Iberia Group airlines will initially supply 21% of seat capacity on short- and medium-haul routes, which will rise to 35% as restrictions are lifted.
To some 40 destinations in Spain and Europe in July and to 53ย in August
The airline is prepared to resume long-haul flights as soon as conditions allow, and travel restrictions are lifted.
In June, Iberia is maintaining a minimum level of air connectivity similar to that of May connecting Madrid with some Spanish destinations in addition to London and Paris
All tickets purchased from now until 30 June for flights taking place until 31 December can be changed once without penalty.
Customers holding vouchers from previous flights may now use them for their summer vacations.
Starting on July 1, 2020, Iberia will gradually resume its short- and medium-haul flight program, with change flexibility for all customers.
The airline is also prepared to resume long-haul flights as soon as conditions allow and quarantine and travel restrictions are lifted in the countries served by Iberia.
In June, Iberia is maintaining a minimum level of air connectivity similar to that of May connecting Madrid with the Spanish Islands (Canary Islands and the Balearic), Barcelona, Bilbao, Asturias, Vigo, La Coruรฑa, London and Paris.
In July and August Iberia, Iberia Express, and Iberia Regional will fly to at least 40 and 53 destinations, respectively, with a total of at least 194 return flights per week scheduled in July, and 359 in August.
This amounts to just 21% of normal seat supply on the short- and medium-haul network, which may rise to 35% as demand increases.
In mainland Spain, services will be resumed to Alicante, Almeria, Asturias, Barcelona, Bilbao, Granada, Jerez, La Coruรฑa, Malaga, Pamplona, San Sebastian, Santander, Santiago, Seville, Valencia, and Vigo. The Iberia Group will also fly to Tenerife Norte, Tenerife Sur, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, and La Palma in the Canary Islands, and to Majorca, Menorca, and Ibiza in the Balearics.
Iberia will also resume European flights in July to Athens, Brussels, Dubrovnik, Geneva, Lisbon, London, Milan, Munich, Oporto, Paris, Rome, Stockholm, Venice, and Zurich, as well as to Dakar in Senegal in Africa; and in August will add Berlin, Bologna, Copenhagen, Dublin, Faro, Frankfurt, Lyon, Manchester, Marseilles, Prague, Santorini and Toulouse, as well as Marraquesh in Marocco.
Part of the company-wide health plan undertaken in cooperation with Quirรณnsalud and employee representatives.
All workers returning from furlough will be tested โsome 2,500 in May alone.
They will be tested again 15 and 30 days after the first test.
PCR tests to detect active Covid-19 cases will be given to employees returning after sick leave, and to others who may have been exposed to active cases.
Iberia is to implement a special Covid-19 health plan, designed in collaboration with the Quirรณnsalud health care firm and employee representatives. The aim is to give all employees the most robust possible protection against the virus.
The plan calls for blood test to detect Covid-19 antibodies in employees returning to on-site work following furloughs, as well as disinfection of all workplaces, the use of PPE and other hygiene measures, teleworking wherever possible, etc.
In May alone, antibody tests performed on some 2,500 Iberia employees working in the airport and in aircraft maintenance, as well as cockpit and cabin crews. In the course of the year, the entire staff of nearly 17,000 people can be tested.
Testing, which is voluntary for employees, will be performed when they return to work after furloughs, and again 15 and 30 days later.
The tests will be carried out in Iberia health stations and on Quirรณnsalud premises.
PCR test, which detect current Covid-19 infections, will be performed on employees returning to work after sick leave with the virus. It will also be available for employees who have worked closely with others who have tested positive.
The company is also considering the installation of thermal cameras to screen employees for fever, among other measures.
Earlier measures Iberia has taken since the outbreak of the pandemic include:
–ย ย ย New and more aggressive protocols for cleaning and sanitising aircraft, all installations, work stations toilets, all areas where people gather, and equipment.
–ย ย ย Consciousness-raising campaigns to encourage hand-washing, social distancing, the use of PPE, and all other prevention measures recommended by health authorities.
–ย ย ย Issuing PPE to employees.
–ย ย ย Wider use of tele-working, tele-training, videoconferences, staggered entrance and leaving times when possible, redistribution of space, signage, physical barriers, etc.
Another 2000 people will return home in this second wave of Iberia repatriation flights, following the 6,000 of the first wave.
By the end of April the Spanish airline will have made more than 30 special flights to 20 countries: Argentina, Algeria, Australia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, ย Senegal, Thailand, and Uruguay.
Iberia is also cooperating in the fight against Covid-19 by transporting medical suppliesย
Iberia has also made donations to Spanish hospitals including duvets, pillows, toilet kits, disposable gowns, and disposable tableware for Covid-19 patients.
Iberia is helping another 2,000 people reach their homes in a second wave of repatriation flights this month in collaboration with Spainโs Foreign Ministry and its embassies and consulates abroad as well as the diplomatic missions in Spain of the countries of destination. In March the airline carried some 6,000 passengers on special flights, in addition to the 70,000 carried on scheduled services before the pandemic alert was declared.
Over the next two weeks the airline will fly to destinations which are new to Iberia, such as Sydney, Manila, Bangkok, Praia (Cape Verde), and Santa Cruz de la Sierra (Bolivia), chiefly to repatriate Spanish citizens from these countries.
It will also make another three repatriation flights to Peru, one to Equatorial Guinea, another to Colombia, and another three to Argentina, one with a stop neighbouring Paraguay.
โIn this new wave of repatriation flights we will fly to such places as Manila, Bangkok, Sydney, and Cape Verde, where our Foreign Ministry regards it as necessary to bring Spaniards home,โsaid the airlineโs Sales Manager for Spain, Guillermo Gonzรกlez Vallina.
More than 8,000 homecomings
In all, by the end of April Iberia will have made more than 30 repatriation flights to return some 8,000 people, some 6,000 in the last week of March and the first week of April and another 2,000 are to fly by the end of April. Outgoing flights will carry foreigners in Spain back to their home countries.
From the start of the crisis until the end of April Iberia will have made a total of more than 30 special flights to 20 countries on five continents: Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Equatorial Guinea, Ireland, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, the Philippines, Poland, Senegal, Thailand, and Uruguay.
In addition, since the pandemic alert was declared in Spain, Iberia flew more than 70,000 people on scheduled flights to countries including the US, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Chile which the airline operated until the end of March.
Medical air shuttle between Spain and China
Iberia is also bringing medical supplies to Spain from China with frequent cargo flights:
In collaboration with the FENIN federation of Spanish medical technology companies and the high-technology Oesรญa Group, Iberia has made nine flights to Shanghai.
In collaboration with other public and private organisations, by the end of April Iberia will have made another 20 flights to pick up medical supplies in Shanghai and other Chinese cities such as Shenzhen.
In addition, the airline was instrumental in bringing 34 respirators to Spain from Brussels and Munich which were donated by small businesses to a number of Spanish hospitals.
Donation to hospitals
Iberia also donated material normally used aboard its flights, in collaboration with its own relief NGO Mano a Mano, ENVERA, health agencies of the Madrid Regional government, and the logistics company ALAER. The donations included:
45,000 set of disposable tableware for use by Covid-19 patients at Madridโs Ramรณn y Cajal hospital
9,000 duvets and 2,200 pillows for the field hospital set up by Madrid health authorities at the IFEMA fairgrounds, as well as 1,400 complete toilet kits and another 20,000 units of toilet items such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, combs, and socks.
For the Hospital de La Paz, 300 duvets, 300 pillows, and 400 toilet kits.
For the Gregorio Maraรฑรณn hospital, more than 5,000 disposable gowns from Iberiaโs own medical service, and 1,400 barrier gowns supplied by the NGO Mano a Mano.
For the field hospital at the FIRA fairgrounds in Barcelona, 500 toilet kits and 500 duvets, and the loan of airport ground equipment to help set up the hospital and deliver supplies of food, medicine, and bed linen.
Iberia employees have been unstinting in their commitment to the timely completion of all these operations.
Iberia aircraft photo gallery:
In recent days Iberia has operated special repatriation flights to Algeria, Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Morocco, Japan, Panama, Peru, Poland, Dominican Republic, Senegal, and Uruguay.
The airline has also made seven flights to Shanghai to pick up medical supplies arrange in collaboration with the public and private sectors.
From its own stocks Iberia has donated 9,000 duvets, 2,200 pillows with cases, 5,500 hospital gowns and 20,000toilet kits including toothbrush, toothpaste, comb, socks, etc.
It has also loaned airport handling equipment to the Barcelona convention centre to assist in the setting up of a new hospital, and has donated 500 duvets and 540 toilet kits.
Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, Iberia has operated a total of 23 repatriation flights to/from Algeria,Argentina, Colombia, Ecuador, Japan, Morocco, Panama, Peru, Poland, Dominican Republic, Senegal, and Uruguay, with the support of Spainโs Foreign Ministryand the diplomatic missions to Spain of the respective countries. These flights have enabled more than 6,000 people to reach their homes.
In addition, since the state of emergency was declared in Spain in mid-March, more than 70,000 people have travelled in scheduled Iberia flights to countries around the world, including the US, Mexico, Cuba, Costa Rica, Brazil, and Chile.
Medical Supplies from China
Iberia is also taking part in public-private sector collaborative schemes to bring medical supplies to Spain from China.
With the Spanish Federation of Health Technology Companies (FENIN), and the high-technology Oesรญa Group, Iberia has already operated five flights and the airline has programmed three flights each week to Shanghai.
Alongside the clothing maker Inditex, Iberia made a flight to Shanghai for medical supplies and another to Tokyo to pick up stranded Europeans wanting to return home.
In cooperation with the Spanish government, this past week Iberia made one flight to Shanghai to bring back respirators, face masks, and protective personal equipment (PPE) for Spanish hospitals.
Iberia is carrying out all these operations in collaboration with its sister company IAG Cargo,ย responsible for coordination with both freight forwarders and handling teams in Shanghai and Madrid airports.
In addition to cargo operations, Iberia has picked up from Brussels and Munich 34 respiratorsdonated by small businesses for the intensive care units of five Madrid hospitals.
Donations to hospitals
In collaboration with its own Mano a Mano international relief organisation and its ENVERA work centre from the disabled, along with Madrid regional health agencies and the ALAER logistics company, Iberia has donated the following goods to anti-COVID-19 efforts:
Some 9,000 duvets, 2,200 pillows with cases, and 20,000 toilet kits with toothbrush, toothpaste, combs, socks, etc. to the field hospital being set up in the Madrid IFEMA convention centre.
More than 5,000 disposable paper gowns from its own medical service unit to Madrid Gregorio Maraรฑรณn hospital.
Supplied by Iberiaโs Mano a Mano NGO, 1,400barrier gowns to the Gregorio Maraรฑรณn hospital.
Iberia has also loaned airport handling equipment to assist in the setting up of a new hospital in the Barcelona Fira convention centre, and has donated 500 duvets and 540 toilet kits for this hospital.
At a particularly difficult period for the airline business, Iberia and its staff are committed to continuing to serve the country and to lend support to the people who need it most.
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06-04-2020Iberia Gives Blankets and Toilet Kits to Barcelona Field …
Iberia Airlines aircraft (and some from other IAG carriers) are currently being parked at the Madrid (MAD) hub and maintenance base.
Iberia made this announcement on March 28:
In recent days we have repatriated more than 6.000 people on special flights alone, most of them Spanish who were in Latin America, and we have also opened a health corridor with China for transportation of material. All of this, thanks to the work of the crew who are flying on these planes, most of them volunteers.
The rapid spread of COVID-19, and associated government travel restrictions and advisories are having a significant and increasingly negative impact on the demand for global air traffic on almost all routes operated by IAGโs airlines.
To date IAG has suspended flights to China, reduced capacity on Asian routes, cancelled all flights to, from and within Italy and made various changes to our network.
The US Presidential announcement to restrict entry of foreign nationals who have been in countries in the Schengen Area, the UK and Ireland has added to the uncertainty on North Atlantic routes. In addition, many other countries have banned or are restricting inward travel including Argentina, Chile, India and Peru. Spain has also been the subject of travel advisories, for example by the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO).
IAG is implementing further initiatives in response to this challenging market environment. Capacity, in terms of available seat kilometres, in the first quarter of 2020 is now expected to be reduced by around 7.5 percent compared to last year. For April and May, the Group plans to reduce capacity by at least 75 percent compared to the same period in 2019.
IAG is also taking actions to reduce operating expenses and improve cash flow. These include grounding surplus aircraft, reducing and deferring capital spending, cutting non-essential and non-cyber related IT spend, freezing recruitment and discretionary spending, implementing voluntary leave options, temporarily suspending employment contracts and reducing working hours.
Given the continued uncertainty on the potential impact and duration of COVID-19, it is still not possible to give accurate profit guidance for the full year 2020.
The Group has strong liquidity with cash, cash equivalents and interest-bearing deposits of โฌ7.35 billion as at March 12, 2020. In addition, undrawn general and committed aircraft backed financing facilities amount to โฌ1.9 billion, resulting in total liquidity of โฌ9.3 billion.
Willie Walsh, IAGโs chief executive, said: โWe have seen a substantial decline in bookings across our airlines and global network over the past few weeks and we expect demand to remain weak until well into the summer. We are therefore making significant reductions to our flying schedules. We will continue to monitor demand levels and we have the flexibility to make further cuts if necessary. We are also taking actions to reduce operating expensesย and improve cash flow at each of our airlines. IAG is resilient with a strong balance sheet and substantial cash liquidity.โ
In light of the exceptional circumstances facing the aviation industry due to COVID-19, and in particular the developing situation in Spain, it has been decided that Luis Gallego will continue in his role as Iberia chief executive for the next few months to lead the response in Spain. In the meantime, Willie Walsh will continue to act as Group chief executive and Javier Sanchez will remain in place as Vueling chief executive.
Antonio Vรกzquez, IAGยดs chairman, said: โAs we respond to COVID-19, Willie, Luis and the board of IAG have decided that management stability across the Group should be a priority in the near term. We are grateful that Willie has agreed to delay his retirement for a short period at this challenging time.โ
Stopover Hola Madrid is a programme to encourage long-haul travellers to extend their Madrid stopovers from one to six nights, with offers of special advantages and major discounts on lodging, transport, dining, entertainment, and other services.
The aim is to attract more visitors from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, strengthening Iberiaโs Madrid hub, and driving demand for long-haul flights operated by the Spanish airline.
Madrid Mayor Josรฉ Luis Martรญnez-Almeida and Iberiaโs Executive Chairman Luis Gallego jointly presented the new Stopover Hola Madrid programme which is designed to encourage long-haul passengers to extend their Madrid stopovers by up to six nights under very advantageous conditions.
The Madrid Council and the Spanish airline worked together on the programme, aimed at travellers from Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and intended to strengthen Iberiaโs Madrid Airport hub, while driving demand for long-haul flights with Iberia.
Madrid is well worth a long stopover
A visit to the El Prado, and the nearby Thyssen Bornemisza art museums, a cold beer with a delicious tapa, or an afternoon shopping โthese are but a few reasons to extend a Madrid stopover on you way to or from more far-flung destinations. If youโre not acquainted with Madrid and its environs, nowโs your chance!
To tempt international travellers, the Madrid Council and Iberia has designed a comprehensive programme whereby you can interrupt your journey, staying up to six nights in the Spanish capital and enjoying ย a wide choice of the best sightseeing, food, shopping, and nightlife with special advantages and discounts.-
Mayor Martรญnez-Alameda described it as โ Madrid Council will be always supporting to those whose objective is keeping Madrid as an economic, social and cultural reference among capitals in the world. Madrid is a very dynamic city and thanks to its business network is the region with the best GDP. We want to deep in public-private collaboration and enhance business leadership at Madridโ.
In this presentation, Iberia Chairman Luis Gallego stressed the airlineโs conviction that Madrid is โone of our best tourist destinations as well as a business centreโ. He explained that the airline flies from Madrid to more than 100 international destinations. โThis is our flight distribution centre, our hub, and our home, and we want our customers to stay here,โ he said.
Welcome to Stopover Hola Madrid:
A guide before you arrive
Some 48 hours before arriving in Madrid, Stopover Hola Madrid customers can obtain a free guidebook with information about local transportation, climate, sightseeing, dining, etc., provided by biduzz. Once in Madrid, they may wish to hire a Biduzzer, an expert personal guide who can provide insider information about places to go and things to do, from the best choices on a menu to the best seats in a theatre.
Free transportationย
On reaching the arrivals area in Madrid, Stopover Hola Madrid can pick up free public transportation cards valid for two days on all municipal buses and the underground Metro.
Other option is to choose a transfer on Alsa or to hire a car from Avis. Both companies offer discounts to Stopover Hola Madrid customers.
To facilitate communication, the Holafly company offers discounted data cards for customersโ phones.
Sleep like a king
Stopover Hola Madrid includes discounts at all Meliรก hotels. There are additional advantages for members of the Iberia Plus loyalty scheme who make their reservations at any hotel through Booking.
The Golden Mile of Art
Madridโs top art museums are located within easy walking distance of each other on a central boulevard. Under the Stopover Hola Madrid programme, visitors are offered special tours of El Prado and the Thyssen Bornemisza.
An afternoon of shopping and beauty treatments
The El Corte Inglรฉs department store chain completes the offer by assigning you a personal image consultant!
Tapas, beer, and flamencoย
Dining and entertainment are two powerful reasons for a Madrid stopover. Free drafts of the legendary Mahou-San Miguel beers await Stopover Hola Madrid visitor at ย La Cervecista, in the city centre, a great place to start enjoying the cityโs nightlife.
Viator offers you a wide choice of gastronomic and flamenco tours for all tastes and at discount prices.
Outskirts
While youโre in Madrid, you might take up the Alsa coach companyโs offer of day-trips to the nearby cities of Toledo, รvila, or Segovia.
Two destinations for the price of one, plus a 25% discount to a third!
Stopover Hola Madrid is for long-haul travellers on flights operated by Iberia with connections in Madrid Airport. During a long Madrid stopover travellers can take advantage of the programmeโs 25% discount on domestic flights with Iberia, Iberia Express, or Iberia Regional/Air Nostrum to an additional Spanish destination.
Donโt worry about luggageย
Stopover Hola Madrid customers also get special discounts for the Bag On Board service, under which Iberia takes your luggage from the hotel and checks it in for you at the airport.
Airport souvenirs
The stopover plan also includes discounts for shopping at Madrid Duty Free in Madrid Airport. Members of the Iberia Plus loyalty programme will also get Avios for their purchases.
Stopover Hola Madrid just a click away
All the details of what the Stopover Hola Madrid plan can offer are available on the website https://www.iberia.com/es/es/stopover-in-madrid/, where you can also book your Iberia tickets and the services that most interest you during your stopover.
Iberia currently operates its six Airbus A350-900s from the Madrid hub to New York (JFK), Chicago (O’Hare), Buenos Aires and Santiago.
The airline is planning to expand A350 operations with the next six deliveries. IB will open new A350 routes to San Jose (Costa Rica) and Los Angeles with the beginning of the summer 2020 schedule. Tokyo (Narita) will follow in time for the 2020 Olympics.
On June 23, 2019, Iberia’s A350-900 landed for the first time at Chicago. This is the third city, after New York and Buenos Aires.
Top Copyright Photo (all others by the airline): Iberia Airbus A350-941 EC-NBE (msn 271) MAD (Javier Rodriguez). Image: 945745.
Iberia customers can now reach Chongqing, Shenyang, Dalian and Changchun, via Shanghai
These flights can be booked from 31 October for flights starting on 1 December
Iberiaย continues to expand in the Chinese market and customers can now book flights via Shanghai to Chongqing, Shenyang, Dalian, and Changchun, thanks to a new code sharing agreement signed with Spring Airlines.
Spring Airlines customers can now book flights from Shanghai to Madrid under the Chinese airline flight code on Iberiaโs thrice-weekly services between both cities.
Under the code-share agreement, customers of the two airlines will enjoy all the benefits offered to connecting flight passengers: the entire journey on one ticket, a wider choice of flights, guarantees in the event of missed connections, among others.
After last week code-share agreement signed by Iberia with Hainan Airlines to the Chinese cities Haikou, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Xi’an, the Spanish airlineโs customers can now flight easily to ten destinations in China.
Pending approval by authorities, Iberia will launch a new route from Madrid to Cairo on March 2, 2020.
Photo: Iberia.
The Spanish carrier will operate four weekly flights with an A319 aircraft which can accommodate up to 141 customers, distributed in Business and Economy cabins. Iberia will be offering more than 1,100 seats each week in this route.
Flight Schedule
Best Flight Connections
The flight schedule will allow Iberia customers flying from Egypt to continue their trip via Madrid Airport to other 21 destinations in Spain such as Bilbao, Valencia, Seville, Malaga or Alicante, or Porto in Portugal. They will also be able to fly to 25 cities in the U.S. and Latin America.
Cairo will become Iberia’s seventh destination in the African continent, where it also serves Casablanca, Tangiers and Marrakech in Morocco; Algiers and Oran in Algeria, as well as Dakar in Senegal.
Top Copyright Photo: Iberia Airbus A319-111 EC-JVE (msn 2843) BSL (Paul Bannwarth). Image: 946929.
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