Iberia business class question

Could someone please give a review of Iberia business class? I've read lots of negative remarks about service, food, etc. We are not frequent business class flyers and have experience flying "business" only with United, LOT and Lufthansa - and no complains whatsoever!

Please tell us what to expect from Iberia...

 

Thanks!

Iberia is now a part of IAG that also holds British Airways.

 

Iberia has a satisfactory Business product, but is in the process of completely re-branding their fleet, with new seats just starting to be added on a weekly basis. This will take a couple of years for the process to be completed.

 

They have been making big changes at Iberia since 2011 and it has not always been an easy process, but is just now starting to take form and the company is starting to move forward.

 

The service is good, food can be great and seats are improving. The MAD terminal is great.

I haven't used the newest seats being installed, but have taken quite a few flights using the "current" generation longhaul product and have had no complaints whatever. I frankly prefer it to BA's business class product - more spacious seat, better food (for the most part - it's dangerous to generalize) and quite good service, albeit distinctly Spanish.

 

Shorthaul/intra-Europe it's decent but not particularly remarkable - typical 3-abreast seating with nobody in the middle. The new slimline seats on the single-aisle Airbuses (shorthaul) are a huge improvement in terms of legroom.

 

The lounges at Barajas are terrific. I really like that airport although it's huge.

MADflyer and Gardyloo,

 

Thank you so much for the info and your oppinion! I hope to hear more good things about Iberia. I've read about re-branding and improvements. Hope they will be in place for our October flight. We are flying ORD to FCO (direct). Does anybody know if ORD has BA business lounge and if Iberia passengers can use it?

 

Thanks!

We are flying ORD to FCO (direct). Does anybody know if ORD has BA business lounge and if Iberia passengers can use it?

By "direct" I presume you mean you're changing planes in Madrid.

 

As I recall, Iberia uses gates close to the H/K American Airlines Admirals Club at ORD, not close to BA's departure gates, so you'll probably get access to the AC with your ticket.

 

At Madrid, since you'll be entering Schengen, you'll have to transfer from the Terminal 4 satellite (T4S) to the main Terminal 4, after going through passport control. Take the elevators from the immigration level down to the trains to T4; the escalators take forever. Look for your T4 departing gate right away - like I said, MAD is huge and you can be a l-o-n-g way from your departing gate.

By "direct" I presume you mean you're changing planes in Madrid.

 

I apologize for misunderstanding. By "direct" I meant "non-stop": from ORD to FCO. I hope "non-stop" means what it should mean: "without stops" in Madrid or anywhere else. :D

Edited March 2, 2014 by TroubleT

I apologize for misunderstanding. By "direct" I meant "non-stop": from ORD to FCO. I hope "non-stop" means what it should mean: "without stops" in Madrid or anywhere else. :D

 

If it's non-stop, I suspect it's actually an American Airlines flight.

I apologize for misunderstanding. By "direct" I meant "non-stop": from ORD to FCO. I hope "non-stop" means what it should mean: "without stops" in Madrid or anywhere else. :D

 

If it's non-stop, I suspect it's actually an American Airlines flight.

Yes, you've purchased a codeshare ticket - an American Airlines flight using an Iberia flight number. Your flight will be on an AA 767. Look closely on your ticket or confirming email and you'll see it says "Operated by American Airlines" somewhere. At the airport you'll check in at the AA counters, not Iberia's. From Chicago, Iberia itself only flies to Madrid.

 

Phone AA and get the AA record locator (six letters) which will be different from Iberia's. Then you can to to aa.com and select your seats, which you can't do on Iberia's website.

Yes, you've purchased a codeshare ticket - an American Airlines flight using an Iberia flight number. Your flight will be on an AA 767. Look closely on your ticket or confirming email and you'll see it says "Operated by American Airlines" somewhere. At the airport you'll check in at the AA counters, not Iberia's. From Chicago, Iberia itself only flies to Madrid.

 

Phone AA and get the AA record locator (six letters) which will be different from Iberia's. Then you can to to aa.com and select your seats, which you can't do on Iberia's website.

 

I was able to access my reservation on Iberia website. And you are absolutely right - the flight is operated by AA. And they already assigned seats for us. But I will take your advice and get AA record locator.

 

Now I am back to square 1. :D Any word on AA business class service, seats, food, etc.?

Thanks a lot!!! You've been so helpful!

These cross-marketing aggreements are really getting advanced.

 

I live mostly in Switzerland and when American started flying from Milan Malpensa to Miami direct a couple months ago, I got an email from Spanish Iberia, in German, offering bonus miles on American from Italy using Iberia codes.

 

The IB fare was half what AA was selling them for themselves on the same plane.

 

Enjoy your American seats, which are most likely updated.

Any word on AA business class service, seats, food, etc.?

The seats (as of now - October is a long way off, and AA might have started to integrate its fleet with US Airways' by then, but IMO unlikely) are angle-flat jobs, unlike the lie-flat seats on Iberia. That means that when in "bed" mode your head will still be above your feet; some people don't mind this, others do.

 

You'll get Bose noise-canceling headphones and a Samsung Galaxy media viewer, since AA chose (why?) not to put seatback video in the 767s. You'll have a number of movies, TV shows and games on the viewer.

 

You'll get a predeparture beverage (OJ, water or champagne) then a full drinks round, some warm nuts, and a dinner; then a breakfast service before you land.

 

In my experience service on the 767s in business class (there is no first class on these planes) is nearly as good as service in first class in the bigger 777s. There is a good ratio of crew to passengers in the business class section, so they seem more willing to top up glasses, check to see that everything's okay, etc. IMO AA's 767 transatlantic crews are among the best.

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy the flight. Here's a review of a similar flight to yours.

The seats (as of now - October is a long way off, and AA might have started to integrate its fleet with US Airways' by then, but IMO unlikely) are angle-flat jobs, unlike the lie-flat seats on Iberia. That means that when in "bed" mode your head will still be above your feet; some people don't mind this, others do.

 

You'll get Bose noise-canceling headphones and a Samsung Galaxy media viewer, since AA chose (why?) not to put seatback video in the 767s. You'll have a number of movies, TV shows and games on the viewer.

 

You'll get a predeparture beverage (OJ, water or champagne) then a full drinks round, some warm nuts, and a dinner; then a breakfast service before you land.

 

In my experience service on the 767s in business class (there is no first class on these planes) is nearly as good as service in first class in the bigger 777s. There is a good ratio of crew to passengers in the business class section, so they seem more willing to top up glasses, check to see that everything's okay, etc. IMO AA's 767 transatlantic crews are among the best.

 

I'm sure you'll enjoy the flight. Here's a review of a similar flight to yours.

 

 

Thank you so much for the information!!! I feel so much better now!

Hope they will make some changes before our October flight. But it looks ok to me now. :)

Whatever you do, make sure you use IB's amazing lounge at MAD T4 S. You'll likely have a morning / early afternoon departure so they will have a great food spread (hot and cold). The views of the tarmac are great and lots of sunlight streams in during the morning hours. We killed two hours in that lounge before flying IB's MAD - ORD route in business class and really enjoyed it.

 

Lounges like that put US lounges to shame.