Iberia expects July flight traffic to hit 60% of 2019 level

Iberia, the Spanish arm of IAG airline group, expects its monthly flights to reach 60% of 2019 levels by July, as travel starts to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This month, Iberia is flying at 40% of May 2019 levels and expects to reach 50% of the last pre-pandemic June next month, Commercial Director Maria Jesus Lopez Solas told reporters on Thursday. CEO Javier Sanchez Prieto said Spain needed to open up to the rest of the world, especially Latin America, following months of restrictions to air travel imposed to curb COVID-19. The decision to reopen routes between Spain and Latin America should come within weeks, Prieto said. "There's enormous pent-up demand: as soon as restrictions are lifted, we see bookings start pouring through," Lopez Solas said, adding Iberia planed to fly to 18 Latin American capitals in June. The flag carrier wants to increase flights to Asia from Spain - now only 5% of the total - hoping to bring Madrid's Barajas airport in line with other European hubs, which average 20-25% of flights to Asia.<br/>