Iberia Handling in TFS
 

Has anyone encountered poor service from agents in TFS.
They "lost" 14 of my PAX on 19/12/03, which resulted in me having to have their bags off-loaded.
This is just an example of the poor standard of service I've experienced from Iberia in the last few months.

Things don't get better over the years:

Around six years ago I was stuck in TFS with a baggage handling go-even-slower problem. The company agent and myself were both stripped off loading our pax bags when I noticed a smooth dressed guy standing there watching our efforts. It seems that he was one of the Iberia managers on a rare visit to the ramp. I suggested that he help us out but was told that "he" was a manager and above that sort of thing!

I usually pointed out to them that their company's name in English meant incompetent and that we threatened our children that unless they worked hard at school they would grow up to be "Iberia".

Sorry to hear that it hasn't improved their attitude!

I think the title of worst agents has to go to GIA (Gambia International Airlines) down in BJL. They can manage to turn a 1.5h turnaround into 3hrs with ease!!

Iberia handling service has always been very poor. Unfortunately after the government allowed private companies to bid in and join the barely profitable business of ramp handling, very few companies came forward. Only two operators are permitted at each airport, that is Iberia and a second competitor, i.e. Iberia + Ineuropa at TFS, MAD, IBZ, PMI, etc. or Iberia + Eurohandling at BCN, AGP, LPA, etc.

Personally I have had the pleasure of being assisted by Iberia and Ineuropa, the difference is abysmal. With Iberia when you arrive at your destination in Spain at peak times is rare to have a rep there waiting for you, they usually arrive late. If the airport is small and an Iberia airplane arrives all rep´s disappear. With Ineuropa you have one in the front galley at all times. In Iberia they have one rep attending several flights at the same time.

Spend a minute one day and have a look to see how long does Ineuropa (blue painted) take to appear next to the aircraft shutting down the engines, they are there with all the equipment before the chocks arrive, like most places in Europe. Iberia will take their time to arrive, one by one and eventually everything you need will be there.

Price is important these days and Iberia comes cheaper than the other competitors, on top of that Iberia can be found at all Spanish airports having only to sign one contract for all Spanish airports.
:hmm:

As a passenger, I would have to say ineuropa are just as bad as Iberia. For example, earlier this year my return flight FUE-MAN was delayed by 25 minutes, despite the inbound aircraft arriving in FUE on time, all because of incompetent handling - not to mention the fact that they had 180 tired passengers standing in a queue at the gate for 45 minutes (there's very little seating at most of the gates at FUE). They then pulled the same trick when I was returning PMI-NCL in July (granted, there was a power cut in the airport, but the aircraft was sitting there for 90 minutes while other flights were still leaving on time).

The few times I've been through TFS, Iberia handling has been okay, though I've nearly always been delayed it tends to be due to a late inbound aircraft and Iberia tend to be able to turn it around within 45 minutes.


But don't ineuropa and eurohandling handle at airports outside Spain? So can't airlines sign one contract for just as many airports in and outside spain which would bring down costs?

Iberia to end free drinks in Econ
 

It has been announced that as of 1st March, Iberia will no longer serve beverages on national and short haul flights, with the exception of Athens, Istanbul, Tel-Aviv, Cairo, Senegal and Dakar. Prices for drinks will be from 1 to 9 euros.
Iberia claim this move is made in response to passenger requests for cheaper flights without these services and will enable them to offer flights at lower prices.
Has anyone seen their prices reduced from March 1st?...I'm still paying the same price from Malaga to Heathrow as in January for next month......and why are the above 6 destinations excluded?

I'm a little confused from your post as to whether drinks are going completely on shorthaul, or are remaining as a service but now becoming chargeable. If they are going completely, then count the number of Cabin Crew next time you fly with them - it may well be one less than before. If IB have simply started charging for drinks, then that's just them catching up with the rest of us.

--------------------
Per Ardua Ad Ibiza

The press release is a bit confusing.. it appears to have got a little b_gg__d in translation. They are in fact providing a chargeable drinks service....but is the wine/coffee still free with your so called meal? That is still not clear and I cannot get an answer. Nothing is straight forward with IB.

Shame, another airline where the inflight service is going down the pan :(

Its all very well for the bucket-and-spaders who book months in advance and get the cheap fares, but for the poor sod who has to book at last minute, still pays a fare as high as they did before (airlines who do this usually reduce their minimum fares but rarely reduce their full published fares too), and then had to put their hand in their pocket again for drinks and food, is crap.

Another airline I don't think I'll bother flying on again! :*

Andy

Andy

Well said about not flying again on IB and all the other airlines that turn no frills while maintaing expensive fares..


Rwy in Sight

Iberia have an advert in today's Sunday Times which reads (in part) .....and now, choose what you want to have on-board with our great value-for-money "Tu Menu" a la carte service in Economy Class.....

No free food either folks.

IB are not the only ones. OS have introduced what they call "Bistro Service", i.e. on short flights Y pax pay for meals and beverages.


To be fair to OS, everyone even in cattle class was entitled to one 200ml bottle of still water from day one of Bistro Service, AND coffee and tea re-became free of charge VERY quickly :E

I wonder how long paid-for coffee will last on IB?

Tom

EI are doing it too. Seems Willie Walsh has sold his philosophy to IB.

I'm not surprised to hear that Iberia are cutting back on their in- flight service as their fares are now really competitive. I have recently booked 2 flights(Jan & April) with them for MAN to BCN and they were the cheapest carrier on both dates. I tried Monarch and BMIBaby who were both more expensive. Infact BMIBaby wanted £120 to fly on a cramped B737 when Iberia are charging £77 for a seat on a nice(& much newer) A320.

I fly EI, IB and AF quite alot. You still geta pretty nice "free" meal and drinks with AF, even drinks and biscuits or other snack on internal flights, but their fares are INCREDIBLE expensive. To be hones, I doubt their fares are justified by this inflight service. Not an expert thought on cost cutting strategies for airlines.

Flew EI on the first day they stopped their free inflight service. My first reaction was... How dare they! But then I thought to myself, well I haven't paid more than € 175.00 on a return European service with EI for quite a while, sooooo why should I be abboyed at paying for food. By the way, they have quite an acceptable chicken and stuffing sandwich for €3.50 and a soft drink (normal size 33 ml. can) for € 1.00. Well, in two years EI have increased their route network by I believe around 30 new routes and their fares have decreased, so if in turn I have to pay for the food, well done EI. And if IB do drop their fares some what, well done also.

One thing I find very funny, before all this no frills talk, everybod complained about plane food, saying "Oh, I NEVER eat the food on a plane". Now all of a sudden that it's no longer free, airplane food seems te be remembered as some kind of gastronomic feast... NOT.

Another thing, I have been told numerous prestigious European airlines have already done the same as EI and IB. Some of you seem to accuse these airlines of becoming no-frills. Well I tend to disagree. Having flown on Easy Jet and BMI Baby, it's not the same thing. EI, IB and co. still have nice cabin interiors, reasonable leg room, well dressed cabin crews (nothing agains you at the low cost carriers, bu come on, the EZY uniforms are certainly not what I'd call uniforms!), inflight entertainment, inflight shopping, inflight magazines, assigned seats, airport lounges, frequent flyer programmes...

Just my humble opinion...:D

Well said Toulouse!

Iberia Express a new airline?
 

I know that is not a good translation but here goes:

The union section of Sepla-Iberia studies the Iberia proposal already will create its own company of low cost Iberia Express. This it could be the name of the new company of low cost Iberia plan to take off in just a short time. This way they will face the permanent threat of the numerous companies that are winning the market. In spite of the excessive secrecy Iberia it is taking it, in the aeronautical sector, this news is already an open secret and Aviacióndigital has been able it to confirm with the president of the Sepla, Andoni Grandson, whom although it does not have allowed to pronounce itself on the matter, commented that “la negotiation is into the hands of the union section Sepla-Iberia”. Elena de Regoyos, AD (04/10/04, 00,00 hours) In this respect, according to sources of Aviaciondigital, exist an internal debate between the pilots of Iberia who are in favor of the creation of this new airline and those that consider a threat. To this it would be necessary to add to him that the pilots in the heat of are negotiation of a new collective agreement with the company, since I render to which was put under expires shortly. According to the data which we have, the possibility is studying of contracting the retired pilots in Iberia early (as of the 60 years). In addition, also they could have pilots of low experience for the new company, lowering the price of, this way, the costs of the crews. As far as the fleet, it seems to be that it will be formed by Airbus 319, 320 and 321, airplanes that already are operated by the Iberia company for flights of short and average reach. With this strategy, using airplanes which or it has Iberia, also lower the price of costs because or it is had the initial infrastructure, like simulators of flight, handling and shared personnel. In addition, the fact that they are going away to use airplanes of short and average reach will suppose a hard blow for Air Nostrum, that already makes east type of flights

Iberia may cut routes
 

From Expatica Spain.


Low cost competition forces Iberia to cut routes

25 January 2005

MADRID- Spanish national carrier Iberia is considering culling a number of European and domestic routes from its schedule in the face of fierce competition from low-cost carriers.

The Spanish daily El Pais reported the company is increasingly unable to keep pace with its low-cost competitors, who receive an estimated EUR 10-17 (USD 12-20) subsidy per ticket from local authorities on some routes.

So far, Iberia has refused to comment on the story.

The newspaper did not mention specific routes facing the potential withdrawal of Iberia services but in recent years the carrier has been struggling to match the fares of no-frills airlines such as Ryanair and

EasyJet.

The Spanish carrier has lost its former monopoly at certain provincial airports such as Almeria in the southeast and Jerez in the deep south, and El Pais reported that the price war would ultimately force the end of some Iberia routes.

Ireland's Ryanair is in April to propose flights between London and Santiago de Compostela for fares ranging from EUR 27-69, not including taxes.

El Pais reported Iberia's normal fare for the route was EUR 130 more expensive.

Ryanair is already flying in and out of 13 Spanish airports and seeking to branch out to offer services at six more, directly creating 4,000 jobs in Spain.

Last year, the company carried some four million passengers either to or from Spain.

Low-cost rival EasyJet carried six million by comparison in 2004, an 18 percent rise on a year earlier.

According to El Pais, despite offering prices generally higher than those of Ryanair, EasyJet has captured a 33 percent Spanish market share for flights between Britain and Spain.

The company flies out of nine Spanish airports to ten destinations in other European states.

In October, Iberia general director Angel Mullor said the carrier was "collating information" on subsidies received by Ryanair from autonomous regional authorities to operate at their airports.

Mullor threatened to take the issue to the European Commission if evidence emerged warranting a complaint

Iberia @ MAN
 

Hello
Have Iberia pulled out of MAN? Can't see any sign of thier BCN service in any timetables. Or have they just downgraded it to a summer only service? This is strange as I have not heared anything about it, and it had been going for many years so if yes, why was it pulled (competition from Monarch (ZB)?)
Luke

Luke

Sorry they did not ask you prior to making this important decision!!

IB out of MAN end Oct. BCN served by WW and ZB and MAD by BA.

Think it would be a one world thing.

Cheers

Up the Lions

:ok:

The route MAD-MAN will see a new company this summer: ZB. Can anybody tell me how their service is?

20-17
WW don't fly MAN/BCN anymore either. Looks like ZB saw them off the route too.

Markmartin
ZB's service is pretty damn good - they have announced some new routes from MAN and LGW for this coming summer.

markmartin,
ZB's service is excellent. I have used them many times. I have only once been delayed and that was to pick up pax from a cancelled BA service. there is a choice of ,eals on-board but you have to pay for them. There are newspapers and free IFE. Then there is their excellent frequent flyer club. Well to be recommended. I hope they do as well on MAN-MAD as they have elsewhere.

@Colegate&Dundoniandean, thanks for your comments on ZB, I´ll try to use this airline next time i fly to MAN!!:ok:

Iberia Orders More Airbuses (Incl. A318)
 

http://nowaviation.com/content/view/250/39/

Looks like Boeing have lost another one to Airbus. Thank God for them MOL's still around to fill up their order book!

Well re. Iberia, not a big surprise that they order airbus. The surprise is really the 15 A318s in the lot!

FYI, Ryanair just confirmed an order for 140 boeing 737-800's. 70 firm, 70 options.

which is what Flightluuvr was referring to!

Iberia confirms new Airbus order for 70 aircraft
 

Can't hide my delight, as I'm a frequent Iberia flyer and just love Airbus aircarft, yet I suppose it's not much of a surprise to anyone that Airbus won this one.



:ok:Link to Iberia press release of yesterday evening


Apologies, just seen I'm not the first one to post this, it's already on airport, airlines... news forum. At least you have the link to an official press release from Iberia here so I won't delete and leave it up to our kind moderators to decide what to do.

re: Iberia Fleet renewal
 

It will be nice to see the A318 in IB colours. With this fleet replacement over the next couple of years are we going to alos see a new Livery?

I imagine given how relatively slow the 318 has sold to date, the price was keen to say the least. Now that one more competitor (717) has bitten the dust following the FK100 and BAe RJX perhaps more orders may follow.

Flybe & Iberia
 

Anybody know why those suits from Iberia were in Exeter today?

I think they are trying to buy flybe.


WOWBOY

Didn't the Iberia chief say in the last few days that Iberia was looking to buy an existing LCC or set one up?

Don't Flybe maintain some of Iberias (Air Nostrum) aircraft? (DHC8 & CRJ?), possibly just signing a further maintainence contract?

FC

Believe maint contract for Air Nostrum

Iberia Mulls Buying Low-Cost Airline

April 20, 2005

Iberia is considering buying or setting up a low cost airline of its own so that it can compete in this market "with the same weapons", Spanish media reported on Wednesday.

News agency Europa Press quoted Managing Director Angel Mullor as saying Iberia was weighing up alternatives, such as buying an existing company or setting up its own.

"Either we fight with the same weapons as these airlines or we will have to stay out of these markets," Mullor said, according to the Europa Press report.

An Iberia spokeswoman said Mullor's remarks were accurately reported.

More than 50 million foreign tourists visit Spain every year and a steadily increasing proportion come on budget airlines such as Ryanair, easyJet or Lufthansa's Germanwings unit.

Iberia has been a fierce critic of subsidies received by budget airlines flying to smaller airports.

"What Iberia has to do is cut costs, either internally, or, if that fails, by any other means possible," the spokeswoman said.

(Reuters)

But it won't be Flybe!

FC

FC,

Why's that? Do you have some insider info???

Word here suggests the 757 fleet being redeployed to an existing small carrier.....

Maybe it could be Vueling?