- Iberia has decided to operate the routes that are profitable in the long term, after reviewing the current situation of the airline and the market.
- This has been made possible thanks to agreements reached by Iberia with all its trade unions, which have allowed it to establish the necessary foundations to reduce its cost base to become more competitive
- Santo Domingo, Istanbul and Athens will be operated by Iberia, while Amsterdam and Stockholm will be served by Iberia Express, which will also reinforce its offer to Athens in the summer
- Iberia Express consolidates its position as the low cost carrier in Madrid
- Iberia along with Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum offer more flights at Madrid than any other airline in any other Spanish airport: 1,380 weekly frequencies in short and medium haul (Spain, Europe, Africa and Middle East) and 154 weekly frequencies to long haul destinations
Madrid, Spain, 2014-04-9 — /Travel PR News/ — The Iberia Group will offer five new destinations: one long-haul (Santo Domingo) and four medium-haul (Istanbul, Amsterdam, Athens and Stockholm – the latter, already launched by Iberia Express). Additionally, it is reinforcing its offer to a range of European and American capitals.
The salary and productivity agreements reached with all the trade unions have set the foundations to reduce Iberia’s cost base and facilitate the development of Iberia Express, so both companies can start operating these new routes.
Santo Domingo will be operated by Iberia from September 1st, with five direct weekly frequencies, while it will begin to fly to Istanbul on June 20th, offering daily flights. Athens, which up to now was only served in the summer, will begin to be offered as a year-round destination by Iberia, with reinforcements from Iberia Express in the summer.
Iberia Express has just begun flying to Stockholm, initially with two weekly frequencies, which will be increased to a daily flight from September 1st. Iberia’s subsidiary will also offer two daily flights to Amsterdam from July 1st, which will increase to three in September.
In addition to these new destinations, Iberia will schedule three additional weekly flights to Chicago in the summer, two more to Panama starting in July and several additional frequencies to destinations such as Rome, Venice, Munich, Brussels, Zurich, Geneva and Tel Aviv. It has also resumed its direct flights to Boston and Los Angeles and will operate summer routes to St Petersburg, Dubrovnik and Zagreb.
Iberia Express is increasing its number of flights to Copenhagen, Berlin, Stockholm, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt and will offer flights to Athens and Ibiza in the summer months, consolidating its position as the low cost carrier in Madrid.
Luis Gallego, Iberia’s chairman and CEO, said: “We are announcing new operations and services for our customers after analysing which routes are profitable in the long term, and thanks to the effort of all of us at Iberia to reduce the airline’s cost base in order to make it competitive again. Iberia, once again, confirms its commitment to Madrid, the T4 and its strategic role as a connection between Europe and Latin America”.
According to Fernando Candela, Iberia Express’ CEO, “The addition of these new destinations and frequencies, allows us to consolidate Iberia Express as an efficient and profitable hybrid operation model, an example in the low-cost segment, which has becomes the fourth operator in Madrid in terms of passenger volume”.
The hub of the Iberia Group at the T4, stronger than ever
All of the new destinations offered by Iberia and Iberia Express are connected, via Madrid, with the Iberia’s Group network, reinforcing T4’s role as one of the most important hubs in Europe. Additionally, the reinforcement of services in the most important routes within Europe makes it possible to improve the hub’s connectivity and offers the airline’s passengers in Spain, Europe and the Americas more frequent and better travel options.
Iberia along with Iberia Express and Iberia Regional Air Nostrum offer more flights at Madrid than any other airline in any other Spanish airport: 1,380 weekly frequencies in short and medium haul (Spain, Europe, Africa and Middle East) and 154 weekly frequencies to long haul destinations
The new long-haul product, already available on the main markets
Iberia continues to implement its new long-haul product, which is already available on its main destinations. In the United States, Bogota and Angola, it is available on almost all of its flights. In Sao Paulo, Mexico and Buenos Aires it is available on at least one daily flight and will gradually be offered on the remaining flights.