My North - 2017 No. 01 | Jul-Sept

My North

Air Iceland Connect Magazine Nº 01 · July-September 2017

Adventures across the Arctic

Near Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, 67° N, +7° C, 12/8, 19:52

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From our CEO Presenting Air Iceland Connect Happenings this summer Bird’s eye view Delicious Dill Ask away Secret Siglo Ocean swimming The man on the ground Family fun Excitement out East Adventurous guide Instagrammers inspired Get to know Greenland Faroese festivities News from Air Iceland Connect On-board experience Route network and destinations Our fabulous fleet Safe travels

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PUBLISHED BY AIR ICELAND CONNECT Editor: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir (editor@airicelandconnect.is) Cover image: Benjamin Hardman Copy editor: Sarah Dearne (English) Translation Icelandic ↔ English: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir Contributing writers: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir, Sarah Dearne, Svava Jonsdottir, Edda Kentish, Larissa Kyzer, Rachel Mercer, Jonas Moody, Gabrielle Motola Contributing photographers: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir, Mikael Axelsson, Ragnar Axelsson (RAX), Christoffer Collin, Olavur Frederiksen, Holmfridur Dagny Fridjonsdottir, Benjamin Hardman, Chris Hill, Adalsteinn Svan Hjelm, Magnus Elvar Jonsson, Larissa Kyzer, Karl Petersson, Mads Pihl, Bill Robertson, Arni Saeberg, Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson, Mareike Timm, Kristfrid Tyril Advertising: www.airicelandconnect.com/ mynorth Design: Bertrand Kirschenhofer, Omar Orn Hauksson / Icelandic Ad Agency Printing: Prenttækni

The new and improved Saga Lounge at Keflavik International Airport is a place where you can put your feet up, dine in style and enjoy the picturesque views while you wait for your flight.

We look forward to welcoming you.

The Icelandair Saga Lounge is open to Economy Comfort and Saga Class passengers, Saga Silver and Saga Gold members, and certain credit card holders.

ÍSLENSKA SIA.IS ICE 85062 07/17

A HOME AWAY FROM HOME

GREETING

From our CEO

s g n i n n i g e b w e N Dear traveller, Welcome aboard. Welcome to “Our North”.

We have now entered the brightest time of year. Around the summer solstice in late June, the sun never sets north of the Arctic Circle. Here, in the north, we feel adventurous and energetic, and anything seems possible. This is the time for new beginnings.

Arni Gunnarsson, Air Iceland Connect CEO

The story of our airline – originally Flugfelag Islands, or “Air Iceland” – goes back as far as 1919, when the first airline by that name was founded, operating for only one year. In 1937, Flugfelag Akureyrar was founded and later rebranded as Flugfelag Islands. The third airline by that name was founded in 1997, when Flugfelag Nordurlands and the regional services of Icelandair merged. Proud of our beginnings, we are now rebranding ourselves as Air Iceland Connect to reflect our true purpose: connecting people, in Iceland, and beyond.

You may be surprised to discover that not only do we offer flights to eight destinations in Iceland, but also to six destinations in Greenland – as well as to the Faroe Islands, Aberdeen and Belfast. Some of these flights are in collaboration with Norlandair, Atlantic Airways and Icelandair.

In My North, we would like to invite you to join us on an adventure and to explore these off-the-beaten-path destinations. The adventure begins on the plane, as you look out the window at the breathtaking aerial views of deep fjords, pristine glaciers and untouched wilderness. On the ground, we encourage you to look beneath the surface and get to know the people. Ask for travel tips, dine at a Nordic style restaurant, listen to a local band play, have a slice of history.

We hope to inspire you and to be inspired by you. The world is shrinking and we are all connected. May this flight be the beginning of a wonderful adventure.

Goda ferd! Happy travels!

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NEWS

Air Iceland Connect

Inspiring Icelandic t ravel adventure

Save time with online check-in Air Iceland Connect now offers online check-in from Reykjavik Airport. Go to www.airicelandconnect.com/check-in and click “Go to Check In”. Then enter your last name and booking confirmation number.

You can choose to have your boarding pass sent as an SMS or email. You can also download and print it, or add it to your Apple Wallet.

Our journey continues On 24 May, our new brand name Air Iceland Connect was launched. In the past months, extensive and necessary changes have been made to the airline’s operations, equipment and policy, in an effort to simplify its image – hence the name Air Iceland Connect, which replaces the airline’s original Icelandic name, Flugfelag Islands.

For years the airline has been known internationally as Air Iceland. By adding the slogan “Connect” to the international brand name, we want to highlight the airline’s focus: carrying Icelanders between domestic destinations, connecting passengers to the world around them, and connecting the world to the Nordic region. With one strong brand name – Air Iceland Connect – the airline will become more accessible for all.

Our name may be brand new, but our service, fleet and destinations are the same. Join us on this new adventure!

SMS

EMAIL

PRINT

WALLET

You can check-in online at any time of day, up to 45 minutes before departure for domestic flights and 90 minutes before departure for international flights.

(Currently, flights through Keflavik International Airport are not available for online check-in.)

Note that Air Iceland Connect may need to close the online check-in for certain flights if disturbances due to weather conditions are imminent. → www.airicelandconnect.com

#mynorthadventure

www.airicelandconnect.com

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EVENTS

Out a nd about

In Iceland and beyond

Looking for things to do this summer?

Check out our top picks for July, August and September.

TEXT: Sarah Dearne

PHOTO: Kristfrid Tyril

PHOTO: Courtesy of www.gasir.is

PHOTO: Magnus Elvar Jonsson

Sydrugota, Faroe Islands 13–15 July

Eyjafjordur, Iceland 14–16 July

G! FESTIVAL Coachella is so 2000-and-

For a few days LUNGA LungA is a brilliantly eccentric every summer, the Gasir ruins art and music festival that takes spring back to life with a bustling place in beautiful Seydisfjordur, medieval market. Situated 11 km a small but vibrant town in the (6.8 mi) north of Akureyri, the area magnificent East Fjords. This weekwas an important trading post in the long “summer camp” is packed with Middle Ages, when local merchants weird and wonderful workshops and traded brimstone and hunting happenings, and culminates in an falcons in return for garments exhibition of participants’ work on the and grain – critical commodities weekend, followed by concerts and in the icy north. The Medieval partying into the night. This year’s Days festival gives you a taste of musical lineup includes experimental what life was like in these ancient punk band Hormonar, rapper Emmsje times, with villagers in traditional Gauti and electropop artist Dadi garb practising ancient arts such Freyr, while visiting multimedia as sword fighting, blacksmithing, artists include Samantha Shay and weaving and even sorcery. It’s also a Steinunn Gunnlaugsdottir. The town perfect opportunity to pick up some itself is also quite remarkable, with handmade keepsakes that you won’t magnificent scenery and a buzzing find in any souvenir shop – magical arts scene. It’s easy to get to Seydisrunes, anyone? – so be sure to bring fjordur from Egilsstadir, with 30some cash (medieval merchants minute bus rides running at least don’t take credit cards). once daily throughout the summer. → www.gasir.is → www.lunga.is

late. Ditch the flower crown and dig out your woolly sweater – this year’s coolest festival can be found on a tiny archipelago in the North Atlantic. Since 2002, the village of Sydrugota (pop. 416) has played host to G! Festival, the Faroe Islands’ biggest musical event. This year’s headliners are breakout Danish star MØ and horrorcore hip hop group Suspekt, who will perform alongside popular acts from the Faroes and abroad. What’s more, the setting is just incredible, with emerald green mountains cradling a small sandy beach, where you’ll find hot tubs and even a sauna. Most festivalgoers hire a campervan or tent for the long weekend, but you can also find accommodation in the capital, Torshavn, about an hour’s drive away. → www.gfestival.fo

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GASIR MEDIEVAL DAYS

Seydisfjordur, Iceland 16–23 July

PHOTO: Mads Pihl / Visit Greenland

Ilulissat, Greenland Summer July and August are peak whale watching season in Greenland, though you’re virtually guaranteed sightings between June and late September. Although these beasts are abundant all around the coast, we recommend heading to Ilulissat Icefjord, a UNESCO World Heritage Site where you can see whales frolicking among the icebergs.

Disko Bay is home to around 15 species, including minkes, fin whales, humpbacks (the “acrobats of the sea”), and narwhals, famed for their outlandish tusks. Another remarkable sighting is the bowhead whale, which can reach up to 100 tonnes, no doubt aided by its enormous mouth, the largest of any animal. These majestic mammals are outsized by the equally incredible icebergs, which seem to have a life of their own as they glide, rumble and calve in the distance. → www.greenland.com WHALE WATCHING

PHOTO: Bill Robertson

Aberdeenshire, Scotland 5 & 10 August, 2 September SCOTTISH HIGHLAND GAMES In early Celtic times, proud Highlanders would gather to compete in warlike

sporting events, donning their tartans to prove their might and bring honour to their clans. Although today’s games are a much friendlier affair, these ancient traditions are still thriving in Aberdeenshire, where the Highland Games are held in various locations around the county. The closest to town are the Aboyne and Ballater Games in August, both about an hour from Aberdeen City. However, the biggest and arguably best Highland event is the Braemar Gathering in September, which will add 30 minutes to your scenic drive. Traditional events include the caber toss, stone put and tug-o-war, as well as bagpipe bands and Highland dancing. And with delightful funfairs and classic games for the kids, you’ll feel nostalgic for the Highland childhood you never had. → www.shga.co.uk

PHOTO: Courtesy of Culture Night Belfast

Belfast, Northern Ireland 22 September Organisers describe it as a taster menu for the arts. Although, with hundreds of free events and over 80,000 guests, it’s more of an allyou-can-eat buffet. The festival takes place around the trendy Cathedral Quarter, where you’ll find music, theatre and art spilling out of every doorway and into the streets. Events are diverse, with last year’s including circus performances, a power ballad karaoke competition, pro-wrestling, art workshops, roller derby, and even a tickle fight. Activities are easy to dip in and out of, and many are hands-on, perfect for kids. Festivities run from 1 pm to 10 pm. → www.visitbelfast.com/whats-on

Facts and figures Air Iceland Connect destinations at a glance

FAROE ISLANDS Capital: Torshavn (62°N) Population: 50,000 Size: 1,399 km2 (540 sq mi) Status: Autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark Language: Faroese and Danish.

English is also widely spoken.

GREENLAND Capital: Nuuk (64°N) Population: 56,000 Size: 2,166,086 km2 (836,330 sq mi) Status: Autonomous constituent country within the Kingdom of Denmark Language: Greenlandic. Danish and English are taught in school, though levels of fluency vary.

ICELAND Capital: Reykjavik (64°N) Population: 334,000 Size: 102,775 km2 (39,682 sq mi) Status: Independent republic Language: Icelandic.

English is also widely spoken.

CULTURE NIGHT

NORTHERN IRELAND Capital: Belfast (55°N) Population: 1,870,000 Size: 14,130 km2 (5,460 sq mi) Status: Country and a constituent unit of the United Kingdom Language: English. Irish and Ulster-Scots are also spoken in some areas.

SCOTLAND Capital: Edinburgh (56°N) Population: 5,730,000 Size: 77,933 km2 (30,090 sq mi) Status: Country and a constituent unit of the United Kingdom Language: English. Scots and Scottish Gaelic are also spoken in some areas.

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TRAVEL

Swimming

Lagoon recovered TEXT: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir PHOTO: Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

The so-called “Secret Lagoon” near Fludir in rural South Iceland is not so secret anymore.

Built around a natural hot spring in 1891 and used for swimming lessons, Gamla laugin – or “The Old Pool”, as it was known – fell into oblivion in the 1950s as modern swimming pools were built around the country. After being used privately for

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years, the pool was reopened for the public in 2014.

On the popular Golden Circle route, the Secret Lagoon has become a sought-after destination.

Rain, shine or snow, a revitalising soak in the balmy 38–40°C (100–104°F) water – with steam adding a mystical flair to the peaceful surroundings – gives your road trip a new dimension.

Secret Lagoon, Iceland, 64° N, +38° C, 27/2, 13:46

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CULTURE

Food

Head chef of Dill Restaurant, Ragnar Eiriksson

Shining in simpl e beauty

Known for its inventive use of traditional Icelandic ingredients to inspire new flavours and combinations, Dill Restaurant recently became the first in Iceland to receive a Michelin star.

TEXT: Rachel Mercer PHOTOS: Mikael Axelsson (Dill interior) and Karl Petersson (portrait and dishes)

“We’re always dancing on the line of having interesting flavours without them becoming overwhelming”, says Ragnar Eiriksson, head chef at Dill Restaurant. This balancing act is achieved, for example, in a savoury dish of barley and malt, topped with shavings of a dried ocean bird called guillemot – just enough to add taste without being overpowering – or in a deconstructed Danish sandwich with smoked Arctic char, dill powder and rye bread crumbs. Dinner at Dill is a journey through five to seven set courses, with optional wine pairing, and takes two to three hours. The dishes are designed to showcase certain ingredients, letting them shine in their simple beauty.

“Three is the magic number of ingredients when you’re creating a dish”, says Ragnar. “The wine is the fourth.”

fun part!” Angelica, chervil, yarrow, and lovage are herbs that grow in the wild in summer in Iceland and aren’t typically used in everyday cooking. Additionally, the summer menu will feature other unusual items like rose petals, birch, rhubarb, and pine shoots. “It’s different than grabbing a burger or a pizza”, says Ragnar, laughing. “People are surprised when they come to Dill. They get to see a different approach to everything.”

While the menu is what draws people to book tables up to four months in advance, the overall experience of dining at Dill is multi-sensory and includes the atmosphere, which is defined by soft lighting, minimalist electro-dub music, and an aesthetic of dark concrete, brick, and metal fixtures. “Coming to Dill is not just about sitting down Ragnar’s inspiration starts with the ingredients. “We fol- and eating some food. Anybody can cook food”, Ragnar low what’s in season,” he says. “I’m looking forward to asserts. “It’s about the experience of sitting for two or the summer so we can start picking herbs. That’s the three hours, and everything flowing together.”

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01 The atmosphere is defined by soft lighting, minimalist electro-dub music, and an aesthetic of dark concrete, brick, and metal fixtures.

02 A dessert of skyr, rhubarb and sorrel leaves.

03 A starter composed of potato, herb emulsion and ash.

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INFORMATION

Q&A

PHOTO: shutterstock

Ask away

“You can tell whether a man is clever by his answer.

You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”

In each issue of My North, we’ll answer questions you ask on our social media channels.

Have a question you need an answer to? Find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and ask away! #mynorthadventure TEXT: Edda Kentish

So, it’s summer now. Does that mean I can walk around Iceland wearing shorts and flip flops?

A: The short answer is: who knows!

That’s the beauty of Iceland.

Weather is unpredictable. But if you plan on doing hikes or hanging around hot springs, we definitely recommend protective clothing.

And if you plan on visiting a beach, bring a lopapeysa just in case.

even non-existent nights. Pro tip: chase sunsets instead.

Q: Iceland is cold, right? So do I need sunscreen?

A: Don’t judge a book by its cover – or, indeed, a country by its name. The UV index can creep quite high up in Iceland. The sun is deceptively strong up here so we recommend you always layer up on sunscreen! And let’s face it – there’s something quite fascinating about a tropical-smelling lotion used while standing on an ice-cold glacier.

What should I pack for my summer trip to Iceland?

A: Packing is a real art – especially when you’re visiting Iceland! It really depends on what you plan to do. If you’re going to spend a lot of time outside, then bring wind- and waterproof clothing, shoes that can withstand wet, rocky or uneven terrain, and a bathing suit. Always bring a bathing suit.

If you’re coming over to spend quiet quality time in a cabin in the middle of the “woods”, then bring cosy clothing to make the most of those evenings out on the terrace listening to the silence.

Q:

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– Unknown author

Q: Can I see the northern lights this summer?

A: Oh, we would love that. But no, unfortunately. It needs to be dark out for us to even have a chance of spotting those frosty ribbons, but in summer Iceland is blessed with long days and short nights. Sometimes

Q:

→ Have a question you need an answer to?

Post to our Air Iceland Connect channels and we’ll answer! Who knows? Your question might end up here. #mynorthadventure

刀䔀䜀一䘀䄀吀一䄀퀀唀刀

唀刀䈀䄀一 伀唀吀䔀刀圀䔀䄀刀

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TRAVEL

Town break

Secret Siglo Larissa Kyzer explores one of North Iceland’s destinations less travelled.

TEXT: Larissa Kyzer PHOTOS: Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson (this spread) and Larissa Kyzer

“People don’t end up here accidentally.” Or so I’m told upon my arrival in Siglufjordur, the northernmost village on the Trollaskagi peninsula in North Iceland. On this beautiful morning in early March, there’s not a cloud in sight, and I’m gazing across a glittering fjord at a mountain that looks like it was dipped in powdered sugar, as sunlight skips back and forth across the water and alights upon multicoloured houses perched like Easter eggs behind me. On such an absurdly gorgeous day, it’s difficult to imagine why this place isn’t constantly overrun by visitors. And yet, having just made the journey myself, I get it. Siglufjordur – or Siglo, in the local and more easily pronounceable parlance – is barely an hour’s drive away from Akureyri, the region’s largest town, but getting there is something you have to really commit to. There’s no way of entering the town by car without driving

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through one or more tunnels – two of which are single, one-way lanes – that have been blasted out from the mountainside. And so Siglo remains off the beaten path for most travellers. Which is a shame, because this historic fishing village turned local hot spot is definitely worth a detour.

The locals’ getaway If you’ve heard of Siglufjordur before now, there’s a good chance you remember it as the snowbound setting for Trapped (Ofaerd), the Icelandic crime drama that took audiences by storm last year. Happily, suspicious deaths are confined to fiction here, and not only on TV: local boy Ragnar Jonasson’s award-winning Dark Iceland crime novels are also all set in and around the village. But checking into the elegant Siglo Hotel – with its harbour-side hot tub, inventive cocktail list, and well-dressed

Siglufjordur, Iceland, 66°N, +11°C, 1/7, 13:43

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01 The Grana fishmeal and oil factory, one of five fascinating exhibition buildings that make up Siglo’s Herring Era Museum.

02 A wide range of memorabilia and artefacts, such as these locally produced cans of herring, were donated to the museum by people who lived and worked in Siglo during the “Herring Adventure”.

03 The elegant Siglo Hotel, which has views of the open fjord.

04 Leyningsfoss, a “secret” waterfall tucked away in a lovely wooded area just outside of town.

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clientele clinking glasses around a crackling fire in the lounge – I can’t help but imagine myself in an Agatha Christie novel. Most of our fellow travellers are Icelanders who’ve come to enjoy the town’s small but well-appointed ski area, which is part of a network of five reciprocal facilities in North Iceland. In marked contrast to hotel demographics elsewhere in the country, my partner and I are among the few foreign guests currently checked in. Siglufjordur, it seems, is where Icelanders go when they want to get away.

The hotel extends into a working harbour which has recently been restyled as Siglo’s “Marina Village”.

It’s not hard to imagine the area being quite lively come July: along

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with two patio restaurants, visitors can enjoy mini golf and giant outdoor chess in the summer. Stepping out in blue afternoon light of early March, however, we encounter a much more contemplative atmosphere. The few people who pass each other coming out of the bakery, the swimming pool, and Torgid, the local pizza place, generally seem to know one another. Walking up the hill past the red-roofed church and into the lovely mountainside cemetery, there’s no sound but the crunch of snow under our boots. And although the sun has yet to set when we reach the impressive illuminated cross at the top of the churchyard, when we turn around we can see the whole town before us, shimmering in the glow of the rising moon.

With… a herring!

The local Herring Era Museum does not have regular hours during the winter months, but a quick email is all it takes to arrange a visit. Spread across five adjoining buildings, the museum immerses visitors in the sights and sounds of Iceland’s “Herring Adventure”, a 100-year period when enormous stocks of the fish were found in the waters north of Siglo, earning it the nickname “The Klondike of the Atlantic”.

The museum’s first exhibit invites you to poke around the dorm for a group of “herring girls”. With tinny music issuing from a phonograph and a leaky tap dripping in the kitchen, it feels like they’ve just stepped

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out of the room, tying their hair up in kerchiefs and heading down to the pier to clean and salt the incoming catch. In the factory next door you wind through a maze of machinery, absorbing the ingenuity of an industry that quickly learned to wrest every ounce of usable oil or meal from each herring processed. And then, finally, there’s the Boathouse – “the best one”, laughs museum director Anita Elefsen when I gasp audibly.

It’s a recreation of a typical herring port featuring 11 different boats, including one 38-tonne vessel that you can climb aboard and explore.

Siglufjordur

to explore a small, idyllic wood that’s crisscrossed with trails for walking or snow-shoeing. Our aim is to find Leyningsfoss, or “Secret Fall”, a picturesque waterfall tucked amidst the evergreens.

It may be secret, but it isn’t hard to find. Within 10 minutes we’ve followed the sound of rushing water to a small dell where we forget ourselves for a moment, watching light refract off the icicles that lace the fall. Picnic tables dot the forest, and though we haven’t brought a lunch, peeling off our coats and sitting in the sunshine is its own kind of nourishment, a moment of A walk in the woods completely unexpected beauty and Gifted with another sunny after- solitude before we make our way noon, we head to the edge of town back home.

Akureyri

Reykjavik Keflavik Getting there: Air Iceland Connect offers regular flights from Keflavik and Reykjavik to Akureyri. From there, it’s just over an hour’s drive to Siglufjordur; visitors can rent a car at Akureyri Airport.

Alternately, Straeto offers bus service on the 78 from Akureyri to Siglufjordur three times daily, Monday through Friday, and once daily on Sunday. (Note that there is no bus service to / from Siglufjordur on Saturdays.)

DID YOU KNOW ...

Air Iceland Connect flies to four countries outside Iceland: Greenland, the Faroe Islands, Northern Ireland and Scotland?

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TRAVEL

Ocean swimming

C ome on in, the water’s f ine

The majestic Eyjafjordur fjord, which looks even more gorgeous from a toasty-warm hot tub.

Hjalteyri is one of those places travellers stumble upon unexpectedly and then remember forever.

TEXT & PHOTO: Larissa Kyzer

The unassuming village of Hjalteyri (pop. 43) in North Iceland is less than 20 minutes from Akureyri. You can’t see the village until you’re almost upon it. Cresting a hill at the end of a long road, it appears beneath you: a concrete factory with a towering chimney, a single pier stretching into the bay, and a smattering of red-roofed houses, all circled around the silent, deep blue expanse of Eyjafjordur fjord.

Having long stood empty, the former herring factory is now home to Verksmidjan, an award-winning art gallery that hosts summer exhibitions; and Strytan, a year-round scuba dive centre named after a protected underwater site, a hydrothermal chimney just offshore.

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Having stopped to snap a few photos, my partner and I are delighted to discover a freestanding, fjord-facing hot tub. Even better, there’s a public dressing room in the factory behind us. (PRO TIP #1: Always carry a swimsuit and towel when travelling around Iceland.) We hadn’t planned on a soak, but there’s no turning down a view like this, so we drop ISK 500 (USD 4.9) in the metal box affixed to the wall, turn a knob to heat the pot up to a balmy 40°C (104°F), and get ready.

Then it’s decision time. Do we get straight into the hot tub, or do we do as the locals recommend and first take a quick restorative dip in the fjord itself?

If the idea of immersing yourself in the North Atlantic in March (or July or August, for that matter) sounds crazy, it is. But being a true believer in the palliative effects of sea swimming, my course of action is clear.

And so down I go, scrabbling over

the sea wall and across the pebble beach. (PRO TIP #2: Waterproof shoes or, at the very least flip flops, are a must.) Then, after a little personal pep-talking, I take the plunge.

There are no two ways about it – the water’s freezing and for the first few seconds, the feeling isn’t pleasant.

At all. But then, I look around, think about where I am in this moment, and feel so energised that I actually laugh out loud. At this time of year, safety demands that sea dips are kept short, so it’s not long before I’m back on the beach enjoying the disconnect of feeling somehow warm – faintly electric – after getting out of such cold water. And then, giggling, I fling myself into the hot tub: a much-deserved reward indeed.

DID YOU KNOW ...

You can fly directly between Keflavik International Airport and Akureyri in North Iceland?

www.slippbarinn.is

www.aurorarestaurant.is

www.satt.is

www.vox.is

www.geirismart.is

A feast for all the senses Five unique restaurants to discover, savor and treasure.

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INTERVIEW

Air Iceland Connect

Hallgrimur Haraldsson is the foreman of the Air Iceland Connect apron department at Reykjavik Airport. In the span of his career he has had his share of adventures at the airline’s destinations, including Greenland, where he has been a few times.

TEXT: Svava Jonsdottir PHOTO: Arni Saeberg

What would you recommend travellers experience in Reykjavik and the surrounding area?

“You can go to the theatre, cinema and to concerts. And whale watching. Heidmork is stunning and walking in the forest is like entering a fairy tale. Reykjavik Family Park and Zoo is a delight. There are many beautiful places around Reykjavik.

Hvalfjordur fjord in the West, for example, is breathtaking in fair weather. I also recommend heading eastwards and visiting Thingvellir National Park, for example.”

the apron. We must be present when the pilots or mechanics start the airplanes and when they leave the aircraft stands. When they land, we have to point them towards the stands and we guide the pilots in positioning them correctly in the apron.

The job is very diverse. For example, in the winter we sometimes have to spray a special hot fluid onto the airplanes to clear off snow and ice before they take off.”

How much luggage usually goes on board?

“It varies, but the luggage often weighs 500 to 1,500 kilos. If it’s a cargo flight to Kulusuk, which is common, then it’s fruits and vege“I’ve worked for Air Iceland Connect tables along with mail and then for 16 years, four thereof in Akureyri. it might even be three tonnes on one flight.”

I usually arrive at work at 6 am to prep the day for the boys and then Is it sometimes difficult to stack we start the shift by picking up all the luggage and cargo in the products from the shipping departairplanes? ment and the luggage from the passengers when they check in. We must load and unload products and “Yes, it can be difficult because the space on board is often limited. If baggage and take care of all other there’s a lot of luggage and cargo work surrounding the airplanes on For how long have you worked for Air Iceland Connect and what does your job include?

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Dog sle then we’ve sometimes had to take everything out which had already been placed inside the plane and stack it again to make room for everything.”

Air Iceland Connect flies to a few destinations in Greenland.

Do you and other employees of the apron department sometimes travel with the airplanes to these destinations?

“Yes, but not as often as I used to.

I rather send the boys along. We

ds, foxes and minks Hallgrimur Haraldsson and his colleagues busy loading a plane.

sometimes go to Kulusuk to unload the cargo from the airplane when there’s a lot and sometimes load the airplane there.

I’ve flown to other places, Nuuk and Narsarsuaq, for example. Once I went to Constable Point when I worked for Air Iceland Connect in Akureyri, and I’ve also been to Mestersvig.

One time I went to Thule in northwest Greenland to pick up dogs and a sled, and I was responsible for placing them on the aircraft.

I could also mention a trip to Finland

What’s the biggest adventure to pick up foxes, which were flown you’ve experienced in Greenland? to Egilsstadir in East Iceland, and another time I travelled to Denmark “I was once sent on behalf of the to pick up minks, which ended up airline from Akureyri to Mestersvig. in Vopnafjordur, also in East IceMy colleague and I were there land. I’ve taken part in a lot of stuff, for a week to assist transporting which is what I enjoy about the job. mining equipment in a helicopter Greenland is a fascinating up to the ice cap. We were country and I have been there a few supposed to have a skiplane from times. It is an adventurous experiAkureyri but it broke down, so we ence to come there and marvel at had to use a helicopter and hang the landscape – the mountains and the equipment onto it while it ice. The weather in Greenland can be beautiful in the summer but it can was hovering above us. That was good fun.” also be horribly bad in the winter.”

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Swing by

ACTIVITIES

Family fun

When you’re travelling with kids, having something to do is paramount – it diverts the dreaded “are we there yet?” moments, at least.

TEXT: Edda Kentish PHOTO: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir

Here’s a handy guide for children’s playground activities in Iceland.

Don’t underestimate the draw of the rolo, or playground.

Sometimes a swing set is your golden ticket to pastime heaven. Fun fact: rolo is short for roluvollur, literally meaning “a field with swings”. There are a lot around.

EGILSSTADIR: Head to the campsite at Atlavik in the nearby Hallormsstadaskogur National Forest for your daily dose of swing sets.

AKUREYRI: In local forest (yes, another local forest) Kjarnaskogur you’ll find at least two playgrounds and get a nature hike out of your trip as well. One playground, Birkivollur, even features a communal barbecue, and the forest is also home to a beach volleyball court or two. Obviously.

REYKJAVIK: Klambratun park close to the city centre is home to a modest-sized playground and is within walking distance from Laugavegur shopping street. And then, every school, daycare centre and respectable community garden sports at least a swing set and a sandbox.

The swings are always popular.

MIX IT UP

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Want to go on an Icelandic word hunt?

Solve the puzzle to find some enigmatic letter combinations. The words are written from left to right, right to left, vertically or diagonally. The first three to tag a photo of their solution with #mynorthadventure on our social media channels win an Air Iceland Connect bandana. Happy hunting!

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SOLSETUR HUS FLUGVEL FUGL STJORNUR FERDALAG IS GAMAN

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— — — — — — — —

SUNSET HOUSE AIRPLANE BIRD STARS JOURNEY ICE OR ICE CREAM FUN

Me, listening to the silence

Only hours away to the west, the Greenland ice cap guards a country and people on a calm quest for survival. Journey west, and the Faroe Islands’ northern beat colours life and culture. Venture further south to Northern Ireland and Scotland, as curious to know you as you are to know them. Where to next?

airicelandconnect.com

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Melting

CULTURE

Music

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Braedslan festival is a celebration of music, nature and community.

TEXT: Gabrielle Motola PHOTOS: Holmfridur Dagny Fridjonsdottir, Adalsteinn Svan Hjelm, Mareike Timm

On the scenic East Fjords route, I drive past waterfalls and over mountains, before reaching the village of Bakkargerdi, nestled into the arc of the fjord Borgarfjordur eystri. This humble but beautiful farming and fishing village (pop. 110) welcomes more than 3,000 people every year to Braedslan music festival, which is in every sense a family affair.

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The drive from Reykjavik takes nine hours, but I opted for flying from Reykjavik Airport. The fog lifted as the plane taxied, and we were treated to a stunning aerial view of Vatnajokull, Europe’s largest glacier. We landed an hour later in full sunshine in Egilsstadir, where I rented a car and drove for another hour to Borgarfjordur eystri.

Local Askell Heidar Asgeirsson wanted to honour the 120th anniversary of painter Johannes S. Kjarval, who grew up in Borgarfjordur eystri. With the help of his family and friends, he put together the first festival in 2005.

Heidar (as he’s called) reached out to singer-songwriter Emiliana Torrini, as she’s also from the area. The following

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01 View of the village of Bakkagerdi in Borgarfjordur eystri during Braedslan. Photo

by Adalsteinn Svan Hjelm.

02 On a seaside walk in Bakkagerdi. Photo by Holmfridur Dagny Fridjonsdottir.

03 At the main concert venue, the actual Braedslan. Photo by Holmfridur Dagny Fridjonsdottir.

04 Rockin’ at Braedslan.

Photo by Mareike Timm.

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year, Emiliana returned with her friends, Belle and Se- Only 1,000 tickets are available to the main concert and bastian, for a triumphant show. “We were already talking sell out every year, but off-venue events are ticketed seabout the second festival on the first night, and after the parately. “This wasn’t founded to make money. The village is at a capacity and we do not want to second year it was clear this was some“We were already talking about ruin the feeling the festival has in this thing we were going to do”, says Heidar’s the second festival on the first moment.” Aside from the main concert, sister Aldis Fjola Borgfjord Asgeirsdottir. night, and after the second year there is plenty going on. There are offit was clear this was something venue shows, a rival football match, When I arrive in early May, it’s midlambwe were going to do.” breathtaking hikes, fishing, camping, ing season and Aldis is working the night shift on the family farm. The following afternoon she bathing, bird and people watching, and more. Braedsltakes me on a tour down to Braedslan, a former fish meal an can be translated to “melting pot” which fits. “It’s very factory where the main concert is held. This year it falls on family friendly”, says Aldis. “We have a lot of different Saturday, 29 July, but activities begin the Tuesday prior. people here mixing together and enjoying themselves.”

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ACTIVITIES

Adventure guide

Season to taste TEXT: Edda Kentish

Calm

If you’re visiting Iceland this summer, chances are you’re here for landscapes and activities (either cultural or out in nature). To give you some inspiration, we collected varied adventure ideas, because we know that adventure ranges from scaling a precipice or braving a five-day hike to sitting with a cuppa watching the sun not setting.

Use this guide to take any given situation and scale it up or down depending on your desired adventure level.

We’ve even named stages of adventure to make the exercise easier!

Have tips or travel stories that are calm, curious or exhilarating? Tip us off at #mynorthadventure!

Curious

Exhilarating

You can go kayaking from seaside village Stokkseyri in South Iceland or sea swimming at Nautholsvik beach in Reykjavik – if you feel like getting your feet wet. Add a splash or two in country swimming pools like the one in Hofsos and you can claim yourself to be well versed in local poolside pastimes.

Try river rafting in Hvita in South Iceland, or in Jokulsa eystri in Skagafjordur, northwest Iceland. For an ever faster ride along the waterways, try the river jet that also operates the Hvita river. Hvita is on the Golden Circle, so it isn’t hard to miss.

Look for a throng of like-minded explorers and you’re probably in the right place.

If you feel like venturing into the realm of the Icelandic language, the theatre group Leikhopurinn Lotta produces children’s matinees all throughout summer in various outdoor locations around Iceland (and no matter the weather), which is a curious experience for the senses in more ways than one.

To fully appreciate the challenges of Iceland’s nature, sign up for the Runners’ Festival in the Westfjords on 14–16 July and conquer a half marathon, a 45-km (28-mi) wilderness run, open-water swimming, mountain biking, a three-day triathlon, or all of the above. The events take place all over the fjords. After the trials, you should carb-load on homemade waffles by the pool in Thingeyri on 15 July – made with all the love an Icelandic fishing village can muster.

The town of Egilsstadir in the East is beautifully located if you’re after intermediate hikes. Try a guided tour to Storurd – an area that looks like it could be an elf church, complete with boulders and lakes for your perusal. The hike takes a few hours (depending on your walking speed and the tour you pick) and is worth every calorie spent.

Mountain biking is the latest rage in Iceland and if you want to take your experience to the next level, look for tours to Landmannalaugar via Laugavegur (not the shopping street, but the Highland trail. They’re not the same).

WATERSIDE WONDERS Opt for whale watching or sea angling out of Reykjavik harbour or travel to North Iceland, to Husavik or Akureyri for example. Requires minimum amount of sea legs / experience. You can also go beach exploring and walk along the sandy banks of Grotta in Reykjavik (black beach), Raudisandur in the Westfjords (golden beach) or Gaseyri near Akureyri (lots of seashells).

CULTURAL CURIOSITIES How to become Icelandic in 60 minutes is an English-language (obviously) one-man show about – you guessed it – how to become Icelandic in 60 minutes. The only requirement to enjoy the show is to be prepared to laugh for an hour. You could also join a guided tour around downtown Reykjavik to learn all about the city’s paranormal activities.

LANDSCAPE LESSONS One of the best things about Iceland is that you don’t have to leave civilisation behind to see natural wonders. If you’re in Reykjavik, make your way to Heidmork reserve and walk by mossy banks, birch trees and red sand to get your fill, or drive a little out of town, to Krysuvik for example, to see natural formations that aren’t your garden-variety woodlands.

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Adventure awaits ISAFJORDUR Seafood and culture in the Westfjords

MYVATN / HUSAVIK Highlights of the North

WE KNOW THE NORTH. AND WE’D LIKE TO INTRODUCE YOU TO EVERY NOOK AND CRANNY. ARE YOU READY?

Book your day tour online and explore our north LAKE MYVATN Waterside wildlife and curious natural formations

KULUSUK An 8-hour hike in remarkable Greenland

Look for even more adventures online.

They’re hiding in plain sight. www.airicelandconnect.com/tours

PHOTOGRAPHY

Nature

Adventure by Instagram Share your northern adventure with the world, using the hashtag #mynorthadventure. A selection of photos will be published on the Air Iceland Connect website and social media channels and the cream of the crop on the pages of this magazine, too.

Photo contest Tag your favourite photos from any of our destinations with #mynorthadventure and participate in our photo contest. The best photo from above will appear on the cover of the next issue of My North and the photographer will win a trip with Air Iceland Connect. Click away!

Please note that by using the #mynorthadventure hashtag, you are granting us permission to use your image in our magazine, website, or on our social media channels.

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01 Kulusuk, Greenland @markustrienke #kulusuk #airport

#cute #greenland #eastgreenland #plane 02 Kangerlussuaq, Greenland @intehelena #NordicRoadtrip

#AirIceland #WorldofGreenland 03 Godafoss, North Iceland @pinkiceland #pinkiceland #weddingplanners 04 Isafjordur, Westfjords @icehotel #isafjordur #iceland #westfjords #bestfjords 05 Flying to Kulusuk @airicelandconnect #airiceland #viewfromtheplane #greenland #kulusuk 06 Sled dog in Ilulissat, Greenland @benjaminhardman #AirIceland #greenland 04

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TRAVEL

Greenland

Chills and thrill s at the top of the world Get to know Greenland.

Ilulissat, for example, already receded 10 km (6.2 mi) from 2001 to 2004, and the people of Qaanaaq in far On paper, Greenland is a land of northeast Greenland report that the extremes: world’s largest island, sea ice, which they rely on for huntmost sparsely populated country on ing, has thinned by over 1 m (3.3 ft).

Earth, home to the oldest fossils and With such momentous changes largest ice sheet outside of Antarcti- underway, witnessing the effects of ca, the continuous daylight in north- climate change first-hand takes on ern villages from April to August and new dimensions beyond sightseeing. continuous night in the winter. But on the ground, facts and figures It’s hard to resist the call of the great fade in comparison to the vastness polar wild, whether you choose to one encounters in every direction, be kayak through glacial lagoons alongit the frozen mountains extending to side narwhals, heli-ski down frozen the horizon, the sapphire blue of end- mountainsides, or track reindeer, less Arctic seawater, the boundless walruses or the elusive polar bear ice fields or the otherworldly quality on a photo hunt. For a truly unforof polar light in the summertime, bril- gettable experience, pull on sealskin clothes and kamik boots and liantly bright yet diffuse and gentle. mount up on a dog sled. The Arctic In a land of such rarefied people winds whip around you as you sail living at the top of the globe, the over the snow behind a team of Greenlanders are a lighthearted spirited paws. Dog sledding is not bunch who are proud of their coun- only an exhilarating way to take in try and eager to share it with visitors. the eye-popping landscape, it’s an The native population still revels in authentically Greenlandic experitheir heritage as hunters, fishermen ence rooted deeply in Inuit culture. and craftspeople, but you’ll also find With most villages spread along the Internet entrepreneurs, epicurean narrow, ice-free coastline, there are coffee baristas and amateur soccer no roads connecting communities. heroes training every daylight hour Dog sledding is not just a pastime (which essentially means one never- in Greenland; it’s a way of life. A visit to Greenland is a unique adventure. ending game all summer long).

Life at the top of the world means With climate change reshaping the you’re in for a thrilling ride. country, many come to witness its awesome effects on the Greenland DID YOU KNOW ... ice cap. As the ice cap melts and Air Iceland Connect has 240 employees and that if you add 10 more people glaciers pull back, the face of the you have the entire population of the country is forever changed. The Greenlandic village of Kulusuk (pop. 250)?

UNESCO-protected Icefjord near TEXT: Jonas Moody PHOTO: Benjamin Hardman

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Ilulissat, Greenland, 69° N, -18° C, 20/3, 11:09

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T he long serpent “Dance resounds in the hall…” – Visiting the Faroe Islands during Olavsoka is an experience like no other.

TEXT: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir PHOTOS: Christoffer Collin and Olavur Frederiksen

Gasadalur, Faroe Islands, 62° N, +5° C, 18/2, 18:07

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TRAVEL

The Faroe Islands

The Faroe Islands are among countries with the smallest populations in the world, yet I’ve never seen as many people in the streets. It’s midnight on 29 July, the peak of Olavsoka − the national festival − and it seems that all of the islands’ 50,000 inhabitants have gathered

Serpent”) – all 85 stanzas of it. A bystander no more, my Faroese sister-in-law puts her right arm on top of my left. I quickly grab my husband before I lose him in the crowd, and we join the chain dance, a local tradition which goes back to medieval times.

Glymur dansur i holl, dans slaid ring!

Gladir rida noregs menn til hildarting.

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Day breaks on the emerald islands, gleaming in a rare ray of sunshine.

Striking landscapes often hidden behind a veil of fog, the Faroes may Dance resounds in the hall; seem like the mythical island Avalon dance in a ring! of the Arthurian legend. With a surGladly ride Norway’s men face area of only 1,399 km2 (540 sq to Hildr’s Thing. mi) divided between 18 islands, the Stanza by stanza, the leader of the country is subject to a subpolar ocelong and growing procession recites anic climate. The wet weather crethe old folk ballad about the fall of ates optimal grazing conditions for Norse Viking King Olaf Tryggva- the many free-roaming sheep (far in son (announcing into his mic that if Norse), after which the islands are he pauses, it’s because somebody named – and fog. As the fog lifts, grassy mountains, wondrous waterfalls, sea-filled gorges and unrivalled ocean views are revealed. In slumbering seaside villages and trendy Torshavn, local culture thrives. Having overcome centuries of hardship, the people are proud to have preserved their heritage – and happy to share it with visitors.

DID YOU KNOW ...

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in the centre of the capital Torshavn to celebrate. There are quite a few bystanders as well, such as myself, easily distinguishable by their casual attire. The natives are proudly wearing their national costumes.

Having just witnessed a crowd of hundreds – or thousands – of people singing together, song after song in near perfect harmony (and awkwardly trying to hum along), it’s now time for Ormurin langi (“The Long

offered him schnapps). Arm in arm, we chant along as loudly as we can.

Two steps to the left and one to the right, we try not to step on anyone’s toes, as we snake our way through the town centre. The serpent is long, but so is the night, and it’s just about to start. Die hard Faroese repeat Ormurin langi until sunrise. Dance resounds in the hall.

You can lease an Air Iceland Connect aircraft, with or without a crew?

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01 The crowd at Olavsoka in the centre of Torshavn around midnight. Photo: Olavur Frederiksen.

02 View of Mykines island from the village of Gasadalur. Photo: Christoffer Collin.

03 Old grass-roofed house in the village of Saksun. Photo: Christoffer Collin.

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04 The village of Eidi.

Photo: Christoffer Collin.

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NEWS

Air Iceland Connect

Connecting the dots There’s always something happening at Air Iceland Connect.

Here’s a brief roundup of the most newsworthy events of the past few months.

TEXT: Eyglo Svala Arnarsdottir

Titanic Belfast. PHOTO: Chris Hill

Hverarond, Namaskard. PHOTO: Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

Mikael Mikiki. PHOTO: Ragnar Axelsson

Bring it on, Belfast!

Northwards bound

Chequered friendship

On 1 June, Air Iceland Connect launched flights to Northern Ireland’s capital in collaboration with Icelandair, with a full year-round service three times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The flight from Belfast to Keflavik will provide easy connections with Icelandair’s wide network of destinations in the US and Canada. This is Air Iceland Connect’s second destination in Great Britain; the route to Aberdeen, Scotland, was launched in March 2016, with three scheduled flights a week, year-round.

If you’re eager to explore Iceland’s North, there’s no need to travel through Reykjavik. Starting last winter, Air Iceland Connect offers direct domestic flights between Keflavik International Airport (KEF) and Akureyri (AEY), North Iceland, in connection to international flights via Keflavik. Akureyri is a popular destination, but it’s also a great base for further exploration of the region.

Flights between KEF and AEY are operated all year round, up to six times a week during the winter and two times a week during the summer.

Eleven members of Icelandic chess club Hrokurinn travelled to Nuuk in early June to organise the Air Iceland Connect Chess Tournament in Greenland’s capital. The winner was young Mikael Mikiki, who scored 6.5 points out of 7. In addition to the trophy, Mikael was invited to Iceland to chess camp. Since the club’s first trip to Greenland in 2003, its members have visited the country 60 times to share their love of the game with Greenlandic youth. Air Iceland Connect has been the initiative’s main sponsor from the start.

Fast facts about Air Iceland Connect

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destinations

destinations in Iceland

reliability of scheduled flights at Egilsstadir Airport

passengers go through Reykjavik Airport annually

SERVICE

Air Iceland Connect

On-board experience Feeling hungry? Fancy a treat? Here are some tips as to how you can enjoy your flight even more.

Sit back, relax and enjoy your journey. The Air Iceland Connect crew will do their utmost to make your flight as pleasant and comfortable as possible. If you need anything, you can call a cabin attendant by using the call button above your seat. On all Air Iceland Connect flights, passengers receive a complimentary beverage: coffee, tea or water.

Passengers on international flights can also buy refreshments: snacks, sandwiches, delicious skyr, as well as alcoholic beverages. If you’re interested in duty-free shopping while in the air, take a look at the brochure in the seat pocket in front of you and browse through the selection of goods available at a bargain price. Passengers on flights to Belfast and Aberdeen can borrow iPads for on-board entertainment.

Environmental policy We recognise that our activities have an impact on the environment in terms of the use of raw materials, emissions to air and water, and waste generation, and seek to minimise this as far as is reasonably practisable.

Air Iceland Connect is committed to operating in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner, complying with all applicable legislation, environmental standards and other relevant requirements or commitments. This policy shall apply to all activities carried out by or on behalf of Air Iceland Connect and to locations in which we operate.

Shared stories We would love to hear about your travels. In the seat pocket is a journal where passengers who have sat in this seat before you have made some notes about their travel experiences. What did you discover on your trip? Pick up a pen and share your adventures with future travellers the old-fashioned way.

Air Iceland Connect has achieved the Gold Award from Vakinn’s environmental criteria.

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DESTINATIONS

Air Iceland Connect

Shape your adventure

You’ve arrived in Iceland.

So why not explore the northern region a little further? Our partnerships, route network and innate curiosity mean you’re never more than a decision away from your next adventure.

Domestic travel in Iceland The capital Reykjavik is great. But should you want to change it up a little, you can. We fly to three large towns in Iceland: Akureyri in the North, Egilsstadir in the East, and Isafjordur in the Westfjords. Each town has its own character, history and traditions and they’re never more than an hour away when you fly. To

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explore even more, you can connect in Akureyri to some of Iceland’s more remote villages: Grimsey island, Thorshofn and Vopnafjordur, thanks to our partnership with Norlandair.

Connect to the wider world Arriving in Keflavik International Airport and eager to explore North Iceland? Then you’re in luck. We fly directly from Keflavik to Akureyri.

And it works both ways – fly from Akureyri to Keflavik to make your international connection.

Greenland The largest island in the world, with its remote and inaccessible interior (a feat to conquer, but absolutely worth it), is within easy reach from Iceland’s air hubs. We fly directly from Reykjavik, Akureyri and Keflavik International

Airport to six Greenland destinations: Nerlerit Inaat (Constable Point) and Kulusuk on the east coast; Narsarsuaq in the south; and the capital Nuuk, Kangerlussuaq and Ilulissat by Disko Bay on the west coast.

Venture further afield More than a millennium ago, Norse settlers on the British Isles abandoned their homes due to lack of land and escalating conflicts and set sail for a recently-discovered island in the north – a land of new opportunities. Midway to Iceland, some of the explorers decided to settle in the Faroe Islands. Now, you can retrace their old sailing route – albeit a lot quicker. In partnership with Atlantic Airways and Icelandair, Air Iceland Connect takes you to Torshavn, Belfast and Aberdeen.

Take-offs and touchdowns The beginning and end of a terrific journey, Air Iceland Connect’s main airports are not just for passing through.

REYKJAVIK INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT In the heart of Iceland’s capital, Reykjavik Airport serves as the centre for domestic flights in Iceland. It’s located in Vatnsmyri, where aviation in Iceland began on September 3, 1919, with the take-off of the first airplane in the country. Scheduled flights from Reykjavik Airport were launched in March 1940, when Air Iceland moved its headquarters from Akureyri to Reykjavik.

AKUREYRI INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Located in North Iceland’s largest town, Akureyri International Airport is the gateway to the Arctic. From there, scheduled flights are offered to several locations in Iceland, including Grimsey island in the North, as well as Thorshofn and Vopnafjordur in the Northeast. International flights from Akureyri include scheduled and charter flights to Greenland. Akureyri International Airport is also the centre for ambulance and emergency flights in Iceland.

EGILSSTADIR INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT Egilsstadir International Airport serves as an alternate for Keflavik International Airport and is open 24 hours a day. Located on the banks of Lagarfljot river in Iceland’s tranquil East, the airport is just a short drive away from Hallormsstadaskogur National Forest, serene seaside towns at the foot of majestic mountains and other attractions.

ISAFJORDUR AIRPORT Isafjordur is the base for exploring Iceland’s Westfjords and some of the country’s most rural and isolated areas. The flight approach is an adventurous experience on its own – enjoy the thrill as you descend at the end of the majestic Isafjardardjup fjord, the view of the many smaller fjords that fork out of it and the tall mountains all around.

→ When your appetite for adventure awakens, visit our website www.airicelandconnect.com and make your next excursion happen.

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FLEET

Air Iceland Connect

Towards the

In the Age of Settlement they embarked on a journey into the unknown with their loved ones. The five Bombardier aircraft in our fleet are named after women settlers and Icelandic saga heroines. Still flying high, we uphold their legacies with pride.

Aud the Deep-Minded TF-FXA Q400

Hallgerd Long-Pants TF-FXB Q400

Thorun the Horned TF-FXI Q400

Aud the Deep-Minded was the only woman to lead a settlement expedition to Iceland. She was considered peerless among women, provident and wise, as witnessed by her epithet. She took leave of her husband and sailed to Iceland along with her crew. It is said that her settlement extended across all the valleys of Breidafjordur in West Iceland. Aud was a Christian and was considered to be particularly noble and generous. She gave large estates in her settlement to her crew and made her home at the current church estate of Hvammur in Dalir.

The most infamous heroine of the Icelandic sagas was dashing, long-haired and beautiful. Extremely proud, Hallgerd never took orders from anyone.

She started a feud with her neighbour Bergthora; and Hallgerd’s husband, Gunnar, had to pay for a slap he gave her with his life. When besieged by his enemies, Gunnar begged Hallgerd for a lock of her hair to repair his bowstring. She refused and he was killed.

But what was the source of her epithet? One explanation is that Hallgerd had particularly long legs. Another that she was originally called “Langbrok”, which means “long-haired”.

Does her epithet refer to a shawl she wore over her head or shoulders?

Along with her husband, Helgi the Lean, Thorun the Horned settled in Eyjafjordur, Northeast Iceland, and was the first woman to do so.

Thorun was the sister of Aud the Deep-Minded, the most famous of all women settlers. While Thorun and Helgi sailed into the fjord, looking for a place to build their farm, Thorun gave birth to a daughter on a small holm in Eyjafjardara river. Their daughter, Thorbjorg Holme-sun, was the first native-born resident of Eyjafjordur.

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unknown

Wind beneath our wings Q400

Q200 In 2015, Air Iceland Connect exchanged their Fokker 50 aircraft for Bombardier Q400s. They are larger and 30% faster than conventional turboprop aircraft and therefore offer new opportunities. In addition to being used for domestic flights, the Bombardier Q400s fly a steadily increasing number of passengers to Greenland, as well as to destinations in Britain.

Air Iceland Connect was already operating two Bombardier Q200 aircraft. They have certain qualities: they require a short runway (e.g., they can take off when fullyloaded from an 800-m (2,625-ft) runway), can withstand a stronger side wind than comparable aircraft and can carry more freight. The Bombardier Q200 can be specifically configured for cargo transport.

→ Read more about our fleet on www.airicelandconnect.com.

Arndis the Wealthy TF-FXG Q200

Thurid the Sound-Filler TF-FXK Q200

Her father was a settler in Dalir, but she wished to choose her own land.

Arndis the Wealthy settled in Hrutafjordur, Northwest Iceland. Her epithet suggests that she acquired wealth while presiding over her estate. Little is known about Arndis, as written documentation is scarce.

However, if one reads between the lines it is clear that she was a powerful woman who defied the patriarchy.

Arndis married Bjalki Blaengsson but their son Thordur became known by his matronymic surname: Arndisarson.

Thordur later appeared as a character in Kormaks Saga, a poetic love story.

She was known as a volva and was said to be well-versed in magic when she settled in Bolungarvik, the Westfjords. She was called “sound-filler” due to her ability to cast spells that filled every sound with herring. As thanks for her spell, each farmer in the area awarded her with a hornless ewe. Her son was the poet Volu-Stein Thuridarson. His father was unknown.

DID YOU KNOW ...

Last year Air Iceland Connect carried 322,730 people, almost as many as the Icelandic population, which numbered 338,450 at the end of 2016.

Our extended family Air Iceland Connect is part of Icelandair Group, an Icelandic travel industry corporation. The corporation is the largest in Iceland, posting USD 89 million in profit in 2016. Icelandair Group is the owner and holding company of the airline Icelandair and several other travel industry companies in Iceland. Its headquarters are at Reykjavik Airport.

ICELANDAIR GROUP SUBSIDIARIES: Air Iceland Connect FERIA (Vita Travel) Fjarvakur Icelandair Icelandair Cargo Icelandair Hotels Iceland Travel IGS, Icelandair Ground Services Loftleidir Icelandic

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INFORMATION

Air Iceland Connect

Safety first

Your safety is our priority. Here are some guidelines to help ensure you have a good on and off-board travel experience.

Inside the plane Please follow our safety demonstration closely and read the instructions on the safety card in your seat pocket.

Kindly follow the guidance and suggestions of the cabin crew throughout the flight. The use of mobile phones and electronic devices on flight mode is allowed gate to gate. Cabin baggage should be stored in the overhead compartments or under the seat in front of you. We recommend that you keep your seatbelt fastened for the duration of the flight. Smoking is prohibited on all Air Iceland Connect flights.

Gigjokull. PHOTO: Ragnar Th. Sigurdsson

Out in the wild When travelling in the Nordic region, be prepared for extreme weather conditions, even in the summer. Also bear in mind that the environment is fragile and that careless actions, such as off-road driving, can have irreversible consequences.

In Iceland, thousands of volunteers of the Icelandic Association for Search and Rescue (ICE-SAR) are looking out for your safety. If you are planning a trek, please leave a copy of your itinerary at www.safetravel.is. Also visit the website for equipment lists, travel plans and the latest travelling conditions. For all excursions, please observe these tips:

→ When driving, keep your full attention on the road, especially on areas where tarmac turns to gravel. Blind hills should be approached with caution. It is illegal to operate a vehicle after consuming alcohol. → On single-lane bridges, the car closer to the bridge has the right of way, but it is always wise to stop and assess the situation. → Only take Highland roads if you have a 4x4 jeep, and make sure you have the experience necessary to operate these vehicles in tough conditions. → Roads can be quite slippery during winter, especially after frost in the early morning. All highland roads are closed during winter. → Off-road driving is illegal. → When hiking, be prepared for sudden weather changes, stick to your travel plan, and dress appropriately, with water and wind-resistant clothing, gloves and hats.

Emergency numbers Iceland and Europe: 112 North America: 911 United Kingdom: 999 / 112 FXI-OPS 030-e rev 0

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→ Do not get too close to cliff edges or hot springs.

When waves are big, stay far ahead from the sea; be especially vigilant along the south coast, which is open to the Atlantic Ocean. → If you get lost, call 112, the emergency service line. Stay where you are and wait for rescue services to find you. → The Search and Rescue Association also offers a free emergency app, downloadable from their website www.safetravel.is. Your coordinates will be sent to the emergency response crews should you use the app.