Play Launched Its First Flight from Stansted to New York

Icelandic low-cost carrier Play launched its first flight from Stansted to New York Stewart International Airport on Friday.

The flight, which departed at 11.47 a.m. with 160 passengers on board, expands the airline’s presence to a third US airport, following the launch of transatlantic services to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and Boston Logan International Airport earlier this year.

The new service includes a 95-minute stopover in Reykjavik, allowing passengers to extend their trip in Iceland or fly directly to Stewart Airport.

Stewart airport is 60 miles north of Manhattan, further than JFK and Newark International Airports.

However, the airline claims that passengers take “an hour less” to get to Manhattan “due to time saved getting through airport customs, compared to the much longer processes” at larger airports.

Furthermore, Play claimed that faster transportation routes by taxi, bus, and train make traveling from Stewart “faster and more convenient.”

According to CEO Birgir Jónsson, the introduction of transatlantic flights, combined with a “huge appetite” for travel, has resulted in a 338 percent increase in ticket sales compared to January.

He said: “Almost one year after our very first flight took off from London Stansted to Reykjavik, we’re over the moon to have launched our third US destination from the UK.

“Play’s ticket sales sky-rocketed 338% in May 2022 when compared to January 2022, following the launch of our first flights to Baltimore/Washington and Boston, and the huge appetite for travel we’re experiencing across Europe.

“We know Brits are looking for a bargain when it comes to summer breaks this year and the low fares and flexibility that passengers experience at Stewart International Airport are exactly what passengers seek when they book their travel with Play.”