Icelandair

Icelandair has returned to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after a two-month winter break. Airport officials said the airline resumed service March 8. The airline has said that the suspension - the airline's first at BWI - reflected a drop in demand during colder months. Icelandair flew daily to Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, but planned to resume service with four flights a week. The city is one of two European destinations offered from BWI. The other city is London, provided by British Airways.

Icelandair quitting BWI Icelandair has become the latest international carrier to end service at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. When the airline halts its Baltimore flights Jan. 13, six international carriers would remain at BWI. Icelandair will keep its North American headquarters in Columbia. Homes sales fall about 30% Home sales in metropolitan Baltimore tumbled again in November, the third consecutive month that sales have dropped about 30 percent. Prices also fell slightly as the market headed into the traditionally slow holiday selling season.

With some 250,000 people, the volcanic North Atlantic island nation of Iceland is only slightly larger than Howard County.Despite its tiny size, this land of ancient Vikings operates an aggressive little airline that boasted rates so low that it became known as the "Greyhound of the skies" in the 1960s. Thousands of Americans -- from college professors to backpacking flower children -- remember its propeller planes that flew first to Iceland's Keflavik airport and then on to Luxembourg.Today's Icelandair, after going through some turbulent times, flies modern jetliners from a growing number of American cities.

Icelandair became the latest international carrier yesterday to pull its service at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, another blow to the airport's efforts to bolster its international service. When Icelandair stops its Baltimore flights Jan. 13, six international carriers would remain at BWI. Icelandair will keep its North American headquarters in Columbia. The airline said the departure of thousands of Americans from a NATO military base in Iceland, coupled with escalating costs and decreasing revenues, prompted its decision.

Icelandair has announced that it will move its U.S. headquarters from New York City to Columbia. The company expects to open the office by Jan. 1.The airline's administrative, reservation and sales operations will be based in the Symphony Woods Building and employ 35 people.The company cited its growing operations at Baltimore-Washington International Airport as one of the reasons for the move.

They called it "the hippie airline."Long before People Express or Freddie Laker, Icelandic carved out a discount niche, flying the backpack set to Europe. Much has changed since the narrow-bodied planes, chock full of flower children, hopscotched their way from New York to Reykjavik to Luxembourg.The airline, long since renamed Icelandair, has replaced its aging fleet and added a fancy business class. It serves four U.S. cities, including Baltimore, and flies not only to Luxembourg but to 20 other European cities as well.

Icelandair became the latest international carrier yesterday to pull its service at Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, another blow to the airport's efforts to bolster its international service. When Icelandair stops its Baltimore flights Jan. 13, six international carriers would remain at BWI. Icelandair will keep its North American headquarters in Columbia. The airline said the departure of thousands of Americans from a NATO military base in Iceland, coupled with escalating costs and decreasing revenues, prompted its decision.

Icelandair said yesterday that it will suspend its daily service to Reykjavik from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Jan. 9 and resume service March 8 with only four flights a week because of an anticipated drop in demand. The airline has offered service between Iceland and BWI since 1990 and has maintained its North American headquarters in Columbia since 1994. It currently has daily flights to Reykjavik. Gunnar Eklund, general manager for Icelandair's American operations, said the airline was suspending service during the winter in both Baltimore and Minneapolis-St.

Icelandair will eliminate nearly one-third of its flights to the United States, but it was unclear if the cutback included its daily flight at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The airline becomes the fourth foreign carrier at BWI to announce reduced flights since last month's terrorist attacks. But so far only Aer Lingus, the Irish airline, plans to end its BWI flights. Icelandair, in its announcement Friday, did not say which routes it will eliminate. An airport spokesman said state officials are unaware of any impending cancellations.

Efforts to transform Baltimore-Washington International Airport into a hub for both rail and air travel got a boost yesterday when Icelandair and Amtrak announced that they have entered into a joint ticketing agreement. The deal means that a traveler in Philadelphia or Washington can buy a plane ticket to Europe and get an Amtrak ticket to BWI with one phone call to the airline. Both boarding passes will be on the same ticket. A discount will be offered as an incentive for travelers to leave their cars behind when choosing BWI over rival airports in the other two cities.

Icelandair has returned to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after a two-month winter break. Airport officials said the airline resumed service March 8. The airline has said that the suspension - the airline's first at BWI - reflected a drop in demand during colder months. Icelandair flew daily to Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, but planned to resume service with four flights a week. The city is one of two European destinations offered from BWI. The other city is London, provided by British Airways.

Icelandair said yesterday that it will suspend its daily service to Reykjavik from Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Jan. 9 and resume service March 8 with only four flights a week because of an anticipated drop in demand. The airline has offered service between Iceland and BWI since 1990 and has maintained its North American headquarters in Columbia since 1994. It currently has daily flights to Reykjavik. Gunnar Eklund, general manager for Icelandair's American operations, said the airline was suspending service during the winter in both Baltimore and Minneapolis-St.

Icelandair offering `Honeymoon Express' at the airport For couples interested in marrying on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, and heading off on a Scandinavian honeymoon, Icelandair is offering its "Honeymoon Express" at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. BWI is staging a preflight champagne reception for the couples and their relatives and friends at 5 p.m., next to the Icelandair ticket counter. During the reception, Robert P. Duckworth, clerk of the court for Anne Arundel County, will officiate at the marriage ceremony.

Icelandair will eliminate nearly one-third of its flights to the United States, but it was unclear if the cutback included its daily flight at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. The airline becomes the fourth foreign carrier at BWI to announce reduced flights since last month's terrorist attacks. But so far only Aer Lingus, the Irish airline, plans to end its BWI flights. Icelandair, in its announcement Friday, did not say which routes it will eliminate. An airport spokesman said state officials are unaware of any impending cancellations.

Summer concerts scheduled in BWI's Observation Gallery Baltimore-Washington International Airport is offering a free Friday Summer Concert Series beginning this week. Sponsored by the Maryland Aviation Administration and HMS Host Corp., the six-week schedule of live entertainment includes Caribbean music, jazz, opera and Broadway show tunes. The performances will take place in the upper level of the airport's Observation Gallery. The schedule includes St. Veronica's Youth Steel Orchestra, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Friday; Baltimore's Douglass Jazz Combo, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. June 29; opera singer Marissa Muro, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 6; Broadneck High School's Broadway Review, 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. July 13; Unit I Jazz Group, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 20; and Sky High Radio Band from Montgomery County, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. July 27. Airport Shuttle Inc. is employer of the year The BWI Business Partnership has named Airport Shuttle Inc. its Spirit of Success Employer of the Year.

Efforts to transform Baltimore-Washington International Airport into a hub for both rail and air travel got a boost yesterday when Icelandair and Amtrak announced that they have entered into a joint ticketing agreement. The deal means that a traveler in Philadelphia or Washington can buy a plane ticket to Europe and get an Amtrak ticket to BWI with one phone call to the airline. Both boarding passes will be on the same ticket. A discount will be offered as an incentive for travelers to leave their cars behind when choosing BWI over rival airports in the other two cities.

Winter always puts a chill on the pocketbooks of airlines as business slips in the off-season, but Icelandair announced yesterday fall and winter fare discounts that it hopes will warm up its business at Baltimore-Washington International Airport."

Icelandair offering `Honeymoon Express' at the airport For couples interested in marrying on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, and heading off on a Scandinavian honeymoon, Icelandair is offering its "Honeymoon Express" at Baltimore-Washington International Airport. BWI is staging a preflight champagne reception for the couples and their relatives and friends at 5 p.m., next to the Icelandair ticket counter. During the reception, Robert P. Duckworth, clerk of the court for Anne Arundel County, will officiate at the marriage ceremony.

MY BEST SHOTDesert sentinelBy Marilyn V. Chamberlain, BaltimoreLots of red rocks, hoodoos and all sorts of strange formations show nature's power and create a fascinating Southwestern view. This picture was taken outside Sedona, Ariz., and, as the sky indicates, it was the prelude to a swift-moving spring snowstorm.A MEMORABLE EXPERIENCEFond farewell to LuxembourgBy Richard BaschSpecial to the SunThe first time I flew Icelandic Airlines, I hauled a duffel bag full of hope and a young wife from New York to Belgium via Luxembourg.