Niceair

{{Infobox airline

| airline = Niceair

| image =

| logo = Niceair North Iceland Logo, May 2022.svg

| logo_size = 200

| IATA =

| ICAO = HFM

| callsign = n/a

| founded = {{start date and years ago|df=y|2022|2}}

| commenced = {{start date and years ago|df=y|2022|6|2}}

| ceased = April 2023 (suspended)
May 2023 (bankruptcy)

| aoc =

| hubs =

| secondary_hubs =

| focus_cities =

| bases = {{nowrap|Akureyri Airport}}

| frequent_flyer =

| fleet_size = 1

| destinations = 3

| parent =

| num_employees =

| headquarters = Akureyri, Iceland

| key_people = {{nowrap|Þorvaldur Lúðvík Sigurjónsson (CEO)}}

| website = [https://www.niceair.is/en niceair.is]

}}

Niceair was a virtual airline headquartered in Akureyri in northern Iceland, with operations based at Akureyri Airport.{{cite web |title=Niceair Airline Profile |url=https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airlines/niceair |website=CAPA |access-date=2022-03-23 |archive-date=2022-03-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323201554/https://centreforaviation.com/data/profiles/airlines/niceair |url-status=live }} The company launched services on 2 June 2022, using a leased Airbus A319. It was forced to suspend all operations and later declared insolvency in May 2023.

History

In February 2022, Niceair was announced as a virtual airline with the intention of bringing tourists to northern Iceland from other parts of Europe, with services planned to launch on 2 June 2022, using a fleet consisting of a single Airbus A319.{{cite web |title=Iceland's Niceair to launch in 2Q22 with a chartered A319 |url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/112754-icelands-niceair-to-launch-in-2q22-with-a-chartered-a319 |website=ch-aviation |language=en |date=21 February 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=21 February 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220221140813/https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/112754-icelands-niceair-to-launch-in-2q22-with-a-chartered-a319 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |first=Ben |last=Schlappig |title=Niceair, A New Northern Icelandic Airline |url=https://onemileatatime.com/news/niceair-iceland/ |website=One Mile at a Time |date=17 February 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=16 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220316233821/https://onemileatatime.com/news/niceair-iceland/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |first=Alan |last=Dron |title=North Icelandic Startup Niceair Eyes International Routes |url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/297646/north-icelandic-startup-niceair-eyes-international-routes/ |website=Routes |date=25 February 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=20 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220320045529/https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/297646/north-icelandic-startup-niceair-eyes-international-routes/ |url-status=live }}{{cite web |title=Startup Niceair Aims To Link Northern Iceland, Europe |url=https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/startup-niceair-aims-link-northern-iceland-europe |website=Aviation Week Network |date=24 February 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |url-access=subscription |archive-date=23 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323043520/https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airlines-lessors/startup-niceair-aims-link-northern-iceland-europe |url-status=live }} The company was launched with financial backing from various investors including Samherji and Norlandair.{{cite web |first=Gastón |last=Sena |title=Niceair, Iceland's new airline seeking to fly to Spain, Denmark and UK |url=https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/02/niceair-icelands-new-airline-seeking-to-fly-to-spain-denmark-and-uk/ |website=Aviacionline |date=22 February 2022 |access-date=23 March 2022 |archive-date=23 March 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220323201500/https://www.aviacionline.com/2022/02/niceair-icelands-new-airline-seeking-to-fly-to-spain-denmark-and-uk/ |url-status=live }} The company additionally had no immediate plans to acquire its own air operator's certificate, instead planning for its flights to be operated by a separate charter airline.{{Cite web|url=https://flugblogg.is/2022/03/21/why-niceair-is-not-an-airline-and-how-akureyri-will-benefit-from-it/|title = Why Niceair is not an airline and how Akureyri will benefit from it|date = 21 March 2022|website=Flugblogg}} During March 2022, the operating airline was revealed to be Hi Fly Malta,{{cite web|url=https://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/news/113722-icelands-niceair-contracts-hi-fly-malta-for-charter-ops|title=Iceland's Niceair contracts Hi Fly Malta for charter ops|website=ch-aviation|date=3 March 2022|access-date=26 May 2022}} and Niceair subsequently began ticket sales for flights.{{cn|date=June 2024}}

Following the launch of its first service to London-Stansted on 3 June 2022, the company found it was not allowed to transport passengers on its first return flight from London back to Akureyri,{{cite web|url=https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2022/06/03/farthegar_niceair_sendir_heim_med_odru_flugfelagi/|title=Farþegar Niceair sendir heim með öðru flugfélagi|trans-title=Niceair passengers sent home by another airline|language=IS|first=Hólmfríður María|last=Ragnhildardóttir|website=Morgunblaðið|date=3 June 2022|access-date=11 June 2022}} as an air services treaty between Iceland and the United Kingdom that came into effect as part of Brexit did not allow for Hi Fly Malta to operate scheduled services between the two countries on behalf of Niceair.{{cite web|url=https://flugblogg.is/2022/06/07/why-hifly-malta-might-not-be-able-to-fly-to-the-uk-for-niceair/|title=Why HiFly Malta might not be able to fly to the UK for Niceair|last=Menshenin|first=Andrei|date=7 June 2022|access-date=11 June 2022}} The company subsequently suspended its London Stansted services.{{cite web|url=https://www.mbl.is/frettir/innlent/2022/06/10/aflysa_ollum_flugferdum_til_london_i_juni/|title=Aflýsa öllum flugferðum til London í júní|trans-title=Flights to London canceled in June|language=IS|website=Morgunblaðið|date=6 June 2022|access-date=11 June 2022}} This also led to the circumstance that the planned flights to Manchester did not proceed in October 2022 as previously planned.{{cite web|url=https://www.routesonline.com/news/29/breaking-news/297957/route-analysis-akureyri-manchester/|title=Route Analysis: Akureyri-Manchester|last=Casey|first=David|website=Routes|date=26 April 2022|access-date=26 May 2022}}

In March 2023, Niceair called off its proposed service to Düsseldorf from May 2023, planning to inaugurate it in 2024 instead.[https://nord.news/de/2023/03/16/niceair-temporarily-cancels-scheduled-flights-to-dusseldorf/ nord.news - "Niceair cancels scheduled flights to Düsseldorf"] (German) 16 March 2023

The airline suspended operations on 5 April 2023 after their sole aircraft, operated by Hi Fly Malta, was detained by its lessor. Niceair stated a lack of available alternative aircraft as a reason for the forced suspension of all operations.{{cite web |last1=Orban |first1=André |title=Icelandic start-up Niceair cancels flights and suspends operations |url=https://www.aviation24.be/airlines/niceair/icelandic-start-up-niceair-cancels-flights-and-suspends-operations/ |website=Aviation24.be |date=6 April 2023|access-date=7 April 2023}}[https://www.icelandreview.com/de/natur-und-reisen-de/niceair-cancelt-saemtliche-fluege/ icelandreview.com - "Niceair cancels all flights"] (German) 6 April 2023 In May 2023, Niceair laid off all remaining staff and announced it would not resume operations in 2023.[https://www.aerotelegraph.com/nice-air-entlaesst-alle-angestellten-kein-baldiger-neustart aerotelegraph.com - "Niceair lays off all staff - No restart soon"] 2 May 2023 A few weeks later, the airline filed for insolvency and closed down.[https://www.airliners.de/islaendische-niceair-insolvent/68911 airliners.de - "New icelandic Niceair is insolvent"] (German) 22 May 2023

Destinations

{{As of|2023|4}}, Niceair has offered or planned scheduled services to the following destinations:{{cite web|url=https://www.niceair.is/en/destinations|title=Destinations|website=Niceair|access-date=9 April 2023}}

Country/territory ! City/region ! Airport ! Start date ! End date ! Notes ! class=unsortable \| Refs
class="sortable wikitable "
\|Denmark	Copenhagen	Copenhagen Airport	2 June 2022	align=center\|suspended		align=center\|{{cn\|date=June 2024}}
Iceland	Akureyri	Akureyri Airport	2 June 2022	align=center\|suspended	{{Airline hub\|Base}}	align=center\|{{cn\|date=June 2024}}
Spain	Tenerife	Tenerife South Airport	8 June 2022	align=center\|suspended	{{Airline seasonal}}	align=center\|{{cite web \|title=Fancy the Northern Lights? Niceair starts new flights from Tenerife to Iceland \|url=https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/Fancy-the-Northern-Lights-Niceair-starts-new-flights-from-Tenerife-to-Iceland \|website=Canarian Weekly \|language=en \|date=10 March 2022 \|access-date=23 March 2022 \|archive-date=12 March 2022 \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220312235030/https://www.canarianweekly.com/posts/Fancy-the-Northern-Lights-Niceair-starts-new-flights-from-Tenerife-to-Iceland \|url-status=live }}
United Kingdom	London	London Stansted Airport	3 June 2022	3 June 2022	{{Terminated}}	align=center\|

Fleet

{{As of|2022|06}}, Niceair had chartered the following aircraft under its brand:

class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center" \|+ Niceair fleet !Aircraft !In service !Orders !Passengers !Notes
Airbus A319-100 \|1 \|— \|150 \|Leased from Hi Fly Malta
Total !1 !— !colspan="2" \|

class="wikitable" style="margin: 1em auto;border-collapse:collapse;text-align:center"

|+ Niceair fleet

!Aircraft

!In service

!Orders

!Passengers

!Notes

Airbus A319-100

|—

|150

|Leased from Hi Fly Malta

Total