On 5 November 2018, Icelandair Group announced that it had made a purchase agreement to acquire all shares of competitor WOW air. The intention was that, after approval of the agreement by shareholders, the two airlines would continue to operate as separate brands. However, the merger was abandoned less than a month later. WOW air then held talks with Indigo Partners; after those talks failed on 21 March 2019, Icelandair Group briefly but unsuccessfully resumed discussions, before WOW air's subsequent cessation of operations on 28 March. Icelandair was one of several airlines to propose special "rescue fares" for stranded WOW air passengers.