I recently read many negative commments on Iberia airlines on another message board and am now concerned. My company just booked a trip for me to Brussels via Iberia through Madrid, business class. I'm reading that business class itself is a joke with cold food only, torn seats- yikes! Your opinion is important because if I hear more negative comments here, I may twist their arms and make them change my flights. What is your experience? Thanks all!

hi Karrie

I haven't flown Iberia since 2006 but I am flying them in about two weeks. I've also seen the horror stories on the internet. Yeah Iberia gets it in the bad press department - but my advice is, go in not expecting much. I've only flown coach though - twice, and I am still willing - that says something, right?

I can say that I have called their offices a couple of time recently about seat assignments and a time-change, and they are really trying on the customer service front.

We flew Iberia business class Buenos Aires to Barcelona in March.
I had read all the bad reports and was very worried, however, the flights were on time, the seats were comfortable and the food was OK. We can't remember what we ate but would remember if it was as bad as the reviews on other boards.
The seats/beds are not as good as Qantas or Cathay Pacific but I took a sleeping pill and slept well. We had our own entertainment unit. The staff were polite and helpful.

We had to change planes in Madrid (it seemed that more than half the plane was going to Barcelona) and pulled in to a gate a long walk from customs. There was a large queue at the next gate, but they boarded the people who had arrived from Buenos Aires first which was rather nice after a long flight.

It wasn't the best flight we had, but it wasn't bad and I would travel business class with them again.

Jill

Thanks ladies, I appreciate the comments. The worst that can happen is that I ask our travel folks to book me differently next time but I think it'll be ok.

I will not travel Iberia if given a choice. The problem is that they simply don't have the resources to put things right when they go wrong which is frequent for them.

In business class, their service is quite good, however. But, 48 hours to return to London from Johannesburg was beyond a joke. Never again.

Although we are flying to France, not Spain, I'm trying to find out about Iberia.

We need to use our FF miles on American, but the only codeshare partners in Europe that will let those be used are BA and Iberia (per the AA reps on the phone).

Option 1 - fly to Heathrow on AA, spend 13 hours waiting to fly on BA to Nice, France and arrive at midnight.

(We've experienced that layover before and would have to rent a hotel/Yotel room for a few hours to sleep off the flight; then, have to rent an airport room in Nice because we can't get into the Antibes apartment at midnight)

Option 2 - fly Iberia and change planes in Madrid, getting into Nice at 11:25am in the morning.

We're flying out 13 May and returning 23 May.

Thanks!
Cameron

Iberia was fine in September. It was less chaotic going over than it was on earlier trips, but coming back, boarding was a little chaotic. The flight itself was fine.

If you are changing in Madrid though, make sure to have a LOT of time. It took us 45 minutes to change terminals on this trip - that airport is huge! I would allow 2 hours if possible in case of delays and just to be on the safe side.

Shannon - thanks for responding!

We have 2 hours and 35 minutes between flights in Madrid. I've flown in/out of Madrid during visits to Spain, but never on Iberia.

Since we're retired folks and airfares are around $1000 each if purchased, we're just going to have to watch our budget and take these AAdvantage AAward flights.

We booked our apartment back last August and were able to add one more day to fit the flight schedules.

Cameron

I once asked for a golf cart transport when I was with my mother, knowing I had a huge distance to walk and she is a slow walker. Cut down on the worry that I would not get from one end of a huge terminal to another in the allotted time. Perhaps you can request that in Madrid?

KellyC - we'll be fine walking. I guess the retiree remark is a bit misleading. We're 56, retired early and then the stock market tanked! It's our finances, not our legs that are weak! LOL :-)

Cameron

I also fly by Iberia in early March from Chicago to Barcelona and have just 1.5 between the flights. I have read your posts on Iberia here and now I am worried having just 1.5 hour to find our terminal to Barcelona in Madrid airport. We used Iberia a few years ago flying to Rome through Madrid. The only thing I remember is a chaos in Madrid. I have not learned my lesson and bought a budget ticket from Iberia again... I guess I am going to pay my real price in Madrid!

I didn't mean you couldn't walk being retirees. I just meant you could get somewhere much faster using the golf cart. And if you are pressed for time, why not? I've asked for rides in the past. It saves quite a bit of time if you are in a hurry. So does walking super fast on the moving sidewalks!

When you change flights at Madrid, make sure you look at the departure board and check the gate. On the plane we had been told the gate the Barcelona flight would leave from and headed there.
Walking through the terminal I noticed our flight number and realised the gate had changed. There were quite a few people who hadn't checked and were waiting at the wrong gate. They were pretty stressed as they boarded.

We only had an hour but there was time to find the ATM and use the toilets and get to the gate.

Thanks all for the ground chaos info. We will be sure to double-check the gates. I don't remember much about the Madrid airport, but I'm sure I'll see if I can find an online map of the terminals.

One grown son just told us that he flew Iberia when he went to Spain a few years ago and "it was no more uncomfortable than flying coach on American." He and his girlfriend are going on this trip and paying for her ticket (we are buying his as a pharmacy school graduation present which is what this trip is about). I recommended the AA/BA flights to him and he said they'd rather fly Iberia with us. Go figure!

KellyC- I once told someone to arrange for a transport at DFW to save time and the gate attendant met him with a wheelchair! He wasn't happy with me!

We flew coach on Iberia in Oct 2009 and also had many concerns based on comments we read from others. It was absolutely fine and, in fact, just the same as flights on most other airlines. The flight attendants were friendly, generous with wine pours , and the seats seemed just as uncomfortable as United or American international flights. Our biggest concern was our 1 hr 15 min connection time in Madrid. We checked our flight status on the board as soon as we got off the plane and there was an airport employee who we double checked the gate location with. All went fine and with that I would fly them again without hesitataion. However, I would still feel more comfortable with a couple hour connection time if possible.

We're flying coach on Iberia, non-stop out of Boston in April. I'll let you know how it is. We flew to London on AA last October and I felt like it was a ride in a sardine can! The seats were uncomfortable at best. Using that as a benchmark, I'm hoping Iberia is better. I'll let you know when we return.

Tam - good to hear!

PDM - We're in for the tickets now, but I'd love to know your impression.

Thanks

I have flown twice with Iberia and I had a great experience 1st time and bad one the seond time thus I am thinking I need to fly a 3rd time to have an opinion
First time the service was excellent and everything very smooth. The second time service was poor and flight delayed. Overall I find most of the airlines are not so different.