The year 2024 was a milestone for Isavia ANS, as over 200,000 aircraft flew through Icelandic airspace, marking a record year for the Reykjavik Area Control Center.
Isavia ANS, a subsidiary of Isavia, provides air navigation services for domestic and international flights within Icelandic airspace. The company employs around 290 staff, including approximately 100 air traffic controllers, 20 flight data specialists, and 50 aeronautical communication officers, who manage the flow of air traffic. The majority of this traffic comprises overflights crossing the North Atlantic between Europe and North America without stopping in Iceland.
A growing group of customers includes airlines flying between the Middle East and North America, such as Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, Emirates, and Air India. Since the onset of the war in Ukraine, flights between East Asia and Europe have also increased.
In 2024, Icelandair was Isavia ANS’s largest customer, followed by Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, Play, Lufthansa, and Scandinavian Airlines.
“The year 2024 was eventful for Isavia ANS, with the highest air traffic ever recorded in Icelandic airspace, both in terms of flight numbers and kilometers flown. We expect even greater air traffic in 2025,” says Kjartan Briem, CEO of Isavia ANS.
Icelandic airspace spans approximately 5.5 million square kilometers, making it one of the largest air traffic control areas in the world. The area stretches from the Greenwich Meridian in the east to west of Greenland, from the North Pole to south of the Faroe Islands, reaching almost to Scotland.
On average, around 540 aircraft pass through Icelandic airspace every day.
