How does a late summer vacation in the Faroe Islands sound?
Well, Atlantic Airways, the national carrier of the Faroe Islands, is betting that there’s enough demand to fill 168 seats to and from New York.
The airline just filed plans over the weekend to commence service between New York Stewart International Airport (SWF) and Vágar Airport (FAE), the sole airport in the Faroe Islands.
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The 3,024-mile service, which will operate seasonally once every week, will run from Aug. 22 through Oct. 4 — meaning there will be just 14 flights in each direction — as first seen in Cirium schedules. Flights will be available for sale on May 15, and there’s no telling yet how much these flights will cost.
Atlantic Airways operates a tiny fleet composed of only three Airbus narrow-body jets. The Airbus A320neo that will fly to New York is outfitted in an all-economy configuration, meaning there aren’t any premium recliners or lie-flat seats for the roughly six-hour journey.
Eastbound service will operate on Wednesdays, departing SWF at 4:30 p.m. and landing in the Faroe Islands at 6:50 p.m. Westbound service will operate on Tuesdays, departing the Faroe Islands at 10:45 a.m. local time and landing in New York at 10:05 p.m.
“We are very excited about this new historic route between the Faroe Islands and the U.S. Interest for this new route is very high on both sides of the Atlantic,” said Jóhanna á Bergi, CEO of Atlantic Airways, in a statement.
Assuming the flights launch as planned, this will be the nation’s first-ever nonstop to the Faroe Islands. While Atlantic Airways has recently teased the idea of flying to the U.S., it seems that 2023 will be the year that it actually happens.
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The Faroe Islands are located in the North Atlantic Ocean and have historically had limited air service due to the Danish territory’s remote location. Vágar Airport is the territory’s only airport, and it serves the capital of Torshavn, the largest city in the Faroe Islands.
While the Faroe Islands may not be that familiar to many Americans, the islands are known for their dramatic landscapes and ecotourism. Perhaps the addition of a new nonstop route will help generate interest in the Faroe Islands, but the once-weekly flight schedule certainly won’t be all that helpful for those looking for a quick getaway.
Meanwhile, service to Stewart Airport, which is in Newburgh, New York, represents its own challenges. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which manages the airport, has been focused recently on expanding the airport’s portfolio of routes, which now includes service on Icelandic ultra-low-cost carrier Play, as well as domestic flights on Allegiant and Frontier.
However, despite recently opening a new international arrivals facility (along with other passenger-experience improvements), Stewart isn’t as convenient to New York City as the region’s three major airports: LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK).
The Port Authority partners with Coach USA to offer conveniently timed bus transfers to and from SWF, which is roughly 70 miles away from New York City. Buses depart the Midtown Bus Terminal in Manhattan and arrive in front of Stewart’s passenger terminal.
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