The Icelandic government last week awarded Icelandair with the first ever Transport Award for its contribution to the field of aviation and its pioneering work in building up the airline and travel industry in Iceland.
The Transport Award is to be awarded annually to an individual, organisation or company that has made an outstanding and significant contribution to the development of Icelandic transport.
In his acceptance speech, Jon Karl Olafsson, CEO of Icelandair Group, thanked the Icelandic government on behalf of his predecessors and the staff of Icelandair Group. He said the award was a welcome acknowledgement of the importance of the work of the Icelandair Group in the establishment of the Icelandic travel industry and the role it has played in the development of the Icelandic economy as a whole.
The Icelandic Minister of Transport, Kristján L Möller, said it was only natural for the Ministry of Transport to create an award like this. He considered transport to be a vital component of advanced societies and the award was a reflection of the importance and need for continued development in the area.
Icelandair is the national carrier of Iceland and operates flights to 23 European and North American destinations from its hub in Keflavik. The airline recently announced it would be offering flights to Toronto from early 2008 and is also considering establishing flights to Montreal, Winnipeg, Ottawa and St. John in Canada.
For more information on Icelandair and its transatlantic flights to North America or Europe via Iceland, see www.icelandair.net