Level (airline)

Level
IATA ICAO Callsign
various various See Operators
Founded 2017
Operating bases
Frequent-flyer program Avios
Fleet size 9
Destinations 22
Parent company International Airlines Group
Website flylevel.com

Level is an airline brand of the International Airlines Group (IAG). While Level is expected to become an independent subsidiary airline of IAG with its own operator certificate, most likely based in Spain,[1] long-haul flights for the brand are currently operated by Iberia from Barcelona[2] and OpenSkies from Paris, while short-haul flights from Vienna are operated by Anisec Luftfahrt.

Level was marketed initially as a low-cost, long-haul carrier, and began transatlantic services from Barcelona–El Prat Airport in June 2017.[3] In July 2018, Level expanded with long-haul services from Paris Orly Airport which eventually took over the operation of IAG affiliate OpenSkies,[4] and began its first short-haul services from Vienna International Airport.

History

Initial launch

Level was established by IAG in response to increased competition in the low-cost long-haul market, including Norwegian Long Haul. On 15 March 2017, IAG CEO Willie Walsh announced the new brand, together with four destinations from Barcelona–El Prat Airport beginning in June 2017. A one-year contract is in place for Iberia to operate Level flights under its IB flight code and provide the necessary personnel.

Willie Walsh, CEO of IAG, stated the corporation due to take over operation of the brand would Level sold 52,000 seats within two days of being established, and over 147,000 after little more than 1½ months, far exceeding IAG's expectations.[5] Rome, Paris and Milan were mentioned as possible locations for future expansion of the airline in Europe, together with additional routes out of Barcelona.[6]

Long-haul expansion

In line with the expressed intent to continue with future expansion by adding routes from other European cities,[7] Level announced four new routes from Paris Orly Airport to start from July 2018 and one from Barcelona on 28 November 2017.[4] Flights from Paris Orly were to be operated under OpenSkies' air operator’s certificate (AOC)[8] and staffed by OpenSkies crew. After the retirement of OpenSkies following the 2018 summer season, the Paris Orly flights are operated by Level.[9]

Short-haul expansion

On 29 June 2018, IAG announced the launch of a new low-cost Austrian subsidiary, Anisec Luftfahrt, to operate flights from Vienna International Airport, branded as Level, starting from 17 July 2018. The new subsidiary bears its own Austrian AOC and bases four Airbus A321 aircraft previously used by Air Berlin and Niki in Vienna, from which it plans to serve 14 European destinations on behalf of Level by the end of August 2018.[10]

Destinations

In 2017, Iberia launched flights branded as Level to four initial destinations in North America and South America from its Barcelona base. These were Oakland, Los Angeles, Buenos Aires and Punta Cana.[11] In July 2018, Level began flights from Barcelona to Boston, and from its new base at Paris Orly to Montreal and Point-à-Pitre. Additional flights from its Paris Orly base to Fort-de-France and Newark were announced to begin from September 2018. The airline brand also launched its first short-haul base at Vienna from July 2018.[10]

City Country Airport Notes Refs
AlicanteSpainAlicante–Elche Airport
BarcelonaSpainBarcelona–El Prat AirportBase
BilbaoSpainBilbao Airport
BostonUnited StatesLogan International Airport
Buenos AiresArgentinaMinistro Pistarini International Airport
DubrovnikCroatiaDubrovnik AirportSeasonal
Fort-de-FranceMartiniqueMartinique Aimé Césaire International Airport
IbizaSpainIbiza AirportSeasonal
LarnacaCyprusLarnaca International AirportSeasonal
LondonUnited KingdomLondon Gatwick International Airport
Los AngelesUnited StatesLos Angeles International AirportSeasonal
MálagaSpainMálaga Airport
MontrealCanadaMontréal–Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport
MilanItalyMilan–Malpensa Airport
NewarkUnited StatesNewark Liberty International Airport
OaklandUnited StatesOakland International AirportEnds 25 October 2018
OlbiaItalyOlbia Costa Smeralda AirportSeasonal
Palma de MallorcaSpainPalma de Mallorca Airport
ParisFranceCharles de Gaulle Airport
ParisFranceOrly AirportBase
Pointe-à-PitreGuadeloupePointe-à-Pitre International Airport
PortoPortugalPorto AirportBegins 1 April 2019[12]
San FranciscoUnited StatesSan Francisco International AirportBegins 31 October 2018
SevilleSpainSeville AirportBegins 31 March 2019[13]
ValenciaSpainValencia Airport
VeniceItalyVenice Marco Polo Airport
ViennaAustriaVienna International AirportBase

Codeshare agreements

As of July 2018, the airlines operating for level have codeshare agreements with the following airlines:

Fleet

An Iberia Airbus A330 branded as Level at Barcelona Airport.

As of August 2018, the combined Level branded fleet consists of the following aircraft:[14][15]

Level Fleet
Aircraft In fleet Orders Passengers Notes
W Y Total
Airbus A321-200 4 — — 210 210[16] operated by Anisec Luftfahrt
Airbus A330-200 3 2[17] 21 293 314 operated by Iberia
Deliveries until 2019[17]
2 operated by OpenSkies
Total 9 2

The airlines operating for the brand have plans to expand from three A330-200s in 2017 to at least 15 aircraft by 2022, with the possibility of continuing to acquire Airbus A330s, or perhaps moving to Boeing 787s.[18]

Services

Frequent-flyer programme

In common with all IAG subsidiary airlines, Level's frequent-flyer programme is Avios. Passengers may thus earn and redeem Avios points on Level in addition to Iberia, British Airways, Vueling, Aer Lingus and Flybe. Avios points may also be used for travel on airlines in the Oneworld alliance.

Cabins and service

Economy

The Economy cabin of Level's A330 aircraft feature 293 seats in a 2-4-2 layout. The Economy cabin of Level's A321 aircraft feature 210 seats in a 3-3 layout. Seats on the A330 are equipped with a 9" seat-back TV screen, featuring a selection of films and TV shows free of charge through 2018, but will be an additional fee in 2019. In-flight WiFi (only on A330 aicraft and currently not functioning), in-flight catering, and checked/hold baggage are all available for purchase by passengers.[19]

Premium Economy

Premium Economy is only available on A330 aircraft. The cabin features 21 reclining seats featuring 37" seat pitch in a 2-3-2 layout, each equipped with a 12" TV screen and noise cancelling headphones. Passengers are offered a full, three-course meal, and WiFi is available for purchase (currently not functioning). Passengers are also given a baggage allowance of one cabin bag and two checked/hold bags.[20]

See also

References

  1. ↑ elEconomista.es. "IAG convertirá su 'low cost' Level en una empresa para impulsar su expansión - elEconomista.es".
  2. ↑ "Iberia operará cuatro rutas de bajo coste con EEUU desde El Prat con la marca Level".
  3. ↑ "Tweets with replies by LEVEL_en (@flywithlevelEN) - Twitter". twitter.com.
  4. 1 2 "Level LAUNCHES FOUR ROUTES FROM PARIS ORLY WITH FARES FROM €99". IAG. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  5. ↑ "WHOA: New "LEVEL" Transatlantic Airline Sold 52K Tickets On Day One! - One Mile at a Time". 19 March 2017.
  6. ↑ elEconomista.es. "IAG dice que la acogida de Level en Barcelona ha sido excepcional - elEconomista.es".
  7. ↑ Baquero, Camilo S. (18 March 2017). "Level, así se llama la nueva aerolínea 'low cost' de IAG que volará a Los Ángeles desde 99 euros".
  8. ↑ "IAG confirms Orly for LEVEL base; to scrap OpenSkies in 4Q18". CH-Aviation. 29 November 2017.
  9. ↑ "IAG - International Airlines Group - News Release". www.iairgroup.com.
  10. 1 2 "IAG - International Airlines Group - News Release". www.iairgroup.com. Retrieved 2018-07-02.
  11. ↑ Liu, Jim (17 March 2017). "Level outlines planned June 2017 launch". Routesonline. Retrieved 17 March 2017.
  12. ↑ Level add Vienna to Porto S19
  13. ↑ Level add Vienna to Seville for S19
  14. ↑ elEconomista.es. "IAG estudia Roma y París como nuevas bases para LEVEL y dotarla con cinco aviones para verano de 2018 - elEconomista.es".
  15. ↑ "LEVEL Flight Details and History". Planespotters.net. Retrieved 20 July 2018.
  16. ↑ "New low-cost airline, LEVEL, to feature Vienna-Larnaca flights". Cyprus Traveller. 28 June 2018. Retrieved 28 June 2018.
  17. 1 2 Nensel, Mark (17 July 2018). "IAG's Level commits to two more A330s amid route expansion". Air Transport World Online. Informa Exhibitions. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  18. ↑ Bjorn Fehrm (February 28, 2018). "IAG's LEVEL shopping for future fleet". Leeham.
  19. ↑ Silva, Gil Da. "LEVEL - Réservation : bagages, frais, poids et prix des valises (soute et cabine)". www.quellecompagnie.com.
  20. ↑ "LEVEL, book direct flights and cheap flight tickets". www.flylevel.com.
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