Iberia

Iberia Express PMI-MAD. Departed on time comfortable seats and reasonable service. Used the kiosk to check-in which was a bonus.

MAD - EZE on an A340-600 in economy flight through the night taking about 13 hours. This was the third consecutive flight for us having already flown from China to LHR and on to MAD and my Iberia first impressions weren't so great. Ideally we would have gone BA LHR-EZE but price was a factor and Iberia was the cheaper though still expensive option. Luckily I'd already been travelling for 15+ hours and had stayed awake the whole time as to try and get some sleep on this flight as there was no personal IFE and just some poor quality drop-down televisions around the cabin. I don't mind this so much on a cheap airline but on a flag carrier charging full price? Come on. The flight attendants seemed grumpy and never smiled and everything seemed like a chore (compared to the lovely BA ladies). But hey it was a smooth uneventful flight important for a person like me who has always struggled with sleeping on planes. Will be flying them back next month and hopefully they've refitted their long haul A340s by then with some IFE.

MAD-ORY. Quick check-in departed on time good service and food. The only issue no priority for baggage on arrival. Had access to business lounge which provided good facilities and refreshments.

MAD-LHR-MAD check in fast on all sectors boarding on time by rows planes ok. No service on board only food for purchase. Nice FA on all sectors. Early arrival on both flights. Very good fare so good value for money. Bags on belt short after arrival.

Yesterday I was flying Copenhagen-Madrid-A Coruna. First nothing is served on the plane not even a cup of coffee despite the flying time of 3.5 hours from CPH-Madrid. The planes are old-fashioned poor leg space no service. Upon arrival in Madrid Spanish officials were screaming in Spanish unable to speak English. From a kind fellow passenger I could understand that the flight to A Coruna was cancelled. We were given the options to get on a bus (approx 7 hours - from 9pm) or get a flight the next day (without hotel option). Most of us went for the bus option and picked up our luggage where after we waited for further instructions. By a total coincidence I talked to another Iberia official who seemed surprised the flight was not cancelled but I had to hurry extremely much to catch it now! In A Coruna they had lost my suitcase.

Flew MAD-UIO (Quito) - Reserved Exit Seats at extra cost thank goodness we did this as the plane's seat pitch was appalling Airbus 340-600 disgusting uncomfortable seats filthy interior meal tray was caked in left over food underneath. The plane's interior reminded me of what the Charter flights of the 70's used to look like entertainment forget it still stuck in the 70's one screen in the middle no choice of individual entertainment thank goodness for films on my i-Pad. Worst thing? the staff miserable as sin worst than this? the food indescribable eat before you get on. Took the return flight from LIM-MAD same experience.

JFK-MAD-SCQ. I normally fly every summer to Spain with Iberia. Normally my experience is awful but last summer it was excellent. Unlike Iberia's Airbus A340-300/600 there were TVs at every seat. We had a choice of movies and TV shows. At check-in I was offered an upgrade to fly Business Class for 70 US dollars (great deal) I refused because I thought it wasn't going to be anything special. The first thing I'm going to suggest to everybody If you're taller than 6'1" I would recommend you pay 70 dollars for the upgrade. I'm 6'3" and there wasn't much leg room for me especially when the person in front of me puts their seat in a reclining position. The flight attendants were much nicer and show that they care unlike my previous experiences. Now I completely recommend Iberia they have improved a lot.

LIS-MAD-DUS in Economy both on Airbus A320. The Madrid-Dusseldorf leg was performed by Iberia Express. I got roughly what I paid for: check-in perfect suitcase priority checked (and it arrived well and early on the belt in DUS). Lisbon-Madrid leg on time one hour flight with "service for money" which I did not use. No newspapers or entertainment at all seat pitch unbelievably tight (I am 183cms/6ft1') but for an hour I survived. Second leg to DUS on Friday evening - full "weekend load" same seating problems. For a flight of 2.5 hours it is claustrophobic particularly when a passenger in the seat in front believes she is entitled to recline her seat then you are just like a sardine in the box. Departure was 20 minutes late we carried this delay into DUS. Baggage delivery was swift far better than usual. No newspapers no entertainment (seems that the respective equipment is inactivated - I had "appreciated" it many times before on Iberia even without headphones). Seems Iberia did install further rows after changing to the new slim Recaro seats that are also in use at e.g. Lufthansa. The overhead reading lights are still in the old intervals and sometimes do not light the passengers reading material anymore but his/her neck or just the back of the seat. Service is just the one of a low cost airline. I travelled on Oneworld points thus I paid "only fees and taxes" but that was already too much. Next time it will be Swiss or Lufthansa (the original not Germanwings) again. The investment of additional points or money to upgrade into Iberia business class does not make sense because the seat pitch and the lack of newspapers are the very same.

LHR-MAD-EZE January 2014. I'd read a few reviews of Iberia before travelling with them a few weeks ago and I'd also spoken to a number of friends who'd taken a long haul flight with them to South America. I wasn't expecting much based on these reviews and conversations however I'm happy to say I was very pleasantly surprised. The short hop down to Madrid was fine. You don't get complimentary drinks and food like you do on British Airways and some other full-fare European carriers but that's fine really as its not a long flight. The flight from Madrid to Buenos Aires was on a newly refurbished A340-600 which meant it came with a personal entertainment system at each seat in economy which is exactly what you need for a 12hr flight! It wasn't a bad system either with a modern touch screen. It could have done with a few more films compared to other systems such as Cathay Pacific of LAN it didn't have the widest choice but it was fine for me as this was an overnight that left at 00.30. The system was a bit glitchy to begin with and only started to properly work about 90mins into the flight. Other aspects of the flight were ok the food was pretty basic and what you might call stereotypical airline food. The staff were fine and did a good job. Would I fly with Iberia again? If I was going to Latin America and the price was right i'd consider them yes. I think this is the start of a long overdue refurb for the Spanish national carrier and I think they will only get better from here on in.

Flew Gran Canaria - Madrid Iberia Express business class. Was not expecting too much with their express offering but pleasantly surprised. Quick check in and security on time departure of this full flight on a new and clean A320. Business configured 2X2 with middle seat blocked. Pillows and blankets available. Service was delivered by hand with nice touches like post take off Cava and a tablecloth. Hot meal served by smart and competent crew (however meal tray is very like an economy meal with a foil container and no choice.) Chocolates offered before landing. Drinks were served in real glass however I believe they do not carry spirits only beer and wine. Priority tagged bag first off.