Icelandair to resume B737 MAX ops in late 1Q21

Icelandair (FI, Reykjavik Keflavik) has announced it will resume B737-8 operations on March 8, 2021, becoming the third European airline to do so after TUI fly (Belgium) and Smartwings (Czechia). Ahead of the planned restart, the Icelandic flag carrier ferried two of its B737-8s, TF-ICN (msn 44356) and TF-ICO (msn 44358), back to Reykjavik Keflavik from storage at Lleida. It initially plans to use just two aircraft on its scheduled network, with the first flight slated for Copenhagen Kastrup. A further two B737-8s and Icelandair’s only B737-9 remain in storage at Lleida. Its fifth B737-8s has been stored at Reykjavik Keflavik airport. According to the ch-aviation fleets advanced module, besides the six B737 MAX already delivered, Icelandair expects a further six units (three -8s and three -9s) on order from lessors with deliveries scheduled between March 2021 and February 2022. It leases all of its already delivered B737 MAX from SMBC Aviation Capital (three -8s), Bocomm Leasing (two -8s), and BOC Aviation (the -9).