The incumbent Dutyfly Solutions has been retained as the onboard duty free retailer by Spanish flag carrier Iberia, following a long selection process – TRBusiness can exclusively report.

 

Madrid-based Iberia is a member of the International Airlines Group, while Dutyfly Solutions operates several other inflight programmes, including Air France, Alitalia and others.

 

LONG-TIME OPERATOR RETAINED…

Dutyfly Solutions; – the wholly-owned subsidiary of Lagardère Travel Retail (50%) and Servair (50%) – operates the existing contract, having also operated the previous one under its previous name of Aeroboutique Inflight Retail – and prior to that the contract was operated by Duty Free World.

 

As reported, Iberia recorded an operating profit of €247m in 2015, up from €197m versus the previous year, achieving an adjusted operating margin of 7.0%. The airline also made ‘significant progress’ on its ‘Plan de Futuro’, improving its cost base and recovering previously withdrawn routes.

 

 

IAG claims that the turnaround of Iberia is leading to a profitable and efficient new airline capable of growing in its strategic markets and ‘starting to achieve positive returns for the Group with a positive profit after tax of €155m’.

 

OPERATING AT NINE AIRPORTS

Meanwhile, Dutyfly Solutions claims its business and airline partners handle some 1,500 trolleys per day, reaching 100,000 passengers on a daily basis across all of its airline clients – with the aid of more than 70 inflight catalogues produced each year.

 

It currently works in seven countries and at nine airports, including Roissy Charles de Gaulle, Paris Orly, Madrid Barajas, Rome Fiumicino, MIlan Malpensa, Prague, Bucharest, Bacau and Papeete in French Polynesia.

 

 

Its total client list includes: Air Caraïbes; Air France; Air Taihiti Nui; Air Burkina; Alitalia; Blue Air; Blue Panorama; CSA Czech Airlines; ECAir; Iberia; Jetairfly; Luxair; and Transavia.com.

 

News on the Iberia tender and bidders was exclusively reported in TRBusiness Online last May. To reference that report click here: http://www.trbusiness.com/regional-news/international/iberia-df-tender-is-down-to-three-offers/105343