Editing Iberia (airline) (section)

==History==
{{Main|History of Iberia (airline)}}
{{more citations needed section|date=January 2017}}
[[File:Alfonso XIII en el vuelo inaugural de Iberia.png|thumb|King [[Alfonso XIII]] of Spain disembarks from the [[Rohrbach Roland|Rohrbach Ro VIII Roland]] used for the inaugural flight of Iberia from Madrid to Barcelona in 1927.]]
[[File:Inauguración de la ruta Sevilla-Madrid (1939) (5811669732).jpg|thumb|King Alfonso XIII inspects one of the airline's [[Junkers G 24]]s.]]
[[File:Vuelo inaugural Iberia Madrid - Buenos Aires (1946).jpg|thumb|Crew of the inaugural Iberia service to [[Buenos Aires]] in 1946 with the [[Douglas DC-4]] used for the flight.]]
[[File:Iberia - Douglas DC-8-52.jpg|thumb|Iberia [[Douglas DC-8|Douglas DC-8-52]] at Stockholm in 1969.]]
[[File:Iberia Caravelle Fitzgerald.jpg|thumb|Iberia [[Sud Aviation Caravelle]] at London – Gatwick in 1973.]]
[[File:Iberia Boeing 727-256 Adv EC-CBA.jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 727|Boeing 727–200]] on approach to land at London – Heathrow in 1978.]]
[[File:374ci - IBERIA Boeing 747-341; TF-ATI@MIA;31.08.2005 (5327302216).jpg|thumb|[[Boeing 747|Boeing 747–300]] about to touch down at Miami in 2005.]]
[[File:Boeing 747-412, Iberia (Air Atlanta Icelandic) AN0878067.jpg|thumb|A [[Boeing 747-412]] in [[Luxembourg Airport]], June 2005.]]

===Early years===
Iberia, Compañía Aérea de Transportes, was incorporated on 28 June 1927 with a capital investment of 1.1 million [[Spanish peseta|pesetas]] by financier [[Horacio Echevarrieta]] and [[Deutsche Luft Hansa]]. Flight operations commenced on 14 December 1927.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.europapress.es/economia/noticia-economia-empresas-iberia-celebra-manana-80-anos-andadura-flota-220-aviones-vuelos-104-destinos-20070627164221.html|title=Iberia celebra mañana 80 años de andadura con una flota de 220 aviones y vuelos a 104 destinos|date=27 June 2007|publisher=Europa Press|access-date=13 November 2017|language=es-ES|archive-url=https://archive.today/20241123052034/https://www.europapress.es/economia/noticia-economia-empresas-iberia-celebra-manana-80-anos-andadura-flota-220-aviones-vuelos-104-destinos-20070627164221.html|archive-date=23 November 2024}}</ref> The Spanish government contracted the company to provide postal transport between Madrid and Barcelona. During [[Miguel Primo de Rivera]]'s dictatorship, Spanish aviation companies were amalgamated and became state-controlled as a general interest public utility, starting early 1928.<ref name="LA" /> Consequently, Iberia was merged into [[CLASSA]] (Compañía de Líneas Aéreas Subvencionadas ''S.A.''), ceasing independent operations on 29 May 1929.<ref name="Histaer">{{cite web|url=http://www.histaer.org/compa/classa.htm |title=Compañía de Líneas Aéreas Subvencionadas S.A. (C.L.A.S.S.A.) |date=9 December 2004 |access-date=16 August 2016 |url-status=bot: unknown |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041209203645/http://www.histaer.org/compa/classa.htm |archive-date=9 December 2004}}</ref> Although the airline had neither a fleet nor commercial operations under its brand, the name 'Iberia' remained registered.<ref name="LA" />

In 1937, during the [[Spanish Civil War]], Spanish navy captain and director-general of the company Daniel de Araoz y Aréjula<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1947/02/27/007.html|title=ABC (Madrid) – 27/02/1947, p. 7|last=ABC|website=hemeroteca.abc.es|language=es|access-date=6 November 2017}}</ref> received the order from [[Alfredo Kindelán|General Kindelán]] to organize an airline for the air transport in nationalist-held territory during the war.<ref name="LA">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FNLfqO1mBbkC&pg=PA48|title=Las alas de España: Iberia, líneas aéreas (1940–2005)|last=Vidal Olivares|first=Javier|publisher=Universitat de València|year=2008|isbn=978-84-370-8734-4|location=Valencia|pages=48–49}}</ref> Daniel de Araoz y Aréjula traveled to Germany to get support and material for the restoration of the company as an independent airline, thus six [[Junkers Ju 52]] from Deutsche Luft Hansa arrived, which were acquired by Iberia at the end of the conflict, in addition to material to help the operations.<ref name="LA" /> As the name "Iberia" was still registered, it was used when operations began in 1937<ref>{{cite web|url=https://airline-memorabilia.blogspot.com.es/2011/04/iberia-1937.html|title=Airline memorabilia: Iberia (1937)|date=15 April 2011|website=Airline memorabilia|access-date=24 October 2017}}</ref> towards the end of the war.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.es/hemeroteca/historico-13-07-2008/abc/Domingos/enigma-vuelo-tetuan-sevilla-1939_1641999538161.html|title=Enigma, vuelo Tetuán-Sevilla, 1939 {{!}} Domingos {{!}} Domingos |date=13 July 2008|website=ABC}}</ref> During the conflict Iberia was a purely domestic airline, with headquarters in [[Salamanca]] the airline operated flights to cities in the nationalist side, [[Plazas de soberanía|Spanish North Africa]], [[Spanish West Africa]] and [[Spanish protectorate in Morocco|Morocco]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1938/1938%20-%202840.html?search=Iberia|title= Business as usual. Airline operation in nationalist Spain — Some First-hand Impressions 1938 {{!}} 2840 {{!}} Flight Archive|website=www.flightglobal.com|access-date=22 October 2017}}</ref> After the war, at the end of the 1930s, the airline served the [[Seville]]–[[Larache]]–[[Cape Juby|Cabo Juby]]–[[Las Palmas]], [[Barcelona]]–[[Zaragoza|Saragosa]]–[[Burgos]]–[[Salamanca]]–Seville–[[Tetuan]] and [[La Palma|Palma]]–Barcelona–[[Vitoria-Gasteiz|Vitoria]] runs using Junkers Ju 52 aircraft.<ref name="Flight-1939-428" /> On 1 May 1939, Iberia operated its first regular service to an international destination as an independent civil airline with a Madrid–[[Lisbon]] flight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iberia.com/web/product.do?cntCat=Productos/GASTRO&cntId=aniversario_vuelos_a_Lisboa&isPopup=true|title=Iberia L.A.E.|website=www.iberia.com|language=es|access-date=24 October 2017}}</ref>

In 1940, the government gave the monopoly of national air transport to Iberia (this fact changed 6 years later when the government liberalized the national air traffic for the private airlines),<ref name="BO" /> This privilege helped the company to start building as an important international airline, which had not been until then.<ref name="AE">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FNLfqO1mBbkC&pg=PA117|title=Las alas de España: Iberia, líneas aéreas (1940–2005)|last=Vidal Olivares|first=Javier|publisher=Universitat de València|year=2008|isbn=978-84-370-8734-4|location=Valencia|pages=117–121}}</ref> The airline was [[Nationalization|nationalised]] on 30 September 1944 and became part of [[Instituto Nacional de Industria]]. The policy of the company was to separate itself from the German orbit to which it had been linked in its first years and establish relations with the United States in terms of aircraft purchase and supplies of aeronautical material for the operation.<ref name="AE" /> Thus, that year the purchase of seven [[Douglas DC-3|DC-3]] and three [[Douglas DC-4|DC-4]] was finalized, to expand the network in Europe and accomplish the company's first transatlantic flight.<ref name="AE" /> This was achieved in 1946, Iberia was the first airline to fly between Europe and South America after [[World War II]], using a Douglas DC-4 to operate flights between Madrid and [[Buenos Aires]].<ref name="FI" /> This flight was the first of an expansion of flights between Latin America and Europe through Spain carried out by the company, with destinations such as [[San Juan, Puerto Rico|San Juan de Puerto Rico]], [[Caracas]], [[Mexico City|Ciudad de México]] and [[Havana|La Habana]]. The poor diplomatic relations of the [[Francoist Spain|Francoist regime]] delayed the establishment of some destinations until the beginning of the 1950s.<ref name="AE" />

Iberia incorporated four more DC-4s into its fleet during the first half of 1950, enabling both the strengthening of current services and the launch of new ones.<ref name="Flight-1950-500" /> With the [[Pact of Madrid]] in 1953, visa requirements were eliminated for US visitors to Spain.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1992/08/06/pdfs/A27479-27479.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180328164612/http://www.boe.es/boe/dias/1992/08/06/pdfs/A27479-27479.pdf |archive-date=2018-03-28 |url-status=live|title=BOE núm. 188, 08/06/1992|date=6 August 1992|work=BOE|page=27479}}</ref> This stimulated the start of [[transatlantic flight]]s between Spain and the United States the following year. The airline phased in the first of three [[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation|Super Constellation]]s in June 1954. The aircraft was named ''[[Santa María (ship)|Santa María]]'' to commemorate [[Voyages of Christopher Columbus|Columbus' first voyage]]<ref name="Flight-1954-59" /> and was deployed in the inauguration of the new Madrid–[[New York City|New York]] service two months later, on 3 August 1954, the same day that Columbus left the port of [[Palos de la Frontera]].<ref name="Flight-1954-311" /><ref>{{cite web|url=http://grupo.iberia.es/portal/site/WebCorporativa/menuitem.abb717cb888166100cd0cbfdf34e51ca?ib_contentId=df2a4eb44f4b7410VgnVCM20000060fe15acRCRD|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140831145222/http://grupo.iberia.es/portal/site/WebCorporativa/menuitem.abb717cb888166100cd0cbfdf34e51ca?ib_contentId=df2a4eb44f4b7410VgnVCM20000060fe15acRCRD|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 August 2014|title=Iberia marks 60th anniversary of New York flights|website=www.iberia.com}}</ref>  The amendments to Article 6 of the [[Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation|Convention on International Civil Aviation]] of 14 June 1954 made in Paris on 30 June 1956 about non-scheduled air services enabled mass tourism using chartered aircraft since allowing European member states to carry out this type of operation with international flights between their territories.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/EURcom56_EN.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121208142241/http://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/EURcom56_EN.pdf |archive-date=2012-12-08 |url-status=live|title=Multilateral agreement on commercial rights of non-scheduled air services in Europe signed at Paris on 30 April 1956|date=30 June 1956|work=International Civil Aviation Organization}}</ref> This favored the airline given that it had in its territory several highly sought after destinations, mainly those on the eastern and southern Mediterranean coast and in the Balearic and Canary Islands, highly demanded by seaside tourism which began with this type of operation.

In 1959, the Spanish airline [[Aviaco]] became a part of Iberia by controlling two-thirds of its capital in a capital increase.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FNLfqO1mBbkC&pg=PA124|title=Las alas de España: Iberia, líneas aéreas (1940–2005)|last=Vidal Olivares|first=Javier|publisher=Universitat de València|year=2008|isbn=978-84-370-8734-4|location=Valencia|pages=124}}</ref> Aviaco had been created in 1948,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1975/1975%20-%200538.html|title=World Airline Directory {{!}} Flight Archive {{!}}1975 {{!}} 0538 |date=20 March 1975|publisher=Flight International|access-date=14 November 2017}}</ref> after the national air traffic had been liberalized for Spanish private companies in 1946.<ref name="BO">{{cite news|url=http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE//1946/174/A05070-05071.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171114145412/http://www.boe.es/datos/pdfs/BOE//1946/174/A05070-05071.pdf |archive-date=2017-11-14 |url-status=live|title=Boletín Oficial del Estado núm. 174, 23/06/1946.|last=Ministerio del Aire|date=23 June 1946|work=Boletín Oficial del Estado|pages=5070–5071 (num. 174)}}</ref>

In 1961, Iberia had 9 [[Lockheed L-1049 Super Constellation|Super Constellations]] in the fleet, that year came into service the first [[Douglas DC-8#Series 50|DC-8-50]], the four-engined jet airliner was progressively incorporated until reaching the number of 8 aircraft of the 50 series variant.<ref name="EI">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FNLfqO1mBbkC&pg=PA55|title=Las alas de España: Iberia, líneas aéreas (1940–2005)|last=Vidal Olivares|first=Javier|publisher=Universitat de València|year=2008|isbn=978-84-370-8734-4|location=Valencia|pages=55}}</ref> Iberia was gradually incorporating jets of short and middle range, such as [[Sud Aviation Caravelle]], and [[McDonnell Douglas DC-9|Douglas DC-9]]. The Super Constellations were removed and sold in 1966, and two years later, three [[Douglas DC-8#Super 60 Series|DC-8-63]] with more seat capacity were incorporated into the fleet. By 1969, the long-range fleet of Iberia was composed of 11 DC-8s.<ref name="EI" /> In the early 1970s, the jumbo jets [[Boeing 747]]s and [[Douglas DC-10]]s came to the company during an expansion of the intercontinental routes, especially to Central America. By the middle of this decade, the airline flew to almost all Latin American capitals. With the expansion in Latin America the company had followed a policy of purchasing shares and establishing agreements with several Latin American airlines such as [[Dominicana de Aviación|Compañia Dominicana de Aviación]], [[Aérolíneas Peruanas]], [[PLUNA]] and [[Air Panamá Internacional]]. At first, the intention of this policy could be to create a strong distribution network for intercontinental routes passengers, but as the airline was controlled by the state the Franco regime used this investment policy to get support in Latin America. Iberia gave material, capital and logistical support to those flag-carrier airlines. By 1971, these investments resulted in the loss of 14&nbsp;million dollars.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=FNLfqO1mBbkC&pg=PA55|title=Las alas de España: Iberia, líneas aéreas (1940–2005)|last=Vidal Olivares|first=Javier|publisher=Universitat de València|year=2008|isbn=978-84-370-8734-4|location=Valencia|pages=137}}</ref> Iberia also bought the short-middle range trijet [[Boeing 727|Boeing 727-200]] in 1971, of which the company had 35 aircraft<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1985/02/20/espana/477702020_850215.html|title=El 727, el avión más vendido en el último cuarto de siglo|last=El País|date=20 February 1985|access-date=22 November 2017|language=es}}</ref> and was used until 2001 like the other short-range jet bought by the company in the late '60s, the Douglas DC-9.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.expansion.com/2001/08/02/empresas/759112.html|title=El último viaje del avión 'DC-9' de Iberia|last=Ruiz de Guna|first=Clara|date=2 August 2001|work=Expansión.com|language=es}}</ref>

In 1987, Iberia, together with [[Lufthansa]], [[Air France]] and [[SAS Group]], founded [[Amadeus IT Group|Amadeus]], an IT company (also known as a [[Global Distribution System]]) that would enable travel agencies to sell the founders and other airlines' products from a single system.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.amadeus.com/web/amadeus/en_1A-corporate/Amadeus-Home/About-us/Our-history/1987-New-global-distribution-system/1319591612325-Page-AMAD_DetailPpal?assetid=1319593241232&assettype=StandardContent_C|title=Amadeus History {{!}} 1987 |website=www.amadeus.com|access-date=24 October 2017}}</ref> In the same year, Iberia planned a fleet renewal in the middle-range fleet with the [[McDonnell Douglas MD-80|McDonnell Douglas MD-87]] and [[Airbus A320]] replacing the Douglas DC-9 and Boeing 727 respectively.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hemeroteca.abc.es/nav/Navigate.exe/hemeroteca/madrid/abc/1987/12/05/074.html|title=ABC (Madrid) – 05/12/1987, p. 74|website=hemeroteca.abc.es|publisher=ABC|language=es|access-date=22 November 2017}}</ref> In June 1990, the carrier bought 16 [[Boeing 757]]s for {{US$|1}}&nbsp;billion, including spares and training; twelve more aircraft of the type were taken on option as a part of the deal.<ref name="FI-1990-9" />

===Development since the 1990s===
In the 1990s, Iberia followed a policy of buying shares of Latin American flag carriers. It intended to dominate the entire Latin American market and become one of the largest airlines on the worldwide scene.<ref name="EE">{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1993/04/12/economia/734565608_850215.html|title=Entre el sueño y la pesadilla|last=Comas|first=José|date=12 April 1993|work=El País}}</ref>

The investments started in June 1990 with the buying of a 30% stake in [[Aerolíneas Argentinas|Aerolineas Argentinas]].<ref name="EE" /> In 1991, Iberia bought a 45% stake in [[Viasa]] for $81&nbsp;million<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1991/08/10/economia/681775203_850215.html|title=Iberia se adjudica la aerolínea venezolana Viasa tras la retirada de la holandesa KLM|last=El País|date=10 August 1991|work=EL PAÍS|access-date=24 October 2017|language=es}}</ref> and a 35% stake in Chilean [[Ladeco]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1991/04/16/economia/671752813_850215.html|title=lberia compra el 35% de la compañía aérea chilena Ladeco|last=El País|date=16 April 1991|work=EL PAÍS|access-date=24 October 2017|language=es}}</ref> The airline continued making progress in setting up Europe's first international airline [[Frequent flyer|frequent-flyer programme]] in 1991, with the creation of ''Iberia Plus.''

In 1994, the poor results of Aerolineas Argentinas, which presented a positive balance in its commercial exploitation but hid a significant deficit with losses in non-operating activities, led Iberia to increase its ownership participation to 85%.<ref name="DR">{{cite journal|last=Castaño Guillén|first=Julián|year=2006|title=La dirección de resultados en las empresas privatizadas. 10.7.2.- Privatización de Aerolíneas Argentinas|url=https://es.scribd.com/document/352933410/La-Direccion-de-Resultados-en-Las-Empresas-Privatizadas|journal=Department of Financial Economy and Account|publisher=University of Extremadura|pages=200–203}}</ref> With this increase in participation, the Argentine state renounced its "[[golden share]]", allowing Iberia to have full fiscal control of the company. Iberia began a reduction in the size of the company, a liquidation of the national and overseas offices, and the technical sale of its entire fleet composed of 28 aircraft in a ''"sale and lease back"'' operation.<ref name="DR" /> Argentine sources indicate that the purchase capital of Aerolíneas Argentinas was charged to its financial liability.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/340078-una-privatizacion-marcada-por-los-conflictos-y-las-denuncias|title=Una privatización marcada por los conflictos y las denuncias|date=3 October 2001|work=La Nación|language=es}} {{dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> This, together with the aforementioned sales, generated a big controversy, giving rise to criticism of the Argentine government for the privatization of the company. The truth is that during the period that Aerolíneas Argentinas was owned by Iberia (1990–1995), the Spanish airline allocated more than 1,200&nbsp;million dollars to the Argentine flag carrier and kept the airline operating despite the poor results.<ref name="DR" /> Meanwhile, the Argentine government refused to invest more capital and expressed its desire to get rid of a large part of its shares.<ref name="EE" /> Iberia carried out major reforms in the structure of the company, which by that date was outdated with, among other things, extortionate personnel costs.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cev.es/web-cev/WCEV.nsf/(All)/80FBC81FC10C7C14C12576FF003B01AE/$File/prensa0826_149.pdf|title=Una aventura fracasada|last=Mülller|first=John|date=8 April 2010|work=El Mundo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411104722/http://www.cev.es/web-cev/WCEV.nsf/(All)/80FBC81FC10C7C14C12576FF003B01AE/$File/prensa0826_149.pdf|archive-date=11 April 2010|url-status=dead|language=es}}</ref> Some of these changes included the development of a free booking program, the complete computerization of the management system, the introduction of business class on domestic flights, and the creation of a new hub in [[Ministro Pistarini International Airport|Ezeiza International Airport]] for long range regional flights to Latin American destinations.<ref name="DR" /> In 1995, before the process of privatization of Iberia, Aerolineas Argentinas was transferred to the Spanish government through [[Instituto Nacional de Industria|INI]], which would later become [[Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales|SEPI]]. In 2001, the Argentine flag carrier was sold to the Spanish company [[Grupo Marsans]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/339908-sepi-adjudico-aerolineas-argentinas-al-grupo-marsans|title=SEPI adjudicó Aerolíneas Argentinas al grupo Marsans|date=2 October 2001|work=La Nación|language=es|access-date=24 November 2017|archive-date=1 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201033146/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/339908-sepi-adjudico-aerolineas-argentinas-al-grupo-marsans|url-status=dead}}</ref>

In 2008, the president of Argentina [[Cristina Fernández de Kirchner]] expropriated the company from Grupo Marsans for the symbolic price of 1 [[Argentine peso]] ($0.57) and renationalized the airline.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1081917-a-18-anos-de-su-privatizacion-aerolineas-vuelve-al-estado|title=A 18 años de su privatización, Aerolíneas vuelve al Estado|last=Botinelli|first=Agustín|date=18 December 2008|work=La Nación|access-date=24 November 2017|archive-date=1 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170701112654/http://www.lanacion.com.ar/1081917-a-18-anos-de-su-privatizacion-aerolineas-vuelve-al-estado|url-status=dead}}</ref> In July 2017, the [[International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes|ICSID]] ordered Argentina to pay 320&nbsp;million dollars to Grupo Marsans for having paid a lower price than the real value of the company.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.abc.es/economia/abci-argentina-condenada-pagar-320-millones-dolares-marsans-expropiacion-aerolineas-201707221752_noticia.html|title=Argentina, condenada a pagar 320 millones de dólares a Marsans por la expropiación de Aerolíneas|date=22 July 2017|work=ABC|language=es-ES}}</ref> On 7 April 2010, the president of the [[Court of Accounts (Spain)|Spanish Court of Auditors]] presented at the Spanish Parliament the figures of the investment in Aerolíneas Argentinas between 1990 and 2001, which was estimated at €2,100&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.cev.es/web-cev/WCEV.nsf/(All)/80FBC81FC10C7C14C12576FF003B01AE/$File/prensa0826_149.pdf|title=2.100 millones perdidos en Aerolíneas|last=Yanel|first=Agustín|date=8 April 2010|work=El Mundo|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100411104722/http://www.cev.es/web-cev/WCEV.nsf/(All)/80FBC81FC10C7C14C12576FF003B01AE/$File/prensa0826_149.pdf|archive-date=11 April 2010|url-status=dead|language=es}}</ref>

The plans to make the Iberia group the dominant airline in the Latin American market also failed in Venezuela. In 1997, the board of directors of [[Viasa]], in which Iberia was the majority, decided to suspend the flights of the company, arguing that the situation was unfeasible.<ref name="VV">{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1997/01/24/economia/854060406_850215.html|title=Iberia decide que su filial venezolana Viasa deje de volar|last1=Cebrián Echarri|first1=Belén|date=24 January 1997|work=El País|last2=Vinogradoff|first2=Ludmila|language=es}}</ref> Iberia announcing that the company was not going to continue providing more capital into Viasa if its local partner, the Venezuelan state-owned group FIV, was not going to do the same. By then Iberia had invested more than 250 million dollars in the Venezuelan flag carrier without having any profit.<ref name="VV" /> In February 1997, the agreement for the liquidation of Viasa that accumulated a 200&nbsp;million dollar debt, with a capital of only 2&nbsp;million dollars, was announced. Iberia and the Venezuelan government had the intention of liquidating the company to avoid [[bankruptcy]]. Iberia offered to write off the 150&nbsp;million dollar debt that Viasa had accumulated to the Spanish carrier in exchange for keeping its fleet of four DC-10s and five Boeing 727s. The agreement included compensation for the staff after the liquidation, which had a cost of 20&nbsp;million dollars.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1997/02/19/economia/856306807_850215.html|title=Gobierno venezolano da marcha atrás y decide liquidar Viasa|last1=Cebrián Echarri|first1=Belén|date=19 February 1997|work=El País|last2=Vinogradoff|first2=Ludmila|language=es}}</ref>

Regarding [[Ladeco]], Iberia was a minority shareholder (35%) and did not intervene in its management. Initially, Iberia had the intention of achieving the merger of Ladeco with [[LAN Chile]], but Chilean antitrust laws prevented it.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1997/02/03/economia/854924409_850215.html|title=Viasa, el último lío|last=Cebrián Echarri|first=Belén|date=3 February 1997|work=EL País|language=es}}</ref> Later, in 1995, LAN Chile made a major acquisition of Ladeco shares and acquired 57.6% of the company, this operation was approved by the Chilean antitrust prosecution,<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1995/08/25/economia/809301603_850215.html|title=Lan Chile compra la mayoría de Ladeco|last=El País|date=25 August 1995|language=es}}</ref> and then began a merger process in which Iberia lost some rights acquired during its time as shareholder of Ladeco. In 1997, Iberia sold its shares in Ladeco.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://elpais.com/diario/1997/04/09/economia/860536810_850215.html|title=Iberia venderá su 38% en Ladeco|last=El País|date=9 April 1997|language=es}}</ref>

In 1996, the airline launched its [[website]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iberia.com/web/webPartners.do?service=/web/showPartner.do&language=es&menuId=WPVUEL&idPartner=712|title=Descripción de empresa – Iberia|website=www.iberia.com|language=es|access-date=25 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171201034154/http://www.iberia.com/web/webPartners.do?service=%2Fweb%2FshowPartner.do&language=es&menuId=WPVUEL&idPartner=712|archive-date=1 December 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The company ordered 76 aircraft from [[Airbus]] in February 1998, which at the time was the largest single Airbus order. The following year it bought Aviaco and inherited that airline's fleet.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/04/business/international-business-airbus-wins-4-billion-order-from-iberia-beating-boeing.html|title=International Business; Airbus Wins $4&nbsp;Billion Order From Iberia, Beating Boeing|last=Tagliabue|first=John|date=4 February 1998|work=The New York Times}}</ref>

By the end of the '90s, Iberia owned as majority shareholder the Spanish airlines [[Aviaco]], [[Viva Air]], [[Binter Canarias]] and [[Binter Mediterraneo|Binter Mediterráneo]], and Latin American airlines [[Aerolíneas Argentinas]], [[Austral Líneas Aéreas|Austral]], [[Viasa]] and [[Ladeco]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ymIXLhegGnwC&pg=PA261|title=Encyclopedia of Contemporary Spanish Culture|last=J. Rodgers|first=Eamonn|publisher=Routledge|year=1999|isbn=0415131871|location=London|page=261}}</ref>

During 2001, Iberia was [[Privatisation|privatised]] and its shares were listed on stock exchanges. By 2002, when Iberia celebrated its 75th anniversary, it had carried nearly 500&nbsp;million people in its history.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.elalmanaque.com/turismo/iberia/iberia1.htm |title=GrupIberia: Más de 75 años volando  |publisher=Iberia |access-date=1 February 2017}}</ref> In July 2004, Iberia announced it had decided to move its Latin American hub from [[Miami]], Florida to [[San Pedro Sula]], Honduras.

On 5 February 2006, Terminal 4 at [[Madrid - Barajas Airport]] was turned over to Iberia and fellow [[Oneworld]] alliance members. This provided much-needed expansion capabilities for Iberia. Iberia represents around 60% of the airport's traffic. In 2005, the airline and its regional branch [[Air Nostrum]] transported 21,619,041 passengers via Madrid – Barajas Airport.

In November 2006, Iberia launched [[Clickair]], a [[low-cost carrier]] subsidiary. Clickair merged with [[Vueling]] in 2009.

On 12 November 2009, Iberia confirmed that it had reached a preliminary agreement to merge with [[British Airways]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/business/2009/nov/12/ba-shares-increase-iberia-merger|title=BA merger with Iberia agreed|last=Milmo|first=Dan|date=12 November 2009|work=The Guardian|access-date=6 November 2017|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> The merger between the two carriers would create the world's third-largest airline in terms of revenue.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/6557766/BA-Iberia-4.4bn-merger-creates-Europes-third-largest-airline.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/transport/6557766/BA-Iberia-4.4bn-merger-creates-Europes-third-largest-airline.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=BA-Iberia £4.4bn merger creates Europe's third-largest airline|last=Osborne|first=Alistair|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|date=13 November 2009|access-date=6 November 2017|issn=0307-1235}}{{cbignore}}</ref> On 8 April 2010, it was confirmed that British Airways and Iberia had agreed to a merger, forming the [[International Airlines Group]], although each airline would continue to operate under its current brand.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/ec3ffa1c-42d5-11df-96c4-00144feab49a |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221210/https://www.ft.com/content/ec3ffa1c-42d5-11df-96c4-00144feab49a |archive-date=10 December 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=BA and Iberia sign merger agreement|last1=Mulligan|first1=Mark|date=8 April 2010|work=Financial Times|access-date=6 November 2017|last2=Clark|first2=Pilita Clark}}</ref>

In November 2012, Iberia announced plans to reduce the number of employees by 4,500 and its fleet by five long-haul and 20 short-haul aircraft.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/iberia-to-cut-4500-staff-and-reduce-fleet-by-25-aircraft-378758/ |title=Iberia to cut 4,500 staff and reduce fleet by 25 aircraft |publisher=Flightglobal.com |access-date=3 April 2013}}</ref>

In 2012, Iberia established another low-cost airline, [[Iberia Express]], which operates short and medium-haul routes from its parent airline's Madrid hub, providing feeder flights onto Iberia's long-haul network. The airline began operating on 25 March 2012 and shares its head office with Iberia in [[Chamartín (Madrid)|Chamartín]], Madrid.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/business-17496003|title=Spanish new low-cost airline Iberia Express launched|date=25 March 2012|work=BBC News|access-date=3 September 2017}}</ref> In 2013, the headquarters of both airlines were moved to a new office in Ciudad Lineal, Madrid, and the corporate images have been changed as part of the renewal process.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.madridiario.es/noticia/404836/transportes/iberia-renueva-su-imagen-corporativa.html|title=Iberia renueva su imagen corporativa|last=Madridiario|work=Madridiario|access-date=6 November 2017|language=es}}</ref>

In 2023, Iberia announced its return to Tokyo's [[Narita International Airport]] in October 2024 following its withdrawal in 2020 during the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iberia To Return To Tokyo In 2024 After 4-Year Absence |url=https://aviationweek.com/air-transport/airports-networks/iberia-return-tokyo-2024-after-4-year-absence |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=aviationweek.com}}</ref> Iberia first started flights to Tokyo in 1986, and began nonstop flying in 1992, but had previously suspended flights between 1998 and 2016.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Iberia returns to Tokyo with the A350 |url=https://www.businesstraveller.com/business-travel/2023/12/19/iberia-returns-to-tokyo-with-the-a350/ |access-date=2023-12-28 |website=Business Traveller |language=en-GB}}</ref>