Icelandair’s N.A. Communication Manager – AirlineGeeks.com | Airlines

Icelandair began nonstop flights from Detroit Metro to their home in Iceland on May 18, 2023, and along with the festivities of the inaugural, I also had the chance to interview Michael Raucheisen, who is the communication manager for the airline in North America.

AirlineGeeks (AG): Is Icelandair actively looking for replacements for your Boeing 767 fleet?

Michael Raucheisen (MR): Ultimately, our fleet is kind of in transition right now, and we will eventually transition to newer aircraft, the MAX, 8, and 900 series are still on order, and of course our new order for the Airbus which is coming. We will gradually filter out the older aircraft and bring in the new fleet.

(AG): When are the A321s expected to be delivered to Icelandair?

(MR): Those are, I believe, five years away, so not tomorrow but we are starting to plan around them. It will still be a while before the 757s are completely gone.

Icelandair Boeing 757 wearing the “Vatnajökull” livery on short final to Seattle-Tacoma (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Joey Gerardi)

(AG): Why did you decide to order Airbus A321s versus additional 737MAXs?

(MR): Well we do have more [737]MAX’s on order still, but the 321XLR particularly will give us more range and kind of diversify our network and give us the ability to fly a little bit further. We are planning on the opportunities that we are going to have around that to broaden our destinations

(AG): What do the colors on your forward tails represent?

(MR): The colors are representative of northern lights, so the greens, blues, and pinks. So it is kinda built around the colors of Iceland.

An Icelandair 737 MAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

(AG): WOW has been gone for many years at this point, is Icelandair thinking of trying to fill some of their old routes like Dallas and St. Louis?

(MR); Well, we actually flew from Dallas, and so did WOW, and so did American and we…

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