Iberia vs. American, Alitalia questions

[keltic]

The Iberia flight is $75pp cheaper, but I've read awful reviews of Iberia as an airline - delays, rude crew, awful seat conditions. Does anyone here have experience with them? I'm thinking for a long haul I'd want to be on a US carrier because I've had bad experiences with foreign carriers in the past. Is this justified?

 

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Awfal seat conditions?. In fact pitch is slightly better than standard, and even more roomy to some american carriers. Seat are not particularly confortable but just OK. Not awful. Delays?. Not so many. Rude crew?. Yes, sometimes.

 

They don´t have personal screens in coach, probably this is the worst disadvantage. They have just refitted Business Plus Class, and in 2010 they will refit the whole coach cabin. In general terms, bad experiencies depends on many factor: how fussy one is, being not fair with foreign carriers (and in many cases racism), particular indicents or events, or flying under adverse conditions like incidents on board, strikes, delay for many reasons.

 

Under normal conditions, which usually happen on Iberia. It´s a mediocre airline simillar to airlines like Lufthansa, American Airlines, or many others. BUT....one of the safest in the world. If the fare is good, just go for it. You will get a standard meal (not the worst), decent complementary drink list (good wines), and a snack before landing. Two films are shows (usually brand new releases) and a professional crews which although unfriendly I wouldn´t call them rude in general terms.

 

So, summarizing. I avoid them if I have a good alternative, which implies individual AVOD system, but if the fare is good. I don´t have any doubt. It´s not a wonderful airline, but just decent. I have just flown Qatar Airways, and although they are five star, and you get a good experience, I wasn´t particularly impressed. Coach is always coach.

 

In longhaul you get pillows, blankets, and a short set of ammenities (headphones, eyesshades...and so on)

[Ainhoa]

Having flown Alitalia once (Bilbao-Milan-Lamezia-Rome-Madrid) I have only one thing to say about them. NEVER AGAIN. This is an airline on the brink of well deserved bankruptcy. You have heard that Iberia staff are rude... they have nothing on Alitalia where cabin crew are splendidly indifferent to any passenger needs. Every flight was late, with no explanation as we queued at the requested time at the gate. For over an hour. Seats were broken and taped off. The planes (with one exception) were old and showing their age. My advice? Unless you have absolutely no alternative.... don't do it.

 

Iberia staff aren't really rude. I fly with them a lot. It's just that Spanish people don't go through all the prerequisite chat ("how are you?" "Please" "Thank you" "Have a nice day") that we Anglo-Saxons think of as polite conversation so think them rude. I expect they think we are insincere. It's just cultural differences in communication. The Spanish are some of the nicest and kindest people in Europe.... underneath.