Review: Iberia A350 Business Class, London to Madrid
In this review, I’ll cover the middling Iberia long haul Business Class on the excellent A350 aircraft from London Heathrow to Madrid - clearly a short haul route. Along with London to/from Helsinki, London to/from Madrid is one of the most reliable routes in Europe to get a widebody, long haul business class with at least one return flight each day having the superior seating. Pre-Covid, it wasn’t strange to see two flights per day operated from London to/from Madrid - often one operated by Iberia and the other by BA. As I alluded to in my Iberia Velázquez Premium Lounge, these flights occurred in November 2021 so certain parts of the experience may have changed as the Covid-19 situated has matured. One final note, Iberia has a standardised seat across all their widebody aircraft regardless meaning if you end up on the A330 which is currently operating, the seat will be exactly the same as the A350. Now, let’s get on with the review.
Our journey begins at Terminal 5 of Heathrow - nothing notable here other than to say that Iberia operate check in desks at all hours of the day.
For our lounge stop today, we ventured across to the B Gates British Airways Lounge (review coming soon belatedly) - it has always been quieter and the same experience as the other lounges pre-Covid.
For some reason the sign says Galleries Lounge South - which is actually in the A Gates - but this photo was taken at the B Gates lounge.
As this flight uses the widebody A350 aircraft, your departing gate will be at the B or C portion of Terminal 5- meaning you won’t need to backtrack to the A Gates to catch your flight if you visit the lounge above. What a beauty the A350 is!
Although the cabin is a bit sterile, similar to Finnair’s previous Business Class, but the splashes of red from the inflight entertainment brighten this cabin design up.
The aircraft is configured in a 1-2-1 layout. Seats in the centre alternate between those that are close together which works for couples but can be awkward when next to strangers, while the other setup is with a large console dividing the two seats in the middle.
I prefer window seats on most flights and here is a similar issue. Some are right next to the window which are more private, and in my view preferable, while others have the footwell and seat exposed to the aisle. It’s still a decent seat if you end up in the exposed aisle arrangement but it’s worth bearing in mind.
For perspective, the cabin is a standard size for long haul with eight rows in total.
Storage on the seat is okay - confined to a section above the console area but it should not be used during take off and landing. On the positive, the power outlet, USB port and headphone jack are easily accessible in the same area. A small light for reading can also be found above your shoulder.
Below this, seat controls can be found as well as the pull out remote control.
Speaking of inflight entertainment, this is almost identical to that found on British Airways Club Suite product - only with a red skin and Iberia branding. It’s a good and responsive system with decent content selection, including Spanish films, while the remote can display the map simultaneously to content being shown on screen.
And here’s a quick look at the whole IFE system…if you’re that interested.
Headphones are provided - this is quite a surprise on a short haul flight and often they will only provide small low-quality earbuds. Still, I would recommend bringing your own for personal use which will be better than those provided.
Food was not bad on this flight consisting of a potato gnocchi, mozzarella and salad dish, as well as a delightful vanilla mousse with chocolate base. No qualms with recommending this dish if it is offered particularly as it is not too heavy on the stomach.
London to Madrid is quite a short sector but I did manage get the seat into lay flat mode - no issues here but obviously this is not a conclusive review on the sleeping experience. I can say that there was enough room to move my feet and it didn’t feel coffin-like when laying down.
Finally, a quick look at the bathroom…and it is most certainly a bathroom. Bright and clean but with no fancy amenities, such as LA Bruket on Finnair or The White Company on British Airways.
And with that, the flight had landed and we were in Madrid for our 48 hour trip!
While Iberia may not have the flashiest or most exciting offering, if you are seeking flights between London and Madrid then you should try one of these widebody operated journeys. Prices are generally similar and you get a slightly more comfortable experience on the hop down to Madrid. While it is not the world’s best business class product, it is competitive for this route and arguably against the primary markets in which it serves - notably against Latin American carriers such as LATAM and Avianca. Until the introduction of Club Suite, this is better than the old British Airways Club World product.
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