Iberia Express plans to operate an average of 141 flights a week between Madrid and the Canary Islands this summer
Iberia Express representatives have expressed their intention to stimulate foreign tourism to the islands through its international hub in Madrid, but always attentive to market opportunities, as they have operational flexibility.
Iberia Express expects to recover connectivity with the Canary Islands in the summer very similar to what it had in 2019, before the crisis caused by the pandemic, and to operate an average of 141 flights a week with Madrid during July and August, as long as the health situation allows it.
This is what the airline has told the Minister of Tourism of the Canary Islands Government, Yaiza Castilla, to whom it has conveyed its "firm" commitment to the islands as a tourist destination for the summer.
These forecasts were discussed at the virtual meeting held with the CEO of Iberia Express, Carlos Gómez, and the airline's commercial director, Evandro Vianna, in which, in addition to Castilla, the manager of Promotur Turismo de Islas Canarias, José Juan Lorenzo, was also present.
The company representatives stated that they have indicators that show that the summer months could be dominated by domestic travel, hence the intention expressed by the CEO of Iberia Express to channel this tourist flow to the islands with a connectivity that would reach values very similar to those of 2019, depending on the evolution of the pandemic.
Of these 141 weekly flights with Madrid during July and August, 41 would be with Gran Canaria (which would have between five and six daily flights), 34 with Tenerife North and 15 with Tenerife South (the island would have between five and seven daily flights), 21 with Lanzarote and Fuerteventura and 9 with La Palma.
In addition, the representatives of Iberia Express told the Councillor of their intention to stimulate foreign tourism to the islands through their international hub in Madrid, but always attentive to market opportunities, as they have operational flexibility.
In the case of Easter, the company is still awaiting the mobility restrictions that may be set or maintained for the end of March and beginning of April, depending on the epidemiological progression of the country, but they said that they will be very attentive and will do their utmost to offer more seats between the mainland and the islands if the conditions are right.
For her part, Yaiza Castilla expressed her satisfaction with the airline's commitment to the archipelago and explained to those in charge that the Regional Ministry will soon be announcing the incentives for the recovery of air connectivity. In addition, the Councillor expressed her willingness to open avenues of collaboration with the airline to reduce the carbon footprint of tourist traffic, which the company is already implementing.
"It is essential for the archipelago to recover the connectivity we had before the crisis caused by the pandemic. We are convinced that when the epidemiological situation stabilises, people from mainland Spain and Europe will resume their travels immediately," Castilla explained.
In 2020, the Iberia group's air capacity in the Canary Islands was reduced less than the average airline in the archipelago. The company has demonstrated its commitment to maintaining connectivity at all times, never completely interrupted its operations during the closure and was one of the few airlines to operate scheduled flights to provide a public service to the citizens of the Canary Islands that guaranteed a minimum of connectivity for the Islands. In addition, the Iberia Group has also collaborated in sending vaccines to both Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
