Dropping like birds.

February 11, 2009 7:36 AM

Given the current economic state in Iceland and of the air travel industry in general, how risky is it to be buying cheap tickets on Icelandair a couple months in advance?

To get to Canada to start a new job there I need to fly from France to Toronto around April 23-30th, preferably for less than 3500eur.. Flying with multiple carriers is going to be impractical. Do I run a large risk if I choose Icelandair? I was lucky enough before fly the very last flight with Zoom before they tanked, and I don't want to find myself at the other end of that divide this time around.


Thanks!

posted by Evstar to travel & transportation (10 comments total)

Even most cheap travel insurance plans cover the airline going bankrupt. Perhaps it's worth it in this case? Is your new employer not covering any of your moving expenses?
posted by zachlipton at 7:41 AM on February 11

I'll look into insurance. That hadn't crossed my mind. And no, my employer isn't covering any of these expenses. I'm young, and though I stand to make a lot of money at my new post, it's a seasonal position and this isn't a case where the employer would be expected to pay moving expenses.
posted by Evstar at 7:45 AM on February 11

I'm looking for a flight from France to Toronto around the same dates, please let me know if you find a deal.

Air Transat is usually the cheapest for one way flights, but I can only get their site to bring up flights to Montreal at that time (which is silly since the same plane usually flies on to Toronto).
posted by dripdripdrop at 7:58 AM on February 11

Seconding travel insurance, which you should have anyway for health care issues.

In the UK, if you pay by credit card and the airline goes bust, the card issuer will refund your payment. I don't know if that applies in your situation or not.
posted by Infinite Jest at 9:33 AM on February 11

he doesn't want a refund, tho. he needs a flight.
posted by rikschell at 12:00 PM on February 11

Icelandair is THE ONLY airline that flies from North America to Iceland, and there's only one or two others that go from Iceland to Europe.

If they go under, the whole nation of Iceland is just STUCK there. Which is to say, it's really, really, REALLY unlikely.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 2:38 PM on February 11

So you just need a one-way ticket to Canada, right?

Icelandair is coming up cheapest in my searching - just €423 for the 27th! - but you could also fly British Airways for €1100 from CDG to Toronto, with a single plane change in the brand-new, easy-to-use Terminal 5 at London Heathrow. Most other European carriers are either around the BA price or a bit more. Check it out.

The scary €3500 Air Canada/Air France flights are nonstop - hence the problem. A one-hour hop over the Channel isn't really too much of a hassle compared to saving a zillion loonies, right?
posted by mdonley at 3:26 PM on February 11

You could also buy a round-trip ticket on the non-stop and then just toss the second half; a round-trip on the nonstop CDG-YYZ flight on Air Canada is just €469.
posted by mdonley at 3:29 PM on February 11

Thanks for the advice, everyone. I think I'm going to book to Montreal instead. A friend from Montreal will drive to Toronto with me for the trip, or a friend from Toronto will pick me up. Either way, it should work out.
posted by Evstar at 3:57 PM on February 11

Glad that worked for you. I had totally forgotten Icelandair before seeing your post, but I think we are going to go with them and take a couple of days stop-over in Iceland (with travel insurance of course).

You might be able to get the Air Transat flight straight to Toronto by calling them. Last time we flew YYZ to CDG through Montreal it was actually cheaper than flying out on Montreal.
posted by dripdripdrop at 4:38 PM on February 11