• It acknowledges the improvements of the the Spanish airline's passenger travel experience through innovative solutions, both at the airport and during the flight.

  • At the Future Tracel Experience forum, Iberia has also presented two initiatives: its iPads for pursers project and IB Help.

  • Since the project's implementation it has won recognition from IATA for speeding passage through Madrid-Barajas airport and improving luggage handling.

Madrid, September 13, 2012

At its Vancouver meeting, the prestigious "Future Travel Experience" airports forum gave Iberia its prize for "the best passenger assistance initiative", to recognise the airline's Ágora projectin its hub at Madrid-Barajas airport, intended to make it one of the world's most efficient and user-friendly passenger terminals. More than 160 organizations including airports, airlines and handling agents, have attended the forum in the Canadian city.

Iberia has received the award for the implementation of its Agora project at Madrid airport Terminal 4, its main hub. Iberia's Deputy Manager for Coordination and Hub, Dimitris Bountolos, said: "It was very exciting. We have begun to inspire others and this is a great responsibility, which must enable us to face the challenges ahead with confidence and to implement the new initiatives of the Ágora project."

At the Future Travel Experience forum, Iberia has also presented two initiatives: its iPads for pursers project and IB Help. All Iberia's pursers are now equipped with iPads storing details and up-to-date information about each passenger, which helps cabin attendants to serve them better. IBHelp, an app developed for Iberia, allows the Spanish airline to assist its customers at the airports via mobile devices.

About Ágora project

Under the project, in recent months Iberia has introduced a number of mainly technological innovations to improve passengers' airport experience:

  • IBHelp , a software application linking more than 100 iPads and PDAs held by passenger service staff with each other and with automatic check-in kiosks and Quick Service points to assist passengers wherever they are in the airport.

  • New software for check-in kiosksthat reduces boarding pass and baggage tag issue time to 30 seconds.

  • Unique holographic virtual agentspromoting the use of auto-check-in facilities.

  • A new check-in queue management system to cut waiting time at conventional check-in counters.

  • Quick Service Points, interactive multimedia columns equipped to supply all relevant information to passengers and to speed the resolution of lost connections or lost luggage incidents.

The Quick Service Points earned Iberia a Gold Fast Travel Awardunder IATA's Fast Travelprogramme, and in June, IATA also gave Iberia its BIP(Baggage Improvement Programme) award.

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