Icelandair modifies winglets on 757 fleet

Icelandair is fitting a modified blended winglet to its Boeing 757-200 fleet, the first airline in Europe to install the ‘scimitar’ design on the twinjet type.

The scimitar winglet, developed by Aviation Partners Boeing, features a modified tip as well as a trailing-edge wedge.

Icelandair intends to have 17 aircraft with the new winglets in service before this year’s summer season. Four have already been retrofitted.

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Fleet manager Andri Gretarsson says the improved drag performance, compared with the current winglets on its 757s, will cut fuel burn by a further 1%.

“This kind of technology helps us with our ongoing drive for carbon-neutral growth by 2020,” he adds.

Icelandair is operating a fleet of 25 757-200s and a single -300, plus four 767-300s. It plans to introduce 737 Max jets – which feature a split wing-tip design – next year.