Air Nostrum

Air Nostrum (Iberia Regional)

IATA YW ICAO ANE Callsign NOSTRUM AIR
Founded	23 May 1994
Hubs	Barcelona Airport Madrid-Barajas Airport Valencia Airport
Frequent-flyer program	Iberia Plus
Alliance	Oneworld (Affiliate)
Fleet size	63 (+45 orders)
Destinations	51
Parent company	Independently owned separate and with no relation to International Airlines Group
Headquarters	Valencia, Spain
Website	www.airnostrum.es

An Air Nostrum Bombardier CRJ200 at Valladolid Airport (2006).

An Air Nostrum Bombardier Dash 8-300 at Palma de Mallorca Airport (2005).

Air Nostrum, Líneas Aéreas del Mediterráneo, S.A., also known as Iberia Regional, is a regional airline based in Valencia, Spain. Air Nostrum is an independent carrier which operates as a franchisee of Iberia Airlines. Iberia Regional franchise is a regional partner of Iberia and an affiliate member of the Oneworld airline alliance. Air Nostrum operates an extensive network of 91 domestic and international routes to 51 destinations, as well as charter flights. Its main base is Valencia Airport, with hubs at Barcelona Airport and Madrid-Barajas Airport.

History

The airline was established on 23 May 1994 and started operations on December 15. It was founded as Líneas Aéreas del Mediterraneo/Air Nostrum in Valencia. In May 1997, Air Nostrum signed an agreement with Iberia to become an Iberia franchise. It acquired Iberia subsidiary Binter Mediterraneo and absorbed its operations. Following Iberia's merger with Aviaco in 1999 additional domestic and international services were taken over by Air Nostrum. It acquired Dutch airline Denim Air in 1999, but disposed of any interest in the company in 2002. Air Nostrum is owned by Nefinsa (74.8%), Caja Duero (22.2%) and Air Nostrum management (3%) and has 2,040 employees (in March 2007).

Destinations

Main article: Air Nostrum destinations

Services

Air Nostrum offers a comprehensive meal service on all scheduled flights. However, since early 2008, the airline no longer offers a single 'regional business class' cabin. The cabin is now split into separate business and economy sections along the lines of other major airlines. Economy passengers still receive a complimentary snack suitable to the time of day, but of reduced quantity and, arguably, quality than previously.

Fleet

As of November 2011, the Air Nostrum fleet consists of the following aircraft with an average age of 9 years:

Air Nostrum fleet

Aircraft	In service	Orders	Passengers
ATR 72-500	5	0	68
ATR 72-600	0	10	70
Bombardier CRJ200	35	0	50
Bombardier CRJ900	11	9	90
Bombardier CRJ1000	9	26	100
Bombardier Dash 8 Q300	3	0	50
Total	63	45

Incidents and accidents

• On 17 January 2003, an Air Nostrum Fokker 50 overran the runway at Melilla Airport and crashed into the perimeter fence resulting in the aircraft spliting into two major parts. Nine passengers were injured.
• On 24 January 2006, Air Nostrum flight IB 8665 from Valladolid made a belly landing at El Prat Airport. Two of the forty passengers sustained minor injuries while disembarking from the aircraft, a Bombardier CRJ200 with registration EC-IBM. The cause was determined by the Comisión de Investigación de Accidentes e Incidentes de Aviación Civil to be pilot error.
• On 23 January 2007 Air Nostrum flight IB 8041 from Pamplona to Barcelona had to make an emergency landing at El Prat Airport after reporting problems with the front undercarriage of the plane, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q300. Nobody was injured.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• Official website