Iberia (IB, Madrid Barajas) could possibly add an undisclosed number of the A330-900Ns ordered by parent entity IAG International Airlines Group in the future, as the company ups its long-haul fleet from 45 aircraft to around 70, investing over EUR6 billion euros (USD6.9 billion) over the next five years.
“As part of its 2030 Flight Plan, Iberia aims to expand its long-haul fleet from 45 to approximately 70 aircraft. This growth will be driven by the incorporation of new Airbus A350-900s, A321-200NY(XLR)s, and potentially A330neo, drawn from the recently announced IAG group order, which will be allocated across its member airlines,” it said in a statement.
During the first quarter of this year, IAG placed orders for twenty-one A330-900Ns and thirty-two B787-10s and firmed options for six A350-900s, six A350-1000s, and six B777-9s, ch-aviation reported.
In parallel, the Spanish carrier will undergo a renewal of its short- and medium-haul fleet, replacing nearly all older-generation aircraft with newer A320neo and A321neo units.
ch-aviation data shows Iberia operates three A319-100s, twenty-four A320-200s (thirteen wet-leased from subsidiary Iberia Express), eighteen A320-200Ns, thirteen A321-200s (two wet-leased from Iberia Express), twelve A321-200NX (all from Iberia Express), three A321XLRs, nineteen A330-200s (five operated by sister company LEVEL under Iberia's code), ten A330-300s (two of them from Wamos Air and World2Fly (Spain)), one wet-leased A330-900N (from Iberojet (Portugal)), and twenty-two A350-900s. The older A319, A320, and A321ceo subfleets are 17.1, 17.9 and 21.3 years old on average, respectively.
By adding the new long-haul fleet, Iberia is eyeing the opening of new routes and long-haul destinations, such as Toronto Pearson, Philadelphia International, Monterrey Mariano Escobedo.
Iberia Express to continue
As reported by the Spanish news agency EFE, Iberia is not mulling the closure of its subsidiary Iberia Express at the moment.
The company sees the branch as a vital pillar for the short and medium-haul network. However, Iberia’s president, Marco Sansavini, acknowledged that Iberia Express’ growth has not been optimal, so it will remain stagnant for the time being.
Finally, Iberia is looking to relocate the airline’s corporate headquarters. It is currently developing Ciudad Iberia in La Muñoza, a piece of land located next to Madrid Barajas airport. The project is valued at close to EUR600 million (USD690 million). The expansion of Iberia’s operations and the development of Ciudad Iberia will require a significant increase in staffing, and the company aims to hire about 1,000 new employees per year throughout the duration of the 2030 Flight Plan.
