PLAY makes Canadian debut with flights to Europe from Hamilton, ON

Icelandic low-cost airline PLAY took to the skies last Thursday (June 22), celebrating its inaugural flight from John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport, with daily flights to Iceland and Europe.

Hamilton – the Ontario city is incorrectly listed as “Toronto” on its booking site – is the Reykjavík-based airline's fifth route in North America, joining New York, Washington, Boston and Baltimore.

PLAY connects to European destinations, with a stopover in Iceland, for hundreds of dollars less than competitors. The airline first began offering flights between Iceland and Europe in 2021 and added U.S. destinations in 2022.

It’s a no-frills service – meaning, there’s no inflight Wi-Fi, magazines or entertainment systems. Passengers also pay extra for checked luggage, food and seat selection.

“Our inaugural flight out of Toronto is a tremendous milestone for PLAY,” said Birgir Jónsson, CEO, PLAY, in a press release. “We have invested significant effort into launching this destination, and I am immensely proud to witness the hard work of my PLAY colleagues coming to fruition. Wherever we operate, we strive to provide the most competitive prices.”

“By challenging the competition in Toronto, we aim to benefit the residents of the area by offering an affordable means of travel to Iceland and beyond into Europe.”

With a fleet of ten Airbus A320/321neo aircraft, the airline also prides itself on having the youngest fleet in Europe, with an average age of around two years.

And passengers can expect some punctuality. The airline notes that it achieved an 87 per cent on-time performance rating in the month leading up to its inaugural flight to Hamilton.

“We are excited to have PLAY join Hamilton International Airport network and bring connectivity to over 26 exciting European destinations, via Iceland,” said Cole Horncastle, executive managing director, John C. Munro Hamilton International Airport. “PLAY’s low-cost ‘pay for what you need’ model aligns perfectly with Hamilton International’s commitment to bring more travel options and affordable airfares to passengers in Southern Ontario and continue to drive economic benefits for the City and the region.”

PLAY offers travel agents a five per cent commission on net rates, on individual bookings that are processed through PLAY’s travel agent portal.

Travel advisors can request a log-in by emailing agents@flyplay.com.

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