Iberia, once again, tops the Europe punctuality podium in June, as confirmed by the international consulting firm Cirium -formerly FlightStats-. most punctual airline in Europe

In June, 81.34% of the 13,196 flights operated by Iberia arrived at their destination on time, making it the most punctual European airline.

This result reflects the commitment and effort made by Iberia’s teams during a particularly difficult summer, due to the issues faced by some European airports, which are experiencing operational problems and are being forced to reduce and cancel flights.

As this is the first summer following the end of Covid-19 restrictions and a rise in demand was expected, in March Iberia decided to hire extra staff, especially at airports operating at 5% to 10% above the capacity deployed by the airlines they serve. This was a key buffering factor, at least for the time being, at European and US airports, and allowed Iberia to preserve the punctuality of its flights.

The Cirium ranking also places Iberia as the fifth most punctual network airline in the world in June:

Iberia returns to pre-pandemic activity levels in the upcoming winter season

Iberia is finalising its 2022-2023 winter programme, which begins on 30 October and will run until 25 March 2023. The airline continues to consolidate the recovery of its entire flight and destination network, and this winter it will offer the same capacity as it did before the pandemic, largely thanks to the relaunch of its latest routes in Latin America, to its commitment to its US flights, and to a greater deployment of flights in its short- and medium-haul network.

Focus on Latin America most punctual airline in Europe

Iberia fulfils its commitment to recover direct flights to Rio de Janeiro and Caracas, the last two destinations that were still pending after the pandemic, and, starting in November, the airline will offer three weekly frequencies on each of the routes.

The other most relevant developments in this market are Havana, from three to five weekly frequencies, the Guatemala-El Salvador route, from five to seven weekly frequencies, Quito, with six weekly flights, and Guayaquil, with three.

Mexico continues to be the market with the greatest number of flights available, along with Bogotá and Buenos Aires, where Iberia will consolidate its two daily flights this winter season. In Santiago de Chile, Lima, and Sao Paulo it maintains a daily flight, as well as in San José in Costa Rica, which goes from six to seven weekly frequencies. Montevideo and Panama will have six weekly flights and Puerto Rico will have four throughout the winter.

Dallas extended into the winter season most punctual airline in Europe

In the US, the main change is the extension of the Dallas operation into the winter season. Initally, Iberia launched this new route just for this summer until 29 October. Dallas is the main hub for American Airlines -an Iberia, British Airways, Finnair, and Aer Lingus partner in the JBA for the North Atlantic router- and generates enough traffic to maintain this route also in winter, with three weekly frequencies until February and four in March. Iberia operates this route with the Airbus A330, allowing customers to enjoy its full range: Business, Premium Economy, and Economy.

In addition, Iberia grows in several destinations in the US compared to last winter, as travel restrictions from Europe were not lifted until last November. In Miami it will go from 10 to 14 weekly frequencies -two daily flights- and in New York, from 10 to 13 weekly frequencies, reaching 14 in March.

Greater capacity on short- and medium-haul flights

In its short and medium-haul network, the Iberia Group deploys even greater capacity than in the 2019 winter, with a commitment to both corporate and leisure markets.

In Europe, Iberia focuses on Italy. The airline will add seven extra frequencies in Milan (going from 28 to 35 weekly flights) and four extra ones in Rome (37 weekly flights). At both destinations, it will offer an average of five daily flights in each direction.

In Portugal, Iberia will offer up to 40 weekly flights in Lisbon (up to six daily flights) and will operate its route to Funchal through the winter with three weekly frequencies.

Geneva, Brussels, and Bordeaux are other corporate routes where Iberia will increase its capacity. In Geneva it will reach 34 weekly frequencies (up to five daily flights); in Brussels, it will offer up to three daily frequencies; and in Bordeaux, Iberia Regional/Air Nostrum will also increase its flights, reaching three daily frequencies.

In Spain, Iberia, Iberia Express, and Iberia Regional/Air Nostrum will focus on business traffic and also on the Balearic and Canary Islands.

In the winter season, Iberia resumes all its operations on the Madrid-Barcelona Air Shuttle service, reaching pre-pandemic levels, with 87 weekly frequencies and up to 15 daily flights in each direction.

The airline is also expanding in Bilbao, with up to six daily flights; in La Coruña, Asturias, and Vigo, with up to four daily flights; and in Santiago, Santander and San Sebastián, with three daily flights.

For its part, Iberia Express will increase its capacity in the Balearic Islands by around 49% compared to the same period in 2019-20, with particularly significant growth on the Madrid-Ibiza route. In the Canary Islands, it will increase capacity by around 28%, especially in Tenerife, Lanzarote, and La Palma, with over one million seats on offer.

Iberia Express will also strengthen its flight programme to other national destinations such as Malaga and Seville, and international destinations such as Copenhagen, Dublin, Berlin and Lyon.

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