Iceland’s Play will link the city with capital Reykjavik where it offers flights to New York, Boston and Washington.

Play will operate the route twice a week on Mondays and Fridays using brand new 180-seat Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The inaugural flight to Liverpool saw a group of Icelandic Everton take advantage of the new route to catch their side’s game against Manchester United at the weekend.

And they were greeted at Liverpool’s John Lennon airport Everton player Nathan Patterson, as well as a traditional water cannon shower courtesy of the airport’s fire and rescue service.

Paul Winfield, Liverpool’s director of aviation development, said the new service would offer the region a low-cost route to Iceland and the US, and serve as an important link for the region’s visitor economy too by making it easier for Icelandic and US guests to visit Liverpool, the north west and north Wales.

Play chief executive Birgir Olgeirsson added: "Iceland’s extraordinary scenery, rich wildlife and bustling beer scene makes for an epic weekend away and we can’t wait for those in the north west of the UK to come and experience it. We hope that football mad Icelanders will be welcomed much the same as they travel to Liverpool in search of the famed atmosphere of Anfield and Goodison Park.”