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Packed and ready: KC takes off for Iceland

Posted at 6:53 PM, May 25, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-25 23:17:18-04

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Liam Dai is packed. His passport ready. 

The recent high school graduate will board a plane Saturday for his first out-of-the country trip. 

From Kansas City to Reykjavic. 

He is joining others on a mostly full-flight — the first transatlantic trip from Kansas City International Airport. 

RELATED | Passenger tweets updates onflightfrom Iceland to KC

“The day the tickets went on sale was the day it was announced. I was in my fourth block AP stats class so I went on my school computer and bought the tickets right then and there,” said Dai. 

Icelandair announced in January it would begin flying nonstop from KCI. 

The first Icelandair flight is scheduled to arrive in Friday night. 

Daniel Palen is on that plane. From the sky, he described the trip as “one of the best inaugurals ever.” 

KCI officials have been trying to get a transatlantic flight for the last 10 years. 

Icelandair flights will be seasonal, offered three times a week. The flight is about seven hours long. 

“I wanted to be apart of that inaugural flight,” said Dai. “ I want to be able to say I was on that first flight.” 

Iceland’s ambassador to the United States will be on hand as will the president and CEO of Iceland Air. 

Kansas City officials will be hosting a celebration before the first flight takes off Saturday.