Open Jaw :: On The Town ::

With Suzanne Christie
05MAY08

Robert Keddy, Sales Manager, Canada & Thorsteinn Egilsson, General Manager, The Americas toast FI's YYZ start up.

An FI crew member helps Minister of Foreign Affairs Ingibjörg S. Gísladóttir & CEO Björgólfur Jóhannsson serve the GTAA's welcome cake

FI flight crew with FI Chairman of the Board Gunnlaugur Sigmundsson.

Nice To Have Ice At YYZ

As the first FI603 757 touched down at Pearson with its distinctive yellow engines the celebrations warmed up and the official ceremonies took off.

Among the line up of dignitaries & politicos on hand to welcome Icelandair's YYZ May 2nd inaugural, Treasury Board President Vic Toews stood out. Not only for his friendly welcome message – but his was the only mono-syllabic name on the roster. A gathering of Icelanders is a real tongue twister.

Among the special guests on hand were FI President & CEO Björgólfur Jóhannsson, Chairman of the Board Gunnlaugur Sigmundsson, North American General Manager Thorsteinn Egilsson and Ambassdor to Canada Orn Antonsson. The sense of relief from MPP Kuldip Kular, upon successfully completing his welcome message and introductions was palpable.

Icelanders are justifiably proud of their little airline and their island. They don't get the credit they deserve for actually discovering North America hundreds of years before that publicity hog Christopher Columbus grabbed the headlines. It was an Icelandic Viking blown off course on a family visit to Greenland who first set foot on the shores of Newfoundland 500 years before Columbus sailed. "So Bjarni Herjolffson, what do you think of that?" doesn’t really tumble off the tongue as easily, does it? History being an in-exact science, nobody is quite certain about who discovered Iceland – but various northern European sailers have been coming and going for well over 1,000 years.

Thinking beyond their shores comes naturally for a small nation of little over 300,000 souls. That they have successfully operated an international airline with over 20 European destinations reflects the Icelander's character.

Following FI's return to Halifax last month, YYZ becomes the carrier's 6th North American gateway with up to 5 weekly flights.

Skàl y’all!