In a bid to attract more passengers, Iberia is undertaking a major overhaul of its intercontinental Business Plus class, regaling business travellers with more room, comfort and privacy.

The airline is removing an entire row of business class seats in order to expand the room between rows by more than 30 cm, from 152 cm to 183 cm. The total personal space enjoyed by each business passenger will thus exceed 2.20 metres.

The change is being effected to Iberia’s fleet of Airbus A-340s, used on routes between Spain and the United States, Latin America, and South Africa. The number of business class seats in the A-340/600s will be reduced from 52 to 42, and in the A-340/300s from 42 to 36.

Three aircraft have been modified so far in Iberia’s hangars –the job takes about 300 person-hours per aircraft– and the last unit will be finished in March of next year.

Meanwhile, the company is also working on a new design and new fittings for its long-haul Business Plus class as of 2012.

Iberia’s Customer Relations and Quality Manager, Paloma Manzaneque, says: “We want to give a new boost to our long-haul business class, a segment in which we lead the market on routes linking Europe and Latin America, both to increase our lead and to give our passengers unheard of comfort during their flights”. Iberia’s business class now boasts a Europe-Latin America market share of nearly 24%.

Total Customer Care Programme to Upgrade Service

The changes to Business Plus come within the framework of the Spanish airline’s 150 million-euro Total Customer Care Programme. Under the programme Iberia will also fully remodel the VIP lounges in Madrid-Barajas airport, add limousine services at the airports of Buenos Aires, São Paulo, and Mexico City, offer on-line check-in  to all destinations and boarding with cell phone, and add new features to the Iberia Plus frequent flyers’ programme, including a new Platinum membership card.

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