
"Game over" for another Icelandic carrier
Without warning, Icelandic low-cost carrier Play has ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy protection after failing to secure fresh funding. While much attention centred on its low-cost passenger model, the airline had also pursued a growing role in airfreight. GSSA giant ECS Group had recently secured representation contracts in France and Denmark, and Play had launched cargo ventures in the Americas together with Strike Aviation, aiming to diversify revenue and build resilience.
Founded in 2019 as the intended successor to collapsed WOW Air, PLAY sought to avoid its predecessor’s rapid overexpansion by coupling a leaner network with added cargo streams. The abrupt end, however, underlines how difficult it remains for a second Icelandic airline to sustain itself in the transatlantic market, despite cargo opportunities. (ah)