Iberia has taken delivery of its first Airbus A330-200, a more modern aircraft and more fuel-efficient than the planes it is replacing.
It is the first of 13 that will join the fleet over the next three years.
Airbus A330/200s are powered by two engines and their fuel efficiency makes them both cheaper to operate and more friendly to the environment. Their 11,500-kilometer range makes them suitable for non-stop flights on Iberia’s longest routes, such as Madrid-Buenos Aires or Madrid-Montevideo.
Iberia is the fist airline to receive the A330-200 MTOW 242 Tn. Model, which has a 242-tonne takeoff capacity.
The new aircraft comes equipped with Iberia’s all-new seating section. Amongst other improvements, the new Business Plus seats have direct access to the aisle and unfold into 2-meter-long beds. Economy class seats are more ergonomic and roomier.
Touch screens give all passengers access to the varied entertainment programme, including late-release films, music, television series, interactive games, and documentaries. Faster Wi-Fi is also available to all passengers, enabling them to go online while flying at 30,000 feet.
There is also a special portal allowing passengers to connect to the Internet with their own phones, tablets, or laptops, devices. The portal has its own news channel and also supplies information about the flight, as well as about Iberia.
In 2016, Iberia will celebrate the 70th anniversary of its flights between Europe and South America. To mark the occasion, the airline will name several of its new aircraft for Latin America cities, and the new A330-200 is named for the southern Mexican city and state of Oaxaca, famed for its natural, cultural, and historical legacies, and reachable via an easy Iberia connection in Mexico City.
In the past year and a half the Iberia Group has placed orders for a total of 29 along-haul aircraft, including 13 Airbus A330-200s, to be delivered before March, 2018, plus 16 late-model Airbus A350-900s, to be delivered between 2018 and 2021.
The new aircraft will modernise and enlarge Iberia’s long-haul fleet.