A couple of days ago, Iberia announced a new codeshare partnership with the Chinese low-cost airline Spring Airlines. This announcement came about a week after the airline started codesharing with another Chinese airline, Hainan Airlines.
These new partnerships allow Iberia to expand its presence in the Chinese market to ten airports.
Iberia’s Codeshare Partnership with Hainan Airlines
Iberia’s codeshare partnership with Hainan Airlines started on October 23, 2019, and expanded the Spanish airline’s presence in China by adding Iberia flight numbers to the following flights:
- Twice weekly Hainan Airlines flight from Madrid to Shenzhen
- Domestic Hainan Airlines flights from Shanghai where Iberia operates to Haikou, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Beijing, Shenzhen, and Xi’an
The new partnership allows Iberia to reach six airports in China that it hasn’t served before. MarÃa Jesús López Solás, Iberia’s Customer and Network Development Manager, shared her thoughts on the partnership:
…this agreement represents a major step forward in extending our coverage of China and our access to the Chinese market. We are certain that this advance in connectivity will contribute to the growth of tourism in both directions, as well as trade.
On the other side of the new agreement, Hainan Airlines started offering Iberia’s Shanghai – Madrid flights under its flight numbers, and it also added its flight numbers to 20 Iberia destinations in Spain, Italy, and Portugal.
Iberia’s Codeshare Partnership with Spring Airlines
The agreement between Iberia and Spring Airlines was announced on October 31, 2019, and the codesharing will begin on December 1, 2019. Spring Airlines’ flights from Shanghai to Chongqing, Shenyang, Dalian, and Changchun will be offered under Iberia flight numbers.
López Solas said the following about the new agreement which expands already existing arrangements between the two airlines:
Thanks to Spring Airlines we’re going to be able to reach more destinations in China and offer our customers more options and a better product. We already have an agreement with Spring whereby our technical crews can fly temporarily on their aircraft, and this is another step forward.
Spring Airlines code will be added to Iberia’s flights between Madrid and Shanghai as well.
Summary
Currently, oneworld – of which Iberia is a part – has no member airline from mainland China. As such, looking for domestic partners within China to increase the reach of its Madrid – Shanghai flights makes a lot of sense for Iberia.
Initially, I thought the latter partnership with Spring Airlines – a low-cost airline was a bit unfortunate. I also found it strange that Iberia described the new partnership as offering its passengers “a better product.”
Then, however, I remembered my Iberia flight from Vienna to Madrid – especially the seats the airline offered on the short-haul intra-European flight – and I started thinking that flying with Spring Airlines might not be a downgrade (it might even be an upgrade) compared to that.
