Iberia - great cost, bad quality (Iberia)

Member Name: Miler

Product:	Iberia
Date:	07/08/09 (77 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Inexpensive

Disadvantages: Awful seats, no room, tiny screen for on-flight films, surly flight attendants

As a student, travelling to Brazil was going to be costly, so naturally, I scrimped and saved every penny possible. This meant getting the cheapest flights as well. Flying out from Heathrow to Rio de Janeiro and returning from Buenos Aires, in Argentina, 6 weeks later, both via Madrid, turned out to be the best option at a very reasonable price of £550 with Iberia.
The outbound flight was on time which was a good start, and although the plane flying from London to Madrid was a bit small and rickety, I held much higher hopes for the Airbus A340 which was to take us to Rio de Janeiro.
The only reason I held higher expectations than I perhaps should have, is that a few months prior a friend of mine flew to Portugal in economy (not Iberia) and said the seats were fine and there were screens in headrests to play games and watch films. So I figured for a 10hour trans-Atlantic flight would be of a similar standard.
I was greeted with dowdy brown seats which reclined about six inches and a tiny screen hanging from the ceiling about 14 inches across. In front there was very little leg room so you couldn't even slump in the chair to try and get comfortable.
Due to the flight being barely half full, I moved from the middle aisle, to an empty double window seat to try and get some shut-eye. At some point during my few hours sleep, someone had managed to steal my pillow from beneath my sleeping head. When I requested a replacement from the airline staff, I was greeted with a series of 'huffs' and 'tuts' and then a replacement tossed in my general direction.

The food was okay considering it was plane food, which was one slight saving grace. However, it was nothing compared with the food experienced on a bus ride (yes, a bus) from Rio de Janeiro to Iguazu, where they produced some pork chops and mashed potato from somewhere. If a coach can provide that level of food, then surely so should plane.

Nevertheless, the food is really a side issue from the main focus of flight comfort and quality. It was poor, and hopefully, cost depending, it is the last time I fly with Iberia.

Summary: Low cost, but you can see why.