- More than 900 flights and 5,000 flying hours logged by the first four A330s delivered in the first half of the year
- Iberia to take delivery of four more to modernise its long-haul fleet
- The order of eight A330s with options for another eight was the first aircraft purchase by IAG since its founding
- Iberia also has a total of 44 options to buy A350s and B787 to update its long-haul fleet
Madrid, 2013-08-30 — /travelprnews.com/ — Iberia has already completed more than 900 flights with its first four Airbus A330s received since last February, totalling more than 5,000 flying hours.
In this period 43 captains and 67 co-pilots have been trained to fly the new aircraft, making for an additional 800 takeoffs and landings on training flights. Some 1,670 flight attendants, including 211 pursers, have also been trained to work in Iberia’s latest long-haul aircraft model.
The aircraft have been in service on routes between Madrid and Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York, Luanda, and Malabo, along with closer destinations such as London, Paris, Tel Aviv, and Dakar in the first few weeks of operations. Training flights have been staged from Santiago de Compostela, Saragossa, and Seville.
Iberia will take delivery of another four units and has options to buy another eight. The order for the new aircraft to modernise Iberia’s long-haul fleet was the first made by IAG since its founding with the merger of Iberia and British Airways. The aircraft are 15% more fuel-efficient than the older A340-300s they will replace. They are equipped with new cabins and services, including individual entertainment systems for all passengers and are equipped to offer on-board Wi-Fi.
Apart from the eight A330 options, the airline also holds options to buy another 44 long-haul aircraft, 32 A350-900s, as well as 12 B787-900s, once it has achieved a competitive cost base.
Meanwhile Iberia’s fleet of A340-600s, with an average age of just seven years, is also being equipped with the new cabin interior and services in both Business and Tourist class, in keeping with the provisions of the Transformation Plan, designed to improve customers’ travel experience.
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Iberia’s first four A330s have completed more than 900 flights and 5,000 flying hours