Iberia Express

[TheLocalYokel]

Seat Guru (not always completely reliable) shows the Iberia Express A320 aircraft having 180 seats split 18 business class and 162 economy. However, Seat Guru states that the middle seat in business class is left unoccupied to provide more room. If this is so the aircraft actually operate with a maximum of 171 seats.

Does anyone know if this happens on the CWL-MAD route?

 

[aviatorconcorde]

Seat Guru (not always completely reliable) shows the Iberia Express A320 aircraft having 180 seats split 18 business class and 162 economy. However, Seat Guru states that the middle seat in business class is left unoccupied to provide more room. If this is so the aircraft actually operate with a maximum of 171 seats.

Does anyone know if this happens on the CWL-MAD route?

Yep this will definitely happen on the CWL-MAD route.

Considering that IB express has a Business Class just shows it is basically mainline Iberia dressed as something else.

 

[Jerry]

Well i flew with them i did see a divider curtain up front with a few people beyond it. It is possible to book short haul and long haul connections using the Madrid route so i'd have thought the business cabin would be open and as aviatorconcorde said IB Express is just a cheaper version of IB mainline to keep costs down.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Many thanks both. That should increase both the yield and the load factor. I thought the load factor was a bit disappointing in June (especially) and July based on a 180-seat all economy aircraft.

 

[Jerry]

On social media someone said that inbound was full and the outbound had 85 passengers. The one thing that has been noticed by several passengers is the large amount of Spanish people using the flight which is obviously a goal of the Welsh government and makes me wonder in the future if IAG may consider looking at other seasonal Spanish city routes into CWL.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

According to the Iberia Express twitter account Cardiff for Summer 2019 will go onsale around the end of the month.

Noticed on the EDI forum quotes that MAD flights are now on sale. No sign on CWL on the selection list though. 83%LF is OK, but is only a 3% increase on 2017. Prices has generally been quite cheap. Hopefully it will return and will be given similar chance like VY did. Haven't seen much advertising for the route though.

 

[CWL94]

I've also noticed ORK is now on sale and wasnt a few days ago either!

 

[Jerry]

Noticed on the EDI forum quotes that MAD flights are now on sale. No sign on CWL on the selection list though. 83%LF is OK, but is only a 3% increase on 2017. Prices has generally been quite cheap. Hopefully it will return and will be given similar chance like VY did. Haven't seen much advertising for the route though.

Hopefully it will be back and be released soon enough as it's a great route for CWL to have definitely would be disappointing to lose it.

 

[Jerry]

I'd also have thought CWL would be one of their last routes to go onsale as well.

 

[Jerry]

It's been reported here that Iberia Express have dropped the Madrid route.
https://ukaviation.news/cardiff-air...fjpF42bb5xSwDCtifUSFF5_ONt-jbOjigEsxf4menNyE8

 

[TheLocalYokel]

It's been reported here that Iberia Express have dropped the Madrid route.
https://ukaviation.news/cardiff-air...fjpF42bb5xSwDCtifUSFF5_ONt-jbOjigEsxf4menNyE8

They will have to see if they can get Ryanair interested. With Iberia Express operating a peak summer season-only route it was by that very nature more geared towards leisure travellers. Ryanair might operate a longer season but there would be none of the connectivity that IB brought.

Two IAG routes dropped (if this report is accurate) in short order is obviously extremely disappointing but Ryanair will replace much of the BCN footfall through CWL and would do the same (and more probably) if they came onto the Madrid route. A couple of years ago the idea would have been fanciful, as would their foray into the Barcelona service, but things are clearly changing.

 

[Jerry]

They will have to see if they can get Ryanair interested. With Iberia Express operating a peak summer season-only route it was by that very nature more geared towards leisure travellers. Ryanair might operate a longer season but there would be none of the connectivity that IB brought.

Two IAG routes dropped (if this report is accurate) in short order is obviously extremely disappointing but Ryanair will replace much of the BCN footfall through CWL and would do the same (and more probably) if they came onto the Madrid route. A couple of years ago the idea would have been fanciful, as would their foray into the Barcelona service, but things are clearly changing.

The article doesn't actually say where Iberia Express have stated that they won't return and it being a new service i suppose it always has the potential of not returning.
If it doesn't return then it will be a shame as not only was it a nice route to have but they were a good airline to fly with and hopefully the airport may be able to persuade Ryanair to take it on in the future though it might be a harder job to do than with BCN.

 

[Severn]

I think you’re right Jerry about it being a harder job to persuade RYR to start a MAD route from CWL. Given the difference in size of the UK-BCN and UK-MAD markets, and that RYR will start the CWL-BCN route at 2x weekly for now, i’d be surprised if they were to start on a CWL-MAD route anytime soon.
Looking at the UK-Madrid market next Summer, CWL has been dropped by Iberia Express, along with RYR dropping their routes from NCL and GLA. That now leaves the following flights from the UK (outside of London) to MAD next Summer:

EDI - 15x flights per week (EZY: x9, IBS x6)
MAN - 11x flights per week (RYR: x7, IBS x4)
BHX - 8x flights per week (RYR: x4, IBS x4)
BRS - 7x flights per week (EZY x7)*
LPL - 4x flights per week (EZY x4)

*(EZY will operate 8x weekly (2x daily on a Thursday) from BRS-MAD in Feb/Mar 19, so it might not be inconceivable to think next summer might see an increase)

 

[Sean123]

Could flybe pick it up? cwl won't want to lose the route and they seem to be becoming good at side stepping any negative news

 

[geoff]

Another piece in the article that is not quite correct, is that CWL have never stated their intention to reach 3 million passengers by 2020.

 

[Sean123]

Yeah I saw that as I recall they're predictions we're far more modest

 

[Jerry]

*(EZY will operate 8x weekly (2x daily on a Thursday) from BRS-MAD in Feb/Mar 19, so it might not be inconceivable to think next summer might see an increase)

I think if they do then it could well be in the form of using more A320s as i believe they use the A319 on the route quite a bit?

If the article is true and i've no reason to doubt why it isn't then it is a shame the route is lost but for an airport like CWL it was always going to be a tricky route as it was always going to be a pure city break route whereas Barcelona does have beaches nearby and is a cruise port but it is the type of route that CWL gets criticism for not having.
I suppose Flybe could pick it up as the gaps are there in their schedule but maybe for them something more familiar like southern France would be better or using those slots to increase frequencies on current routes or maybe add Geneva all year round? Guess we should find out in a week or 2 with them.
And i'm now thinking maybe i should stay away from the Ryanair Malta route as i've flown this year with both IB Express and Vueling for the first time in each case and they've dropped the route i've flown on!

 

[Sean123]

Don't go to doha jerry!

 

[Jerry]

Don't go to doha jerry!

That was on my list!

 

[Sean123]

That was on my list!

Noooooo!!