Throughout 2002 at a total of 12 Spanish airports
Throughout 2002 at a total of 12 Spanish airports
Now showing at the airport of Seville, the exhibition opened yesterday February 7th, in Barcelona and will then go to the airports of Valencia, Malaga, Alicante, Madrid, Santiago de Compostela, Bilbao, Palma de Majorca, Oviedo, Gran Canaria and Tenerife.
The interesting selection of photographs, most of them shown for the first time, serves to illustrate major events in the history of Iberia and of Spain. Some of the photographs portray important artists, politicians, thinkers and celebrities of each period, and others record major technical advances in aviation and milestones in the company`s history. All the types of aircraft flown by Iberia are also depicted.
The photographs and posters are hung on panels, each representing a decade. The first, addressing the 1927-1937 period, attests to the company`s birth, and with it, the launch of commercial aviation in Spain. The company`s original bylaws are shown, along with photographs of the old landing fields used in the days that Iberia`s first Rohrbach-Roland aircraft had wicker seats for passengers.
The Spanish Civil War marked the company`s second decade. We see soldiers aboard Iberia airplanes, and the company`s first intercontinental flights, when female cabin staff in military-style uniforms made their debut.
The 1947-1956 period witnessed Iberia`s expansion in the Americas, today the company`s most important market. Ground and cabin staff switched from military to civilian garb, and many famous people crossed the Atlantic on board Iberia`s airplanes.
In the 1960s, the aircraft themselves became the star performers, and visitors to the exhibition can see photographs of the new Fokker F-28, Iberia` s first mighty Boeing B-747, christened Cervantes; and the B-727 fleet, recently replaced by Airbus A-320s.
The photographs from the 1980s and 1990s show Iberia`s participation in humanitarian and other activities. The airline was a sponsor of the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games, which was duly noted in a poster by the famous designer Mariscal. The Mano a Mano non-governmental relief organization established at the initiative of Iberia employees delivered 30,000 kg. of aid to the neediest people in Sudan. Last year Iberia`s humanitarian efforts were honored by the Empresa y Sociedad foundation.
Bringing us to the present, the exhibition shows Iberia`s totally redesigned Business and First Class cabins and services, launched in 2000. The airline`s pioneering Iberia Plus frequent flyers program is also highlighted, as is its continuing humanitarian work.
The photographs were selected from archives containing a total of more than two million images.
Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.
