October 29, marking the end of an era for the airline. This farewell flight highlights the significance of the aircraft in Icelandair's history and its contributions to the airline's operations. As the airline moves forward, the retirement of the Boeing 757-300 signals a new chapter in their fleet evolution.

Icelandair transported over half of Iceland's passengers last year. As reported by ch-aviation, the airline's fleet consists of 47 aircraft dedicated to both passenger and freight services. This includes 17 Boeing 737 MAX 8s, 13 757-200ERs, five 767-300ERs, four 737 MAX 9s, three Dash 8 Q200s, three Dash 8 Q400s, and, notably, two 757-300s. The airline's first Airbus A321LR has been painted and is set for delivery in November, while A321XLRs are expected to arrive in 2029.

A Quick Overview of Icelandair's 757-300s

The 757-300 is a less common variant, offering a decent capacity and range along with low seat-mile costs, particularly when operating at high loads. However, like other older aircraft, it is less fuel-efficient and requires more maintenance than newer models, which limits its usage. This is one reason why Icelandair does not deploy them extensively, opting instead to use them mainly for European routes. The low ownership costs of the 757-300 also contribute to this decision. Icelandair’s two 757-300s have an average age of 23.6 years and are equipped with RB211 engines. The first, TF-FIX, was introduced in March 2002, while TF-ISX was added in March 2018 after serving with Israel's Arkia.

Both aircraft are owned by Airco, Icelandair's sister company, and have identical configurations. Each has 225 seats, comprising 203 in economy and 22 in Saga Class, placing them between the MAXs/757-200ERs and the 767-300ERs in terms of capacity. The retirement of the 757-300 could occur sooner than anticipated, as the last scheduled passenger flight is set for October 29, 2024, shortly after northern airlines transition to their winter schedules. While this schedule may change, it stands as of September 24, as noted by Ishrion Aviation.

Upcoming Routes for the 757-300

Data provided by the airline to Cirium outlines the planned routes for the 757-300 in October. Subject to change, the final revenue flight (on October 29) will be FI455, departing from London Heathrow at 20:40 and arriving in Keflavik at 23:55 local time. In October, the 225-seat variant is expected to operate to 12 airports from Keflavik, with Newark having the most significant number of flights—19 out of a total of 54 planned departures. Copenhagen, Manchester, and Oslo will each see six flights.

For questions or comments write to writers@bostonbrandmedia.com

Source: simpleflying‍