my first and last experience with iceland express.

I couldn't decide which was more miserable - the flight itself or the last few hours of waiting until I'd get to see my guy.

I left late Friday night for France via Iceland. We found the cheapest flight through one of those discount sites. I would have a layover in Iceland and would fly on Iceland Express. I was excited to get an Iceland stamp in my passport so I didn't think much else into it. It worked for me.

The day I was leaving my guy told me to pack snacks, books, magazines, and some Tylenol because from the reviews he had read, it seems Iceland Express is a total nightmare. I told him that I didn't want to know about it and wanted to go into it with a positive attitude. I packed 2 cookies and a book.

Upon arriving at Newark Airport, my Dad and I couldn't even find the Iceland Express check-in counter. The people at the check-in desk were running up and down from the check-in to the departure gate (like they didn't have enough staff to cover both areas). After sitting there past the time the plane was set to board and then past the time the plane was set to depart (with the "On Time" light still lit up), the man from the check-in desk ran upstairs and breathlessly said we would be departing late (uumm... obviously).

Upon boarding the aircraft, we were told no one could sit in rows 8-19 because the exit doors didn't work. We didn't have any TV (I'm accustomed to having my own personal TV in front of me like is normal on overseas flights). I had to ask for a pillow and a blanket (usually they are sitting on the seat). I am glad I asked right away for the blanket and pillow because a few other people were rejected because they didn't have any more. I was only offered one cup of water over the course of the whole flight and not a thing to eat! We arrived 5 minutes before my connecting flight was set to depart.

My connecting flight as it turned out was actually the same plane that I had arrived in Iceland on in the first place. I raced through the airport in Iceland so as not to miss my flight only to find this out. The plane ended up leaving 2 hours later. We were not offered any beverages on that almost 4 hour flight.

All in all - I made it alive to my destination in Switzerland. I was only 3 hours late but my guy was there waiting for me and that was the light at the end of that tunnel.