Iberia A340 at LHR

[sprite1]

Hi,

Can anyone tell where the Iberia A340 comes from/goes to that operates sometimes at LHR? It's hardly a Madrid shuttle.

Cheers.

[CabinCrewe]

it is often a "Madrid shuttle"

[Cough]

That carries lots of freight, apparently...

[DaveReidUK]

Madrid is the only destination Iberia now serves from Heathrow.

The IB3166/7 is normally an A340 5 days out of 7, not sure if that constitutes a "shuttle".

[IB4138]

Back in the mid 80's it used to be an A300/DC10 everyday on the AGP-LHR.

The aircraft operated into AGP from MAD, then did the LHR round trip. It then operated back to MAD from AGP around 22.00.

Those were the days.

[sprite1]

Ok. Interesting. Thanks for the replies.

[Skipness One Echo]

It varies quite a lot, some are A340-300s, some are A340-600s, best way is to try a dummy booking on ba.com

[Tableview]

It operates as IB3166 on days 1257 with a 340-600, and on day 4 with a 340-200.
The return rotation is IB3167.
The flight also operates on day 3 with a 320.

[DaveReidUK]

It operates as IB3166 on days 1257 with a 340-600, and on day 4 with a 340-200. The return rotation is IB3167.
The flight also operates on day 3 with a 320.

Close.

Day 4 is normally an A343 (Iberia don't have A340-200s) and A320s rarely operate the IB3166/7 - when it's not an A340 it's usually an A321. That's also the case on Day 6 (it operates 7 days a week as per my previous post).

[cornishsimon]

As others have said its the MAD shuttle.

IB and BA both operate widebody aircraft on this route as they are both owned by IAG and they both feed each others LHR and MAD hubs.

I would suggest that BA gets more feed from IB than the other way around due to BAs much superior longhaul product and network


cs

[Jamesair]

I flew back on it from Madrid to Heathrow earlier this year....enjoyed the experience.

[DaveReidUK]

IB and BA both operate widebody aircraft on this route as they are both owned by IAG and they both feed each others LHR and MAD hubs.

Correct - BA's current schedule is:

BA456/7 Days 12345 A320, Days 67 A319
BA458/9 Days 123567 A320, Day 4 A319
BA460/1 Days 12457 A320, Days 36 A319
BA462/3 Days 1234567 B763
BA464/5 Days 1235 B763 Days 47 A320, Day 6 A319

Equipment subject to change on the day, of course.

[Tableview]

Day 4 is normally an A343 (Iberia don't have A340-200s) and A320s rarely operate the IB3166/7 - when it's not an A340 it's usually an A321. That's also the case on Day 6 (it operates 7 days a week as per my previous post).

Dave, if you are correct, someone needs to talk to Iberia's GDS department as what I've shown you is what's loaded in the GDSs. If it's wrong, it's down to them. Still, it's possibly Europe's worst airline so it wouldn't surprise me if they can't get that right.

[airsmiles]

DaveReidUK is correctly quoting the schedule per Iberia's own website. I can't speak for GDS though.

In practice there's often equipment changes (A346/A343 swaps) as these pass very close to my house and I tend to notice them in the evening.

[DaveReidUK]

DaveReidUK is correctly quoting the schedule per Iberia's own website.

In fact I was describing what has actually been happening over the last couple of months - I haven't a clue what the IB website says, so any resemblance is purely coincidental. :O

[champair79]

The A340 is put on that route purely for cargo reasons. It is also the same reason BA operate 767's on some of the flights. As we're all IAG, there is a lot of cargo 'shuttling' between the two hubs.

Champ

[akerosid]

I'm sure the A346 (and indeed, the 343) have good cargo capacity, but I'm also wondering whether the fact that this flight feeds into IB's hub operation at MAD is a factor; this acft would feed departures to Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Peru and Uruguay, among others.

Here's a 346 on finals for 27R, one Friday evening back in April:

JetPhotos.Net Photo » EC-IZX (CN: 601) Iberia Airbus A340-642 by John Fitzpatrick (http://jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7361943&nseq=1)

[Mr Angry from Purley]

One thing is for sure is on the LHR-MAD-LHR schedule the chances of getting a cheap fare are little to no hope. Strange that when the 2 airlines are operating the route are co-owned!. No competition = monopoly, thank god for Easyjet :\

[champair79]

akerosid,

There are numerous departures on both BA and IB within 2 hours either side of the IB A340 flight. There are plenty of seats to feed either hub operation.

The hub feed may be a secondary effect but the primary purpose is cargo. I believe they don't send it every day due to aircraft availability.

Champ

[egnxema]

Not doubting that cargo is the reason - but I have flown LHR-MAD-LHR in July this year and the 767, both ways, was virtually full - and as they are not selling the seats at lower than easyJet fares I would imagine the pax yield on the route is pretty healthy too.