An Icelandic budget carrier has ceased trading, prompting the cancellation of all services and leaving thousands of British travellers, particularly those in Oxfordshire, to arrange alternative transportation.
PLAY, the official name of Fly Play hf., revealed in late September 2025 that operations would end immediately, with the company’s board confirming that every scheduled flight had been grounded permanently.
The airline, headquartered in ReykjavÃk, operated connections between Iceland and the United Kingdom, including departures from the capital’s major hubs.
Customers were forced to independently secure replacement travel once the shutdown became official.
The situation carries particular weight for communities across Oxfordshire, where numerous long-haul and continental journeys originate from London’s primary aviation terminals, notably Heathrow and Gatwick, accessible through Oxford’s well-used coach services.
The Airline operation run by Oxford Bus Company provides regular daily connections between Oxford and Heathrow, with stops at Lewknor and High Wycombe before reaching the terminal buildings.
This service offered residents a convenient link to the international route network that PLAY had facilitated.
Prospective passengers from Oxfordshire now find themselves without the Icelandic low-cost alternative from London as overseas tourism continues its recovery, compelling them to turn to competing carriers for journeys to ReykjavÃk and additional destinations.
British aviation authorities have stated that no intervention or recovery strategy exists for the insolvent operator.
The Civil Aviation Authority has urged affected customers to avoid travelling to airports, emphasising that all PLAY-operated services have been cancelled and that individuals must secure new bookings with alternative providers or pursue reimbursement through refunds or payment disputes where viable.
Approximately 400 employees have been made redundant as a result of the failure, while the number of stranded passengers has reached several thousand.