What is the key to Iberia’s growth in Mexico? Bus tickets!

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Iberia is trying to increase passenger traffic between Mexico and Europe. To do so, the Spanish airline will sign an intermodal agreement with ADO, a Mexican bus line, as reported by the local media outlet, Expansión

Iberia
Iberia tries to increase passenger demand between Mexico and Spain. Photo: Iberia

How it will work?

This agreement will benefit people that live in cities within a two-hour drive from Mexico City. For example, Queretaro and Puebla. 

According to Victor Moneo, head of Commercial Agreements for Iberia in Latin America, both Iberia and ADO will sell only one ticket. It will serve for the whole travel. Advertisement

“When a client access Iberia’s website, he will find that there is a flight between Querétaro and Madrid because we will sell it as just one ticket.”

Then, the clients will hop on a bus drive from their city to Mexico City Airport. After that, they will take their Iberia flight to Europe. 

Iberia and ADO could inaugurate this new service by June, said Moneo. Advertisement

ADO
ADO is a bus line in Mexico. Photo: Jongleur100

The importance of the Mexican market

This will be the first time that Iberia uses this kind of intermodal agreement out of Spain. The carrier chose Mexico because of the importance it has. 

In America, Mexico City is the only hub where Iberia has up to three daily flights. Over 2,000 passengers cross daily the Atlantic between the Spanish and Mexican capitals. 

We’ve said it before: the market between Mexico and Spain is very mature and airlines like Aeromexico, Iberia and even Emirates are taking advantage of it

Last year, over half a million people residing in Spain came to Mexico. Aeromexico launched its new route to Barcelona, first with three weekly frequencies and from June to November will have daily flights. Iberia promoted a third daily flight to Mexico City. Finally, Emirates launched the Dubai-Mexico City route with a stop in Barcelona. 

Between 2018 and 2019, Iberia earned more than $238 million USD operating the route Mexico City-Madrid. OAG classified it as the most profitable route in Latin America. 

Iberia A340
Iberia has three daily flights between Madrid and Mexico City. Photo: James Wang via Flickr

IATA highlighted the importance of intermodal travel

Although it is not particularly related, IATA recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the International Union of Railways (UIC). This was to strengthen the cooperation in interoperability initiatives and support intermodal travel. 

Currently, flygskam is taking a stand against domestic flights worldwide. The commercial aviation is responsible for over 2% of global CO2 emissions. The air industry is trying to show that it’s doing something about it. 

As François Davenne, UIC Director General, said,

“Offering customers a single ticket for rail and air travel gives them the opportunity to choose the best of both worlds by optimizing their journey as well as their carbon footprint.”

Nevertheless, Iberia will launch its new service due to the unattended market in the cities surrounding Mexico City. Also, the flygskam movement hasn’t arrived in Latin America, contrary to the US, where it might be on the rise. Still, this new intermodal service could work for the future as airlines are trying different options to add value while helping against global warming. 

Source: Fly Simple