Icelandair is to increase the number of flights between London Gatwick and Reykjavik from May. (Featured image by Icelandair)

The airline will add an additional flight to the route in May and another in September, bringing the total number of weekly flights to four by autumn.

From September 13, Icelandair will fly from Gatwick to Reykjavik at midday on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays.

The airline, which started operating flights from Gatwick in October last year, said it is increasing frequency due to high demand on the route.

“The good reaction we have had for our Gatwick flights is very pleasing,” said Birkir Hólm Guanason, CEO of Icelandair.

“We fly twice daily from Heathrow, which is our main airport in London. Gatwick, however, will provide us with further growth which is not available at Heathrow,” he added.

Icelandair has also announced that it is launching year-round flights to Toronto, Canada, from March this year.

The airline will operate four flights per week between Reykjavik and Toronto, which will become its fifth year-round North American airport along with New York, Boston, Denver and Seattle.

“By increasing the frequency at Gatwick, we hope to enhance further growth to increase the number of holiday seekers to Iceland over the winter months,” said Mr Guanason.

He added: “We are also excited about building up new markets for our connecting flights to destinations in USA and Canada.”

The extra flights from Gatwick, combined with the new year-round service to Toronto, make 2013’s schedule the biggest Icelandair has had in its 76-year history.

The airline flies from four airports in the UK, with connecting services to a range of North American destinations including New York, Boston, Halifax, Anchorage, Toronto, Seattle and Washington DC.

For more information on Icelandair’s flights, or to book tickets on the new services, visit icelandair.co.uk.