Ramiro José Oliveira Siqueira (1982, Lisbon) He has more than two decades of operational management in major companies in the aviation sector under his portfolio. After holding positions of responsibility at Iberia Express and Vueling and taking over the interim management of TAP – the Portuguese company now on IAG’s radar – he picked up the phone last year to take over the operational management of Iberia. He did so at a crucial moment: at the forefront of an ambitious strategic plan that entails investing 6,000 million euros until 2030. To analyze this challenge, Siqueira sits down with… Economic information In the New Iberia area of São Paulo, as part of a demonstration of final routes to Recife and Fortaleza, both in northeastern Brazil.
What made you choose these methods? What potential did you see?
Iberia is betting big on Latin America. Not just now because there was an obvious flow of demand, but because she had always chosen him and had been his target. Core business Long radius. The arrival to Recife and Fortaleza comes at a time when we are looking to grow and we have Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which allows us a profitable, sustainable and long-term operation because we do not want to open seasonal routes that will later be closed; It’s a long-term vision, at the right time and with the right team.
What factors support this commitment to Brazil?
We have a country with increasing demand. For Brazilians, Europe is a very good destination, and we saw an opportunity to strengthen this air bridge. We open the roads connecting Europe to Latin America and support a long-term vision: growth Footprint in Latin America and strengthen our website center From Madrid. We want it to be Madrid center Of communication from Europe at the same level as Paris or elsewhere. Moreover, with the expected growth – from 47 to 70 long-range aircraft – it is natural that this capacity will be allocated to America and Latin America. However, not all growth will be new roads; There will also be more frequencies
What doors does a more efficient aircraft like the 321XLR open?
It has an ideal flight range and we believe there are many opportunities without diluting what we already have. Not only in Brazil, but also on the American coast, where we can do some other routes. We will reach eight aircraft, which was planned, and we have the possibility to adjust frequencies and increase destination capacity.
Is Fortaleza and Recife a thermometer to measure demand here?
Within our organization there is a dedicated web development team that analyzes the business part and profitability. Talks are ongoing: new destinations are always being evaluated, but it would be unwise to say that there are commitments beyond the cities of Fortaleza and Recife. We are now open in Fortaleza, Recife, Monterrey (Mexico), Orlando (USA) and Toronto (Canada). Are new routes planned? Maybe yes. but The focus now is on unlocking these items and making them as profitable as it takes to advance them. To put it in perspective: we will end this year with 5.5 million seats in Latin America, a historic record. We will have four airports in Brazil and four daily flights from Buenos Aires (Argentina), something that has never been seen before. So, as the team thinks about the future and analyzes all these destinations, the reality is that we have to take short but determined steps. As the fleet grows, new opportunities will arise.
What are the factors that tip the balance of its westward expansion?
There is a natural factor: our main markets and the historical and cultural relationship between Spain, Iberia and Latin America. It’s a complex market, but we’ve found a profitable and sustainable model that feeds both sides. Then there is the commercial challenge: the difficulty of positioning the product in Asia. However, the Tokyo route, which we recently opened, is a very good surprise, both operationally and commercially. This encourages us to look there, even though the market is more difficult.
What is the challenge of growing at this pace at an operational level?
We will create approximately 1,000 jobs per year, and mobilizing and training pilots, crew or maintenance personnel without losing efficiency or quality, and ensuring safety, is a major operational challenge. But we are in a beautiful moment: we have experienced people offering quick solutions, and young people with new ideas. From a business perspective, the challenge is to maintain value; grow in size without losing quality, We don’t want to be the cheapest airline, we want to be the one with the best value. Along these lines, having more planes also means making better use of technology. We have integrated AI into sales and operations: it balances aircraft loading, reduces consumption and improves profitability.
Your growth plan coincides with Aena’s largest investment program. What do you think about this renewal of infrastructure?
I think it’s a very good and timely coincidence. This will come together very well. We want to work very closely with Aena, even at the design stage, and contribute to this expertise and entrance On how to improve operation and customer experience.
As former interim president of TAP and COO of Iberia, what would be the normal situation if the Portuguese company finally merged into IAG?
Iberia is not involved in any analysis or decision on this issue. Of course there are two Interviewer They can complement each other, but beyond that I cannot add much because the analysis is done from London.
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