Traffic at Keflavík Airport Before Christmas and Around New Year´s Eve
Isavia would like to point out that there may be heavy traffic through Keflavík Airport in the days leading up to Christmas and around New Year’s Eve. We expect there to be more travellers than there have been over the past weeks and months. Passengers leaving on certain peak days, i.e. 18 and 19 December and 2 and 3 January, are encouraged to arrive at the airport for check-in and security screening 3 hours prior to departure. This is to avoid potentially difficult situations and thereby ensure that throughput is as smooth as possible.
Passengers are also encouraged to ensure that they follow general personal infection prevention measures while at the Airport and wear a face mask. Hand sanitiser stands are located in numerous places throughout the Airport. Passengers can also purchase hand sanitiser and face masks in the Duty-Free Store and at the Airport Parking desk.
In order to facilitate travel and reduce the number of contact points as far as possible, we advise passengers to use the online check-in option before arriving at the airport, if at all possible. In addition, we encourage passengers to use the self-service check-in stations located in the departures hall whenever possible. These allow passengers to check themselves and their luggage onto the flight.
Arriving passengers are also advised that on certain days during the holiday season there may be some delay in gaining access to the screening booths of the Greater Reykjavík Area Healthcare Centre (Heilsugæsla Höfuðborgarsvæðisins) at the Airport. Should this arise, passengers will be disembarked from aircraft into the terminal in groups to ensure a smooth flow of people.
In cases where passengers are crossing the external border of the Schengen area and the aircraft is too large to dock at a passenger boarding bridge at the Schengen boarder gates, buses will be used to ferry passengers to and from the aircraft. Owing to infection prevention measures, a limited number of persons will be allowed in each bus. The buses will be disinfected between trips.
Everyone is requested to use a face mask in passenger areas in the airport. This applies equally to passengers and employees.
The services of retail outlets and restaurants in the airport terminal have been reduced over the past few weeks and months as a result of far fewer flights in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Services will be increased at the Airport on the busiest days of the holiday season. Further information may be found on the Keflavík Airport website.
The Civil Protection Department advises persons who are expecting the arrival of family and friends to Iceland before and during the holidays to refrain from coming to the airport to pick them up. On arrival to Iceland, all passengers are to be quarantined until the results of a second COVID-19 test have been obtained, with the exception of those able to present a certificate showing that they have already been infected with COVID-19 and have recovered. Screening tests are free of charge up to and including 31 January 2021. The Civil Protection Department advises passengers arriving in Iceland to travel from the airport by coach, taxi or use private vehicles to reach their destination.