Q & A with Maria Esther Fernandez de MartinezIberia´s Marketing Manager for Central America

by Jose Carlos de Santiago

Iberia has had a great year in terms of nonstop flights to Central America, boasting soaring occupancy rates that underscore the fact that this region´s destinations are here to stay.

The company´s marketing manager for Central America talked extensively with Caribbean News Digital about this and other hot issues.

CND: Will you explain how Iberia´s nonstop flights to Central America have been faring this year?

MEF: They´ve been really great. I believe it´s the route these countries had been waiting for, the nonstop flights they wanted to have. I can only say it´s been a major hit.

CND: Occupancy rates in these flights have been pretty high. Are you going to add more flights?

MEF: Rather than adding more flights, we´re going to change jetliners. We´re going to cover the Panama and Costa Rica routes with Airbus 340-600s because we´re in a position to add some 100 more seats during those flight days.

CND: Do you have any intention to start flying to other destination?

MEF: Not for the time being. The company´s top three Central American destinations are Guatemala, Costa Rica and Panama, and they´re well served, so to speak. Then we have codeshares with the TACA Group and that´s how the Central America traffic is distributed. In a word, I think the whole operation is pretty well mounted.

CND: Are you planning to start codeshares with some other companies?

MEF: In addition to TACA, we´re operating a codeshare flight to Miami with American Airlines.

CND: But codeshares with Miami are not faring so well, or maybe relations with American Airlines are not so good. What seems to be the problem?

MEF: I don´t think so. At least for us, they are working. Connections are well made and they´re working.

CND: What about entrepreneurial ties between American Airlines and Iberia?

MEF: I can´t talk about that because, to the best of my understanding, things are going smoothly.

CND: Has the Miami hub improved in any sense?

MEF: The Miami hub is gone, it´s no longer there.

CND: Have connections between Miami and Central America improved?

MEF: Yes, they have.

CND: Are you looking for some alternative routes to fly to Central America, to serve other countries?

MEF: Not now. Nonstop flights are doing okay. However, since occupancy rates are on the rise, I think we need to find other solutions.

CND: How many passengers have you brought to Central America?

MEF: More than 150,000.

CND: But you had estimated a quarter of a million passengers, hadn´t you?

MEF: Maybe. We´re in October and I believe occupancy rates have remained high all year long, I´d say higher than we´d anticipated.

CND: Are there good relations between Iberia and the Central American countries?

MEF: They´ve always been good, all the time. There´s a tremendous affinity between these countries and Iberia, especially with Spain. Relations are pretty good.

CND: What countries have had the largest flows? Honduras, Nicaragua? Out of the nations without nonstop flights, which ones are faring better in terms of passenger flows?

MEF: El Salvador, because that´s where TACA has its hub. That makes it easier for passengers to fly in and out of that country.

CND: Are you planning to add routes to other destinations through Via Tour? Do you have any plans in store for Via Tour?

MEF: I can´t answer that right now because that would give Spanish companies the edge. Got my drift?

CND: Is there anything else you´d like to add?

MEF: I just want to say that Central America-bound flights are doing great. I hope occupancy rates will remain as high as they are now. These flights have provided better connections not only between Spain and Central America, but also between the European Union and Central America. As we speak, this is one of the hottest destinations. You can take that to the bank!