Iberia CEO: change in culture was instrumental in turnaround

Iberia CEO Luis Gallego, speaking at the 2016 CAPA Aviation Awards for Excellence in Amsterdam, stated (27-Oct-2016) the airline's transformation programme included 32 initiatives and five pillars. He said much of the focus was on corporate culture as Iberia sought to become a more agile company with 50% fewer managers and an open workspace environment. "It's a totally different culture than we had," Mr Gallego said. The airline is now profitable and is growing again with the launch of flights to China earlier this year and the recent resumption of flights to Tokyo after an 18 year hiatus. Iberia received the 2016 CAPA Airline Turnaround of the Year Award.