Icelandair’s former Boeing 757-200 TF-FIU, better known as Hekla Aurora, was fully scrapped at Lleida–Alguaire Airport in Spain on 3 September 2026. The 32-year-old aircraft had been retired from passenger service in October 2025 after more than a decade carrying the airline’s distinctive northern lights livery.
The aircraft arrived at Lleida–Alguaire on 6 November 2025 and remained stored there until its dismantling. Its fuselage has now been broken apart, ending the career of one of Icelandair’s most recognisable aircraft.
Retirement Followed a Special Farewell Flight
Icelandair celebrated Hekla Aurora with a farewell flight on 12 October 2025. Around 140 aviation enthusiasts joined the sightseeing journey over Iceland, which included the Snæfellsnes Peninsula, the Westfjords and Vatnajökull glacier.
The commemorative flight did not mark the aircraft’s immediate withdrawal. TF-FIU briefly returned to commercial operations, carrying its final passengers on 14 October before entering storage at Keflavík.
Its ferry flight to Spain followed in November. The scrapping comes almost eleven months after passengers joined the airline’s farewell celebrations.
At the farewell, Icelandair president and CEO Bogi Nils Bogason described Hekla Aurora as “a flying ambassador for Icelandic nature and creativity.”
TF-FIU’s retirement formed part of Icelandair’s wider fleet renewal programme, with Boeing 737 MAX jets and Airbus A321LRs gradually replacing its older aircraft.
More Than a Decade in Northern Lights Colours
TF-FIU received its northern lights livery in December 2014. The design combined blue and green aurora patterns with an Icelandic winter landscape, while an LED lighting system recreated the northern lights inside the passenger cabin.
Icelandair formally launched Hekla Aurora in February 2015 as part of its #MyStopover campaign, encouraging passengers travelling between Europe and North America to spend time in Iceland along the way.
The aircraft continued operating scheduled passenger services across Icelandair’s network, carrying the special scheme to airports on both sides of the Atlantic for more than ten years.
Its operating history stretched considerably further back. Built in 1994, the Boeing 757-256 was originally delivered to Iberia before first joining Icelandair in April 2004. It was more than 31 years old when it carried its final passengers.
Fuselage Panels Could Become Collectibles
Rectangular sections of TF-FIU’s outer skin were removed before the main breakup, raising the possibility that some material has been retained for aviation collectibles.
Companies such as Aviationtag turn recovered aircraft panels into keyrings and luggage tags, preserving their original paintwork. Material from Hekla Aurora could allow enthusiasts to own a small piece of its northern lights livery.
The intended use of the removed panels and any involvement by Aviationtag remain unconfirmed. A future Hekla Aurora edition is therefore a possibility, with no confirmed release plans.
