Icelandair connects passengers with a local 'buddy' for phone tips

Icelandair has come up with another way to give its passengers a more localized and personalized service with an innovation called "Buddy Hotline." An evolution of its Stopover Buddy service, where it matched travelers with Icelandair employees when they were laying over in Iceland during a flight from Europe to the U.S., the Buddy Hotline gives customers phone access to a "buddy" from Icelandair ahead of their journey to get local recommendations. Travelers can connect directly by phone or message a Buddy via an online messenger. It's not a permanent service -- the hotline will only be available from today until May 8. However, the campaign, via Brooklyn Brothers and local agency Islenka, will promote Icelandair during that time with a focus on digital, social media and PR and will feature across North America, Europe and Scandinavia. It includes a short video, directed by Álfheiður Marta, showcasing some of the staff enjoying their hobbies, from glacier hiking and geothermal pool bathing, to enjoying Icelandic cuisine, whilst also responding to passenger enquiries. The service was created in response to research that showed more than half of British travelers (53%) are interested in having direct access to local knowledge. It's the latest in a series of efforts by the airline to get passengers to layover in Iceland. These having included putting on an immersive play in mid-Atlantic and tailoring special celebrations for people who stop over in Iceland.

Icelandair connects passengers with a local 'buddy' for phone tips

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