Budget Airline Play, Serving Logan Airport, Plans To Reduce Its U.S. Operations In 2025.
PLAY, the low-cost Icelandic airline, announced it will scale back U.S. service in 2025 due to “disappointing” profits in the North American market. The airline, which launched in 2021 and began operating from Logan Airport in 2022, is known for its affordable international flights, pay-as-you-go model, and frequent promotions. PLAY assured passengers that the changes will have “no or minimal effects” on those with existing bookings.
PLAY currently operates at five North American airports: Logan Airport, Washington Dulles, Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall, New York Stewart International, and John C. Munro Hamilton International near Toronto.
By mid-2025, the airline will reduce the number of its destinations in both North America and Northern Europe, shifting its focus toward leisure markets in Southern Europe.
Boston.com contacted PLAY for more information on how the adjusted business model will affect Logan Airport travelers. An airline representative stated there are no further updates at this time.
In its release, PLAY noted that “yields from the hub-and-spoke operations across the Atlantic have been disappointing, particularly in 2024. The North American market has shifted significantly, with increased supply negatively impacting the airline’s financial results.”
“Since PLAY’s inception, we’ve seen shifts in the market, and we believe the via-route network is no longer as profitable as it once was,” said Einar Örn Ólafsson, PLAY’s CEO, in a statement. “As a result, we will adjust our business model starting mid-2025. PLAY remains the airline of choice for Icelanders, and we aim to grow our share in the local market. Our focus moving forward will be on the most successful and profitable areas of our business — transporting passengers between Southern Europe and Iceland.”
The airline assured that these changes will have “no or minimal effects” on passengers with existing bookings.
Image Credits- Play Airlines
