So I won my bet even though I didn’t want to win it…
The bet?
That Icelandair non-stop service from KCI to Reykjavik—despite guarantees, incentives and marketing dollars granted—wouldn’t last.
I thought that with Iceland being more or less a leisure destination, Kansas City’s critical mass (area population) wasn’t large enough to support such service several times a week.
A transatlantic non-stop would require more support from business travelers. That’s probably why Denver has British Airways non-stop service to London as well as Lufthansa to Frankfurt.
(Lufthansa’s new service from Austin to Frankfurt will be an interesting one to watch. I’ll wager international tech giant Dell based in Austin figured positively into the German airline’s decision.)
Sure KC vacation flyers could spend a few days in Iceland at no additional cost before connecting to the continent.
But—and it’s a BIG but…
Most business flyers belong to airline loyalty programs. And they’ll choose carriers aligned to their particular frequent flyer rewards program.
Like that British Airlines flight from Denver could transfer points to other alliance members like American Airlines.
And the Lufthansa flight from Austin could count towards the travelers United or Air Canada program.
(Flying Air France or KLM? Points for using those carriers can be redeemed on Delta.)
Bottom line, it’s important to have your international airline aligned to other carriers whose rewards program YOU are a member of.
Iceland
Icelandair does not belong to any of the three major alliances—Star Alliance, One World or Sky Team. A big disadvantage to a frequent flyer’s way of thinking.
And say you were returning on Icelandair from Berlin (via Reykjavik) and you missed your connection? Not a good situation to be in……
But maybe there’s a way around this.
How would THIS sound: Starting KC transatlantic service on a little less ambitious basis.
Say with a ‘DIRECT’ (instead of non-stop) flight from KCI
The direct flight would originate here and make a short intermediate stop to pick up additional customers in say Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland, Nashville or another market. You wouldn’t get off the aircraft for the brief stop before continuing your journey across the pond.
DIRECT….yeah, THAT’S the ticket! Or is it? I’m just thinking out loud.
I’m sure I’ll hear of many reasons why the above wouldn’t work. (Like the return flight could not pick up domestic passengers during its domestic stopover en-route to Kansas City.
If you’ve got a better idea—go ahead and share.
I knew this wasn’t going to fly no matter how much it was promoted. But when you get handed a deal like Icelandair was how could you not take advantage of it. Here in good ole KC we just don’t have the populace to make very many non stop flights to many places work outside of Vegas and so forth. When I was going back and forth from LA in early 2000’s many mid morning flights out of KC on a Monday had only 1 to 2 doz people on the flight. Sure we filled up in Vegas on in to LA but unless we become a major hub for international whatever flights we will see same as no nonstop out of the country flights originating from here.
I for one, am totally bummed that I never got around d to flying Iceland Air to Europe and taking advantage of the no-penalty stopover options in Iceland.
To me, that was the coolest part and I was intrigued that all that I read about Iceland.
Alas, the chances of me skittering off to Iceland at this point in time are between slim and none.