DIA To Add Service To Iceland
DENVER (CBs4/AP) - Denver International Airport is adding its first new trans-Atlantic air service in more than a decade.
Icelandair announced Wednesday that it would start flying between Denver and Reykjavik starting in May. From there, travelers can make connections to other destinations in Europe.
Icelandair will operate four non-stop flights per week between the two cities.
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock and Gov. John Hickenlooper were on hand to listen to the announcement. Hancock called the new relationship between DIA and Icelandair a perfect partnership. Hickenlooper said the expanded air service will be a big boost for Colorado.
"Having a new non-stop flight is a huge selling point for Denver and for the whole state of Colorado," Hickenlooper said. "It allows us to lure more tourists here and augment, in difficult times, those revenues."
"Every international carrier that determines that we're a valuable destination makes our image across the world stronger," Jayne Buck with Visit Denver said. "In other words, we become a better travel destination just by virtue of having an airline from the international side choose us."
In a gesture of appreciation Colorado dignitaries welcomed the new airline to the West with some traditional cowboy hats and the airline traded some miniature airplanes.
Icelandair's general manager said that savvy travelers of Denver will have a fresh alternative when traveling to Europe.
The airport currently has direct flights to London on British Airways and to Frankfurt on Lufthansa.
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