Iberia has moved forward the launch date for its new Madrid-Shanghai route.
The carrier had originally planned to start the three times-weekly service this winter (see news January 18), but will now launch the route on June 28, in order to “take advantage of summer demand”.
Flights will depart Madrid at 1250 on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, arriving into Shanghai at 0710 the following day, with the return leg leaving the Chinese city at 1100, and landing back into the Spanish capital at 1840.
Reservations are now available online, with the carrier offering a promotional fare starting from €499 return for flights booked by May 6 and completed by November 30.
The route will be served with A330-200 aircraft, with 19 business class seats offering a two-metre bed and direct aisle access, and 269 economy seats.
Iberia will also launch flights to Tokyo on October 18, and is resuming services to Puerto Rico on May 15, and Johannesburg on August 1.
However the carrier has confirmed it has temporarily suspended flights to Istanbul owing to “a steep decline in demand”, and will also suspend services to Nigeria on May 12, and Ghana on May 17, due to a drop in demand and “lack of profitability”.
Mark Caswell
