Negotiations between Iberia Express and Spain’s pilots union, Sepla, have reached an impasse, leading to a freeze in growth at the regional carrier as parent company Iberia halts plans to expand its short-haul fleet.
The discussions center on potential modifications to an annex in their eighth collective bargaining agreement, which currently restricts fleet growth at Iberia Express to match that of the mainline Iberia carrier, limiting the regional airline’s ability to capitalize on market opportunities.
Iberia Express had intended to enhance its fleet to better compete with other low-cost carriers, like Ryanair, but without an agreement in place, the next four aircraft originally designated for Iberia Express will now be integrated into the mainline fleet instead.
The current collective bargaining agreement, dating back to 2014, outlines a 1:1 ratio for new aircraft entry between Iberia and Iberia Express, ensuring the regional carrier’s production remains below 15pc of the total Available Seat Kilometers flown by the parent company, with Iberia Express currently operating a fleet of 28 aircraft.
