Sociologist calls for fixed government negotiated domestic flight prices in Iceland

A leading Icelandic sociologist has proposed that the government negotiate fixed prices for domestic flights to tackle costly last-minute fares affecting people in rural areas. The proposal, raised by Þóroddur Bjarnason, follows official changes to the Loftbrú discount travel scheme, which Bjarnason argues do not address the core issues facing non-urban residents. RÚV English was first to report the story.

According to RÚV English, people in rural Iceland often have to pay tens of thousands of krónur for flights booked at short notice. Such costs, when converted using recent exchange rates, can be the equivalent of tens or even hundreds of US dollars or euros, making travel in and out of rural areas prohibitively expensive for many. Changes to Loftbrú were recently introduced as a government attempt to address this challenge, but criticism persists that the scheme does not go far enough.

Bjarnason said the changes to Loftbrú will not address the real problems facing people in rural Iceland. Instead, he called for a more direct approach, proposing that the Icelandic government negotiate fixed prices with the airlines for all domestic flight routes. No additional details were given about the legal framework or mechanism for such fixed pricing, nor about which specific aspects of the Loftbrú changes Bjarnason finds insufficient.

Topicsairfare policydomestic flightsIcelandairLoftbrúrural IcelandÞóroddur Bjarnason