Avios Solidarios, a Great Idea

Hello. My name is Begoña Ontiveros, and I’m an A-340 purser. I’ve been with Iberia for 33 years, 22 of them as purser.

A little more than a year ago the company invited us employees to take part in a idea laboratory, called Iberia LAB, to improve company procedures, since who knows them better than we do? There were four categorises; interactions with customers, improving revenues, optimising operations, and innovative solutions for revolutionising the air travel industry.

My suggestion fell into the “interactions with customers” category. It was for “Avios for solidarity”. I thought of it on a return trip from Mexico. You know that when you fly or use services provided by partners of the Iberia Plus Loyalty programme you earn Avios –frequent flyer points. These can be collected and later redeemed in the form of free flights.

On that flight back to Madrid a passenger said, “I’ve got enough Avios to stop seven trains, or, I should say, airplanes”. Since in my spare time I work in an NGO, it occurred to me that customers might like to donate some of their Avios to a worthy cause. I said as much to the passenger, who said he thought it was a very good idea, and that he would love to contribute.

So I mentioned my idea in the Iberia LAB project and it was my good luck and my great honour to have the idea accepted. And today it is a reality. “Avios solidarios” now go to Make a Wish,  Fundación Integra, Aviation Without Borders, Ayuda en Acción, Fundación 38 Grados, Fundación Aladina, Fundación Sepla Ayuda, Envera and Mano a Mano, and more charitable organisations will soon be included.

I have to admit that this made me extremely happy, and not just for myself --my own personal recognition-- but for all the people involved, both in Iberia and in the NGOs that are benefiting from this initiative.

As a reward for the idea, the company gave me 30,000 Avios, which of course I’m donating to the Avios for Solidarity programme.

I invite all of you to do the same. Thank you very much!