Amy Lancelotte
Written By Amy Lancelotte
Last Updated:

Iberia flight disruptions are some of the rarest in Europe, so experiencing a cancelled or delayed flight with this Spanish airline is unlucky. But that doesn’t mean it never happens - far from it. According to data provided by the Official Airline Guide (OAG), we found the following:

Period

Total Iberia Flights

Iberia Delayed Flights

Iberia Cancelled Flights

2022 (January 1 to December 31)

189,282

24,720 (13.06%)

568 (0.03%)

2023 (January 1 to June 30)

158,761

23,798 (14.99%)

476 (0.03%)

Iberia is nothing if not consistent. Unlike many other airlines in 2022, Iberia did not need to delay or cancel flights due to staff limitations and increased demand after COVID-19 restrictions were lifted. At least not more than usual.

We’ll tell you all about the frequency of these disruptions using real and recent data, some airports to avoid, common reasons Iberia might cancel your flight today, and tips on how to minimize flight cancellations. Plus, we’ll provide an Iberia cancelled flights list that includes delays, so you can see which flights often get interrupted.

How Frequently are Iberia Flights Cancelled or Delayed?

Since the number doesn’t change from 2022 to 2023, we know that your chance of experiencing Iberia flights cancelled today is 0.03%, which is extremely low. In fact, as part of our larger undertaking to determine the best airlines in Europe, we found that Iberia had the lowest flight disruption percentage overall.

To get an accurate reading on Iberia flight delays over the last 2 years, we’ll use a weighted average to account for the 3 months of missing data in 2023. That said, the overall chance of an Iberia flight delay is 13.89%. When we used the numbers for the 14 other European airlines included in our study, the delay average in 2022 was 30.75%. So, Iberia is well ahead of the competition.

Putting these percentages into real terms, Iberia flight cancellations happen in 3 out of 1,000 flights. For delays, around 14 flights in 100 are late by at least 15 minutes.

Although rare, are you among the passengers who had their Iberia flight cancelled in the last 3 years? Contact us to start a compensation claim ASAP!Check Your Flight

Iberia Flight Cancellations - Steps to Take

Since you can’t magically “uncancel” an Iberia cancelled flight, the first thing you should do is take steps to keep your travel plans intact. Get on the next Iberia flight or re-book with another airline if there are better options.

You should also know that when Iberia cancels your flight without sufficient notice or you arrive at your destination more than 3 hours behind schedule, Iberia is bound by Regulation EU 261 to offer compensation in most cases.

The easiest ways to determine your claim eligibility are to consult the Iberia cancelled flights list at the end of the post or use our free flight checker. Then, you’ll know exactly how to proceed by contacting Iberia to complain or using us to conveniently file a claim on your behalf.

Common Causes of Cancelled Flights

From our data, we see that somewhere around 500 Iberia flights get cancelled annually. If you want to know why Iberia is cancelling flights, these are the most common answers:

  • Technical issue with the airline’s systems.
  • Inadequate airline staff to meet travel demand.
  • Weather in the form of storms, fog, floods, etc. makes it unsafe to fly.
  • Strikes by Iberia pilots or cabin crews. Plus strikes by other airport-based groups like baggage handlers, ground staff, air traffic control, and mechanics.
  • Unavailable planes, either due to recent damage or maintenance issues, severe delays, or insufficient inventory.

Are you on the receiving end of one of the Iberia cancelled flights? We can help you claim compensation for the inconvenience.Check Your Flight

Airports with the Most Iberia Flight Cancellations and Delays

As many of Iberia’s flights take off and land in Spain, it makes sense that the airports most susceptible to Iberia flight disruptions are located in the country as well. In January 2023, the airline had an IT issue with their booking and boarding systems that resulted in dozens of delays that exceeded an hour. Additionally, 5 flights were cancelled, and the bulk of these interruptions occurred at Madrid Airport.

Also in 2023, Malaga Airport, an ultra-popular destination for vacationers, experienced strike action from security workers. This caused long lines and airlines like Iberia had a significant number of delayed flights and even some cancellations.

Lastly, due to the ongoing conflict, Iberia, along with other major airlines, has cancelled routes to Tel Aviv Airport.

How to Avoid Having Your Iberia Flights Cancelled

Here are a few tips to try to beat the odds of 0.03% of a cancellation on your Iberia flights today:

  • Avoid busy airports like Madrid, Barcelona, and Malaga if at all possible. Delays and cancellations are most likely to occur here.
  • Opt for early morning flights. The earlier you fly, the lower the chance of your plane picking up significant delays on its previous routes.
  • Book Iberia long-haul flights rather than connections. Although shorter flights or lower prices may tempt you, connections can be missed, essentially resulting in the same outcome as having your Iberia flight cancelled.
  • Stay informed. Using Iberia’s website (or the departure airport’s) can help you stay on top of flight changes. Then, you can react quickly to make alternate arrangements if needed. Just have your Iberia flight number handy.

List of Disruptions by Iberia Flight Numbers

Select Iberia Airlines flight that was delayed or cancelled to learn about your passenger rights and what to do when such disruption occurs. Our team at AirAdvisor is happy to help with any compensation or refund claims against Iberia Airlines on No-Win, No-Fee basis. We have been helping passengers since 2017.

If you’ve had a delayed, overbooked, or canceled flight in the past 3 years, you might be entitled to compensation from Iberia Airlines. Find out what you’re owed with our Eligibility Checker.

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