Bristol to Be Connected to North America With New £99 WOW Air Route

Low-cost airline to offer the cheapest transatlantic flights for travellers in SW England and Wales

Bristol is to become WOW air's second UK departure point for flights to Iceland and North America. Tickets for flights beginning 13 May 2016are now on sale from just £39 to Reykjavik and £99 to the USA and Canada.

Flights will depart Bristol Airport for the airline's hub in Reykjavik on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Passengers travelling through will then have a short stopover before continuing on to one of the airline's North American destinations - Boston, Washington D.C., Montreal¹, Toronto¹, Los Angeles² or San Francisco².

Skúli Mogensen, founder and CEO of WOW air, said: “As one of our strongest markets we are delighted to continue to grow WOW air's presence in the UK. Bringing our ultra-low-cost transatlantic model to Bristol will make flying to the US and Canada much easier for those in the South West and Wales. We hope our low fares will give holidaymakers in these areas the chance to travel further afield than previously planned, whilst enjoying great service, delivered with a smile.”

Robert Sinclair, Chief Executive Office at Bristol Airport, said: “We are thrilled that WOW air has chosen Bristol as its first UK regional airport, providing low cost flights to the USA and Canada via the world-class Reykjavik hub.

“Currently, over a million people a year travel between the South West and Wales and North America, including an estimated 250,000 inbound visitors. Until now, the majority have flown to and from London airports to do so, clocking up additional time and costs in the process. This new link will enhance both the convenience and affordability of flights to several American destinations, including Los Angeles and Washington D.C., giving people more reason than ever to choose to fly local.”

Bristol becomes the airline's 25th destination following the announcement of Canadian and Californian routes in October and November respectively. Launched in November 2011, WOW air's annual passenger capacity will more than double in 2016 to over 1.8 million, up from approximately 840,000 in 2015.

A320 aircraft will operate the Bristol to Reykjavik flight with single-class A321 and A330-300 aircraft operating the routes between Iceland and North America. Standard seat pitch is 30 inches with the option to increase this to 34 inches on the North American legs of the journey for an additional charge.

For more information on flights to Iceland and North America please visitwww.wowair.co.uk.

-Ends-

Notes to editors:

¹ Flights to Canada begin in May 2016 - Montreal on 12 May and Toronto on 20 May

² Flights to California begin in June 2016 with fares on sale from January 2016

Flight times:

WW830 KEF – BRS 06:20 – 09:10 UTC / 06:20 – 10:10 Local Mon – Wed – Fri

WW831 BRS – KEF 11:00 – 14:00 UTC / 12:00 – 14:00 Local Mon – Wed – Fri

For interview requests or further press information please contact:

Rooster PR
www.rooster.co.uk
Stuart Fyfe / Kevan Barber / Rachel Sewell
T: +44 (0) 20 3440 8930
E: teamwow@rooster.co.uk

About WOW air

WOW air is Iceland's only low-cost airline and the most punctual, with 92% of flights arriving on time in 2014.

WOW air offers the lowest fares, a modern fleet with the lowest emissions and the biggest smile; this is the WOW air promise to its valuable customers.

WOW air flies daily from London Gatwick to Reykjavik with twice-daily flights currently on Sunday, Monday and Thursday.

As of Spring 2015, the airline services 20 destinations across Europe and North America including London, Paris, Berlin, Copenhagen, Washington DC and Boston.

Created in November 2011 by Icelandic entrepreneur Skúli Mogensen, the purple airline flies Airbus A320 aircraft across Europe and Airbus A321 aircraft that service its transatlantic routes.

WOW air was ranked as the 7th best low-cost airline in Europe at the 2013, 2014 and 2015 Skytrax World Airline Awards and was the youngest airline in the top ten.

For more information: www.wowair.co.uk

About Bristol Airport

Bristol Airport is the major regional airport serving the South West of the UK, with more than seven million people living within a two hour journey time. An estimated 6.7 million passengers are expected to use Bristol Airport in 2015, making it the ninth busiest airport in the UK and the fifth largest outside London. Planning permission is in place for facilities to handle 10 million passengers per annum, with work underway on a £24 million west terminal extension set to open in 2016.

Earlier this year Bristol was named the world's most punctual airport in a league table measuring on-time performance compiled by leading global aviation provider OAG based on more than 43 million flight records. Ideally located for visitors to South West England and South Wales, Bristol Airport is a convenient gateway for visitors to the vibrant city of Bristol, nearby Bath – a UNESCO World Heritage site, the picture postcard villages of the Cotswolds, the coast and countryside of Devon and Cornwall, as well as major attractions including Stonehenge.