ICELANDAIR
Iceland’s flag carrier had large expansion plans at the end of the 1980s, which included a widebody replacement for the DC-8 aircraft on the lucrative route from Luxembourg via Reykjavik to New York (JFK). For this flights, a DC-10-30CF was leased from Seaboard World Airlines. The contract included the option to purchase the aircraft.
The DC-10 was mainly used on the mentioned route, but probably flew also other to other US-destinations. Some months after the DC-10 began service with Icelandair, the American Airlines accident in Chicago happened after which the worldwide DC-10 fleet was grounded. In this phase, Icelandair came in financial problems and close to a collapse, which was only prevented by an aid of the State of Iceland. The aircraft was operated for a few months more after the worldwide DC-10 operations recommenced and leased for a month to Garuda Indonesia. But only 15 months after the introduction of the new aircraft type, the DC-10 was returned to Seaboard World Airways which leased the aircraft to Air Florida. For Icelandair, the DC-10 was the first experience with a widebody aircraft - and the only until now. The actual fleet consists of 757-200 and -300 aircraft. Plans for new widebodys are not in sight...
Photos:
Right: Icelandair DC-10-30F (CF) during a stopover in Keflavik - BY OLAFUR SIGURDSSON
Registration | Aircraft | Fleetnr./Name | Operated from - to | Where is it now? |
N1305F | 46992/ 257 | 03.01.1979 - 10.1979 and 11.1979 - 03.1980 | FedEx |
Previous airline: Iberia | Next airline: Japan Air Lines |