TORONTO — WOW air says it has carried close to 180,000 passengers on 964 flights between Canada and Europe since the upstart ultra low-cost carrier began service from Montreal and Toronto one year ago.

In its first year flying out of this market WOW air has expanded to more than 30 destinations. WOW air CEO Skúli Mogensen said he’s bullish on this market. “We’re overwhelmed by the welcome we’ve received from Canadians, and knowing their reputation for warm welcomes, we wouldn’t expect anything different. We’re proud of our ability to offer travellers more accessible flights and expect to see continued growth in the coming years.”

He added “it’s a great honour that our airline played a part in the 185% increase in passengers from Canada to Iceland in the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period last year – before WOW air flew into the Canadian market.”

WOW air is having a seat sale to mark its first year in the Canadian market. One-way fares for travel June through August from Montreal and Toronto to Iceland start at $159.99, and to Amsterdam, Paris, London, Berlin and Frankfurt from $249.99. For travel September to November from Montreal and Toronto to Iceland one-way fares start at $119.99, and to Amsterdam, Paris, London, Berlin and Frankfurt from $219.99.