Icelandair has called on the finance committee of Alþingi, Iceland’s parliament, to allocate nearly 700 million Icelandic krónur (ISK) to police in the Suðurnes region, aiming to strengthen border control at Keflavík International Airport. According to mbl.is and Vísir, the airline warned that ongoing lengthy queues at Iceland’s main international gateway have already led to increased costs, flight delays, and could eventually result in the reduction of airline routes to and from the country.
The issue is linked to what Icelandair described as insufficient staffing at border control, stating in a statement to the Althing finance committee that the government’s draft budget for next year does not provide for the necessary increase. The airline said these passenger queues have forced it to pay for terminal renovations and provide hotel accommodations for travellers who missed connecting flights due to delays.
Media and industry stakeholders in Iceland have echoed Icelandair’s demand, calling for permanent funding to support port border control, according to mbl.is. The heightened concern comes as Cruise Iceland, a trade body, forecasts that up to 190,000 cruise passengers could begin or end their journeys in Iceland in 2028.
Sources
- Vísir (first reported) in Icelandic
- mbl.is in Icelandic
- mbl.is in Icelandic
