- Icelandair Cargo Exits Aircraft LOI


Icelandair Cargo and Icelease, subsidiaries of Icelandair Group, have decided
not to purchase and lease four new Airbus A330-200 freighter aircraft from
Avion Aircraft Trading as stated in an LOI in May 2007.  The aircraft were
meant to be delivered in 2010 and 2011. The Airbus list price for this aircraft
is USD 130 million. 

“This decision is made in order to reduce risk in the operation of Icelandair
Group in consideration of the current economic uncertainty. We are presently
unwilling to take on a commitment of this size and have therefore exited the
negotiations in consultation with Avion Aircraft Trading”, says Björgólfur
Jóhannsson, CEO of Icelandair Group. 

“Icelandair Cargo's long term strategy of growth outside our home market in
Iceland and the operations of the most efficient aircraft types has not changed
but will be implemented later or with other means”, says Pétur J. Eiríksson,
the Managing Director of Icelandair Cargo. 

Icelandair Cargo now operates five Boeing 757-200 freighter aircraft and has
grown by over 20% annually in recent years and plans to continue growing
through organic growth, alliances and acquisitions. Cargo activity is a fast
growing industry around the world and annual growth of 6% for the next 20 years
is forecasted. In addition to selling the belly space to 22 Icelandair
destinations in Europe and North America the company serves 8 scheduled
freighter destinations: Liege, Brussels, Jönköping, Norrköping, Humberside,
East Midlands, New York and Halifax. 

Further Information:
Pétur J. Eiríksson, MD of Icelandair Cargo    Tel: +354-893-4925
Björgólfur Jóhannsson CEO of Icelandair Group Tel: +354-896-1455
Guðjón Arngrímsson, VP Corp. Communication    Tel: +354-864-5849