THE first-ever Iberia flight from Spain to China took off today (Tuesday) from Madrid's Adolfo Suárez-Barajas airport Terminal 4, coinciding with the carrier's 89th anniversary.
Chief executive Luis Gallego says the flight represents an 'historic' moment for Iberia and would help build closer relations between China and Spain, bringing more tourists from the Asian country into south-western Europe.
The route to Shanghai was a first for Iberia and China, but not the first flight to the Far East for the Spanish airline – a connection between Madrid and Tokyo opened in 1998 and ran for 12 years, but was eventually closed because it was not profitable.
Iberia was not planning on running Madrid-Shanghai flights until the autumn, but decided to bring the new route forward to maximise possible visitor numbers during Spain's main tourism season.
The carrier will fly to the Chinese metropolis – a global financial centre with the world's busiest commercial and container sea port – three times a week, on Tuesdays, Fridays and Sundays, from the Spanish capital.
Spain's badminton world champion Carolina Marín (pictured fourth in from the right), who is now ambassador for tourism for the Greater Madrid region, cut the red tape on the aircraft today before it took off at 12.50hrs.
An Airbus A340-600, the craft is still in the air at the time of publication.
Smaller Airbuses – the A330-200 – will be used for the regular flights, with the A340-600 being a one-off to 'baptise' the new route.
Sponsors of the flight this lunchtime included the Madrid regional government, Madrid city hall, and national departament store chain El Corte Inglés.
