Iberia to grow in Latin America and launch new cabins in 2023
Spanish airline Iberia will bid farewell to the year and welcome 2023 by unveiling new Business, Premium Economy and Economy cabins, those of the last two new-generation A350s that joined its fleet this December.
In total, the company took delivery of 13 new aircraft in 2022, seven A350s and six A320neo aircraft for short and medium-haul routes.
With this new product and the punctuality achieved in 2022, which has placed it as the best airline in Europe for six consecutive months, Iberia is on track to become the preferred option for its customers, the first pillar of its strategic plan -Next Chapter- for the next two years.
In addition, last June Iberia unveiled new uniforms, renewed its gastronomic offer, significantly improved its in-flight entertainment system with more options, and extended free wifi for chatting to its entire fleet.
Focusing on Latin America
In 2022 Iberia has recovered the entire network of destinations it had in 2019, while managing to get close to the capacity figures it recorded at that time, with a fourth quarter in which it deployed 95% of what it flew in 2019, and with the prospect of starting 2023 with capacity that is five percentage points above pre-pandemic levels.
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Another focus for Iberia is the strengthening of its hub at Madrid airport, with the aim of being able to compete against the main European hubs.
This year, Iberia has launched a strong offensive in the United States, with the opening of Dallas and Washington, and now has eight destinations (New York, Miami, Boston, Los Angeles and Chicago, with the addition of San Francisco, Dallas and Washington). The airline has 120 weekly flights between Spain and the United States, and in winter has deployed 15% more capacity in this market than before the pandemic.
Latin America has been Iberia’s other big bet in 2022 and will be even more so in 2023. After the recovery of routes to Caracas and Rio de Janeiro, it has 18 destinations in 16 countries, with an offer of around 260 weekly flights, a figure that is expected to continue to grow in the coming months. Iberia’s most significant growth in this market has been in Mexico (up to three daily flights) and Colombia (where it will increase from two daily flights to 18 frequencies and, progressively, up to three daily flights). These two countries, together with Peru (where it will go from seven to ten flights a week, and the airline’s intention is to reach two daily flights) and Argentina will be the focus of Iberia’s offensive in 2023, which already offers daily flights to all of Central America, continues to grow in the Caribbean and is increasing its capacity in other countries such as Ecuador and Uruguay.
Return to profits
After the difficulties experienced by the entire sector due to the mobility restrictions resulting from the pandemic, Iberia could return to profit in 2022.
In the third quarter of the year, the company obtained a positive result of 246 million euros, and this good dynamic is expected to be maintained in the fourth quarter, which would allow the company to have a positive result for the consolidated 2022, with its three businesses (airline, handling and maintenance) returning to profit.
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Plataforma Informativa de Aviación Comercial líder en América Latina.