Icelandair Dispute Remains 'Very Difficult'

The ongoing labor dispute between Icelandair and the Airline Pilots' Association (FÍA) continues to be a "very difficult dispute," according to state mediator Ástráður Haraldsson. Despite recent meetings, negotiations have not produced any breakthroughs, with Haraldsson describing the efforts as "ongoing attempts and pressure to reach agreements, but nothing that can be pinned down."

Representatives from Icelandair and FÍA met on Monday, June 8, 2026, from 4 p.m. to approximately 7 p.m. While the parties have agreed to stay in contact in the coming days, no date has been set for the next formal meeting. The dispute has been in a "hard knot" for some time, with Icelandair presenting proposals for resolution last Thursday, which were described as "quite extensive" and involved revising numerous points previously discussed.

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This was sort of ongoing attempts and pressure to reach agreements, but nothing that can be pinned down, so to speak.

Despite the challenging negotiations, Icelandair has managed to avoid flight cancellations due to crew shortages over the past week. This situation aligns with a recent FÍA newsletter urging pilots to support the airline when crew absences occur. Previously, flight cancellations had been attributed to crew shortages, often stemming from pilots' reluctance to forgo their leave to cover flights.

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This naturally has been and still is a very difficult dispute. It's just the way it is.