Iberia is the principle airline company operating out of Spain. The official name is Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España. The company is based at Madrid’s Barajas Airport. Iberia is part of the Oneworld alliance and has flights to hundreds of destinations in Europe as well as throughout the rest of the world. This airline transports almost 3 million passengers every year.
Identity Card
- IATA Code: IB
- Number of serviced cities: 120 destinations in 39 countries
- Principle hub: Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
- Fleet: 183 planes
- Alliance: Oneworld
- Rewards program: Iberia Plus
History of Iberia
Iberia is one of the oldest airline companies in the World. Founded in 1927 with the help of the investment from the principle German transporter, Lufthansa, Iberia flew for the first time on the 14th of December, 1927. Iberia was an innovative company on many levels: it was the first airline to provide commercial flights from Europe to South America in 1946, opened soon after that a shuttle route between Madrid and Barcelona, and was the first airline in Europe to initiate a customer rewards program. In 1928, there were only three planes in the fleet: the very beginning of the history of aviation. These planes had a speed of 200 km/h and could transport only 10 passengers! In the 1940’s, after the war, Iberia recruited air stewardesses, dressed at this time in military uniform. The 50’s marked the first Iberian connection to New York City on three planes with very interesting names: la Niña, la Pinta et la Santa María.
In the sixties Iberia played a role in a very peculiar story. On a flight from Madrid to Havana, a young woman delivered a baby girl during the flight which was an extraordinary event in the history of commercial aviation. In the seventies Iberia concentrated on their flight service by adding new routes and developing an inflight magazine. In 1981, Iberia, with very tight security, flew Pablo Picasso’s Guernica from New York to Spain. 1985 saw the arrival of the first female pilot in the company. Iberia was one of the first airlines to launch an internet presence with a website. Today Iberia works in close partnership with British Airways and is still one of the most historically important airlines with strong personality bringing innovation and quality service to passengers.
Travel with Iberia: practical information
Onboard services
- Meals: In economic class, on domestic flights or flights to other European destinations or with destinations in North Africa, it is possible to buy snacks and sandwiches. On longer flights, the menu is carefully prepared and changed every month and designed by Spanish chef Sergi Arola. Snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are also available.
- Entertainment: A main screen shows both Spanish and international cinema, dubbed in English or in Spanish. The company provides for their passengers headsets and a copy of their magazine.
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Baggage Allowances
- Cabin: 1 piece of luggage in which the sum of its three dimensions does not exceed 115 cm and the weight of 10kgs.
- Checked: Generally suitcases of 23kgs are the limit. The maximum dimensions are 158 cm calculating the sum of the three dimensions.
- Excess: It is possible to declare excess weight in advance on-line and evade paying such a high fine. At the airport there is a cost of 5€ per extra kilo.
Discounts and Special Offers
For children the discounts vary depending on destination. Infants less than 2 years old who are sitting on the laps of their accompanying adult must also pay for a ticket costing 10% of the adult’s fare. Children aged 2-11 also benefit from a discounted fare: they pay 50% of the value of an adult fare. Iberia does not offer discounts for seniors.
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