Boeing 757-256
TF-FIK
Flight date: 1 March 2017
Operating as FI318 from OSL to KEF
This was my second time flying Icelandair and one of their 757-200, a rare plane in European skies these days. Icelandair is the flag-carrier of Iceland, flying a fleet of 30 aircraft, 26 of them 757s. On 1 March 2017, FI318 from OSL to KEF was operated by TF-FIK, an airplane 17 years of age. She is featured with winglets, as have become standard on all Icelandair planes.
The plane was parked at the end of the new pier at OSL, a gate that Icelandair regularly uses now. Boarding was smooth and efficient, and all passports were checked before departure, even though Iceland is part of the Schengen agreement. I like that they check IDs, contrary to what some other airlines do when operating a flight in the Schengen area.
We were welcomed by the Purser at the boarding door. The Icelandair uniform is very beautiful. Black, simple and stylish. As soon as everyone had taken their seat, a welcome announcement was provided from both the Captain and the Purser, both in Icelandic and English. The Purser then informed everyone that some new flight attendants were doing some of their training onboard today's flight. My suspicion was confirmed, as I counted a total of 10 flight attendants, which seemed excessive for a 757-200.
The safety video was played during push-back and start-up. It was hard to pay attention to when I had the rare view of the 757 wing right outside. Taxiing went by quickly, no queues, and we took off northbound. Shortly after rotating, we banked to the left and set course for Iceland. Flight time was roughly 2 hours and 25 minutes. I must admit, I love the feeling of a 757 taking off. It's just such a powerful plane.
Overall, the flight was smooth across the Norwegian Sea. The leg-room was good, and the seat was comfortable. I don't think I would have had any problem flying onboard their 757s on some of their longer routes, like KEF-SFO or KEF-ANC. The IFE was very good featuring lots of content, although head phones were not distributed. I spent most of the time looking at the maps, and enjoying the views as the sky was clear from the Norwegian west-coast all the way to KEF. Inflight services consisted of drinks of free choice. I opted for a 7Up, and my friend bought a box of Pringles for a cheap buck. Only drinks are for free on FI. Food is for purchase. After the drink service, the cabin crew came through the cabin with their duty-free trolley.
After roughly 2 hours in the air we approached the east-coast of Iceland, which brought us some breathtaking views of this island's unusual nature. Views of Highway 1, which is the only highway that connects the entire country could be seen between the mountains in this scarcely populated part of the island. Soon we started our descent, and right after the initial approach to KEF started we flew right over the city of Reykjavik, Iceland's capital. It was spectacular to see the entire city, which houses almost 1/2 of Iceland's population. The landing at KEF was relatively smooth, but the runway is somewhat bumpy. Lots of Icelandair and Wowair planes were featured on the tarmac. I was impressed with all the Wowair planes, as this airline was relatively small back in 2015,when I had my first visit to the country. We parked at a remote stand, and had to be bussed to the terminal, which was a delight for me seeing KEF's tarmac from the ground.
Overall, Icelandair is a very nice airline. I would highly recommend them to everyone, and also to take a stop over in this wonderful country. Icelandair offers stop-overs on all flights from Europe to North America free of any extra charge. It truly is a spectacular country, with a unique nature you should not miss out on if you have the chance to go.
Footage with highlights from the flight can be seen in the link below.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rf_FyUAIKjg
