Iberworld
Encyclopedia
Orbest Orizonia Airlines, S.A. (formerly Iberworld Airlines, S.A.) is a charter airline based in Palma de Mallorca
, Spain. It operates charter flights to destinations in Europe and the Caribbean
, scheduled domestic services, and scheduled international services to Havana
. In its 11 year history, Orbest Orizonia has flown to four continents and has operated routes to over 30 countries. Its main base is Palma de Mallorca Airport
. Orbest Orizonia is the air division of the Orizonia Group
, Spain's third largest tour operator.
Following the failure of BCM Airlines, Iberworld was founded by Grupo Iberostar, a Spanish tourist company, who wholly owned the new airline. Grupo Iberostar already owned a tour operator, Holiday resorts and hotels and saw that buying BCM would be a quick way to acquire an airline.
The airline was established in 1998 and started operations on 11 April 1998 with a single Lockheed L-1011
Tristar leased from Classic Airways of the United Kingdom. The L-1011 was used on routes from Palma de Mallorca
and Malaga
to London. The next day, on 12 April 1998, the first Airbus A320-200 was delivered and it started services to complement the Tristar. By 5 May a second A320-200 had been delivered and as the end of Spring approached, they returned the L-1011 to Classic Airways. By the end of the year, however, Iberworld received two new A320 aircraft from Airbus, allowing them to make a 23.6 million Euro profit in just eight months from carrying over 263,000 passengers.
In February 1999, the airline took delivery of their first wide-body aircraft – an Airbus A310
– 300 from Transavia. Later that year, it received its fifth A320 and placed an order for two more of the type. 1999 was Iberworld's first full year of flying and passenger figures rose to over one million, the growth being so considerable due to the gap in the market left by Viva Air
(which stopped operations in March 1999). This airline closure allowed Iberworld to open new routes to Caribbean.
In 2000, Iberworld's growth was more modest, with passenger figures rising to 1.1 million with no new aircraft arriving.
Iberworld then placed their first order for a new wide-body in July 2001, an Airbus A330-200 to serve its long-haul destinations. Later that same year, the two A320s on order arrived; however, due to the 11 September attacks on the World Trade Center
in New York, passenger numbers remained around the same as the previous year.
In mid April 2002, the Airbus A330-200 (registered EC-IDB) arrived with seating capacity for 51 Premium passengers and 287 Economy passengers. This acquisition allowed Iberworld to retire the ageing A310-300 in October 2002.
In 2006 Grupo Iberostar decided to sell the airline and other parts of Iberostar for 800 million Euros while keeping the hotels and resorts. Iberworld, together with former Iberostar's tour operators, and Viajes Iberia became the new Orizonia Group
owned by the UK's Carlyle Group (55%), Spain's Vista Capital (36%), the ICG Equity Fund (5%) and ten of the company's managers (4%). Later that same year, Iberworld carried over two million passengers, a major milestone in the airline's history.
Iberworld has taken delivery of three A330-300 series aircraft, the larger A330 variant, another A320-200 (from Iberia
) and has leased the A330-200 to their Portuguese subsidiary Orbest
. This modern Airbus fleet of seven A320-200s, one A330-200 (leased to Orbest) and three A330-300s has allowed Iberworld to report a profit every year since their inception in 1998.
In 2008 the Iberworld fleet paint scheme was changed to a much more appealing and eye-catching design. All of their aircraft now have the new livery.
On 1 May 2011, the airline was rebranded and changed its name to Orbest Orizonia.
Economy: In Orbest Orizonia Economy Class
, passengers receive free pillows, blankets and meals. Amenity kits are available for purchase for 5 Euros and In-Flight-Entertainment is available on all A330 aircraft and most A320 aircraft. Headphones can be purchased for 3 Euros.
A duty-free shop is available in both cabins. Both classes can select their seats prior to boarding and an express check-in facility is available for Premium customers and Economy if they have paid extra.
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
, Spain. It operates charter flights to destinations in Europe and the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
, scheduled domestic services, and scheduled international services to Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
. In its 11 year history, Orbest Orizonia has flown to four continents and has operated routes to over 30 countries. Its main base is Palma de Mallorca Airport
Palma de Mallorca Airport
Palma de Mallorca Airport is an airport located east of Palma, Majorca, adjacent to the village of Can Pastilla. Also known as Son Sant Joan Airport or Aeroport de Son Sant Joan, it is the third largest airport in Spain, after Madrid's Barajas Airport and Barcelona Airport...
. Orbest Orizonia is the air division of the Orizonia Group
Orizonia Group
The Orizonia Group is a Spanish leisure and travel group founded in 2006. The company is based on the Spanish island of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the business groups leading Spanish tourism...
, Spain's third largest tour operator.
History
The airline was established in 1998 and started operations on 11 April 1998 with a single Lockheed L-1011
Lockheed L-1011
The Lockheed L-1011 TriStar, commonly referred to as the L-1011 or TriStar, is a medium-to-long range, widebody passenger trijet airliner. It was the third widebody airliner to enter commercial operations, following the Boeing 747 and the McDonnell Douglas DC-10. Between 1968 and 1984, Lockheed...
Tristar leased from Classic Airways of the United Kingdom. The L-1011 was used on routes from Palma de Mallorca
Palma de Mallorca
Palma is the major city and port on the island of Majorca and capital city of the autonomous community of the Balearic Islands in Spain. The names Ciutat de Mallorca and Ciutat were used before the War of the Spanish Succession and are still used by people in Majorca. However, the official name...
and Malaga
Málaga
Málaga is a city and a municipality in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. With a population of 568,507 in 2010, it is the second most populous city of Andalusia and the sixth largest in Spain. This is the southernmost large city in Europe...
to London. The next day, on 12 April 1998, the first Airbus A320-200 was delivered and it started services to complement the Tristar. By 5 May a second A320-200 had been delivered and as the end of Spring approached, they returned the L-1011 to Classic Airways. By the end of the year, however, Iberworld received two new A320 aircraft from Airbus, allowing them to make a 23.6 million Euro profit in just eight months from carrying over 263,000 passengers.
In February 1999, the airline took delivery of their first wide-body aircraft – an Airbus A310
Airbus A310
The Airbus A310 is a medium- to long-range twin-engine widebody jet airliner. Launched in July 1978, it was the second aircraft created by Airbus Industrie,a consortium of European aerospace companies, Airbus is now fully owned by EADS and since 2001 has been known as Airbus SAS. the consortium of...
– 300 from Transavia. Later that year, it received its fifth A320 and placed an order for two more of the type. 1999 was Iberworld's first full year of flying and passenger figures rose to over one million, the growth being so considerable due to the gap in the market left by Viva Air
Viva Air
Viva Air was an airline from Spain that operated during the 1980s and 1990s.-History:Viva Air, whose complete name in Spanish was Vuelos Internacionales de Vacaciones was founded on 24 February 1988 by Iberia and Lufthansa.Operations began using Boeing 737-300 aircraft...
(which stopped operations in March 1999). This airline closure allowed Iberworld to open new routes to Caribbean.
In 2000, Iberworld's growth was more modest, with passenger figures rising to 1.1 million with no new aircraft arriving.
Iberworld then placed their first order for a new wide-body in July 2001, an Airbus A330-200 to serve its long-haul destinations. Later that same year, the two A320s on order arrived; however, due to the 11 September attacks on the World Trade Center
World Trade Center
The original World Trade Center was a complex with seven buildings featuring landmark twin towers in Lower Manhattan, New York City, United States. The complex opened on April 4, 1973, and was destroyed in 2001 during the September 11 attacks. The site is currently being rebuilt with five new...
in New York, passenger numbers remained around the same as the previous year.
In mid April 2002, the Airbus A330-200 (registered EC-IDB) arrived with seating capacity for 51 Premium passengers and 287 Economy passengers. This acquisition allowed Iberworld to retire the ageing A310-300 in October 2002.
In 2006 Grupo Iberostar decided to sell the airline and other parts of Iberostar for 800 million Euros while keeping the hotels and resorts. Iberworld, together with former Iberostar's tour operators, and Viajes Iberia became the new Orizonia Group
Orizonia Group
The Orizonia Group is a Spanish leisure and travel group founded in 2006. The company is based on the Spanish island of Mallorca, in the Mediterranean Sea. It is one of the business groups leading Spanish tourism...
owned by the UK's Carlyle Group (55%), Spain's Vista Capital (36%), the ICG Equity Fund (5%) and ten of the company's managers (4%). Later that same year, Iberworld carried over two million passengers, a major milestone in the airline's history.
Iberworld has taken delivery of three A330-300 series aircraft, the larger A330 variant, another A320-200 (from Iberia
Iberia Airlines
Iberia Líneas Aéreas de España, S.A., commonly known as Iberia, is the flag carrier airline of Spain. Based in Madrid, it operates an international network of services from its main bases of Madrid-Barajas Airport and Barcelona El Prat Airport....
) and has leased the A330-200 to their Portuguese subsidiary Orbest
Orbest
Orbest, a subsidiary of Orbest Orizonia Airlines, is a small airline based at Lisbon, Portugal, operating leisure charter flights to the Caribbean out of Lisbon Portela Airport on behalf of tour operators...
. This modern Airbus fleet of seven A320-200s, one A330-200 (leased to Orbest) and three A330-300s has allowed Iberworld to report a profit every year since their inception in 1998.
In 2008 the Iberworld fleet paint scheme was changed to a much more appealing and eye-catching design. All of their aircraft now have the new livery.
On 1 May 2011, the airline was rebranded and changed its name to Orbest Orizonia.
Fleet
As of August 2011, the Orbest Orizonia fleet consists of the following aircraft:| Aircraft | In Service | Passengers | Average Age (years) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus A320-200 | |
|
|
| Airbus A330-300 | |
|
|
| Total | |
|
Inflight services
Premium: Orbest Orizonia Premium is available on all of Orbest Orizonia's A330 series aircraft. In Premium Class passengers receive many extras, such as a free amenity kit, pillow, blanket, headphones, newspapers and meals served on china and drinks served in glassware.Economy: In Orbest Orizonia Economy Class
Economy class
__FORCETOC__Economy class, also called coach class , steerage, or standard class, is the lowest class of seating in air travel, rail travel, and sometimes ferry or maritime travel....
, passengers receive free pillows, blankets and meals. Amenity kits are available for purchase for 5 Euros and In-Flight-Entertainment is available on all A330 aircraft and most A320 aircraft. Headphones can be purchased for 3 Euros.
A duty-free shop is available in both cabins. Both classes can select their seats prior to boarding and an express check-in facility is available for Premium customers and Economy if they have paid extra.