International Airlines Group (IAG) contributed 6,043 million euros to the Catalan Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023 and supported the generation of more than 81,000 jobs in Catalonia, according to a study commissioned to the consultancy firm PwC. These figures mean that IAG’s activity generates added value equivalent to 2.1% of Catalan GDP and 2.3% of full-time employment.
Luis Gallego, CEO of IAG, said: «The data demonstrates IAG’s strong commitment to Catalonia and how the activity of our airlines is a driver of the local economy, while supporting the creation of thousands of jobs. Over the years, IAG airlines have achieved a leading position at the Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport and we are the only airline group that offers short, medium and long-haul flights. Having strong, competitive hub airports, connecting European and intercontinental flights, is vital for the competitiveness of European aviation and to strengthen our contribution to European economies. We are going to continue working to maintain Catalonia as one of the European regions with the best and greatest connectivity».
To carry out the study, the socio-economic impact calculation includes both IAG’s activity and investment (corporate impact), and the direct, indirect and induced spending of the tourists it transports to and in Catalonia (catalytic effect). The report has taken data from 2023 and includes the activities of the group’s airlines in Catalonia: Vueling, LEVEL, Iberia (including Iberia Express), British Airways, Aer Lingus and the cargo business, IAG Cargo.
IAG’s corporate impact derived from its activity in Catalonia contributed €1,722 million to GDP. For every euro generated directly by IAG, a total of €1.5 of GDP was generated in the Catalan economy. The group’s activity also contributed to the generation of 11,949 full-time equivalent (FTE) jobs in the Catalan economy. This means that for every job generated directly by IAG, a total of 2.1 additional FTE jobs are generated in the economy.
In terms of the catalytic effect, which analyses the expenditure of passengers using IAG flights and the wider economic impact of this expenditure on the entire Catalan economy, the PwC study estimates a contribution of 4,322 million euros and a contribution to employment generation of 69,415 jobs. The study shows that for every passenger flying with IAG, 634 euros of GDP are generated in Catalonia. While for every 1,000 passengers flying to Catalonia with IAG, 10.2 jobs are generated.
IAG’s contribution to the development of connectivity at Barcelona-El Prat Josep Tarradellas airport
The PwC study reflects how the growth of IAG airlines at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport also means the growth of the airport itself. The average annual growth of the airport between 2011 and 2023 was 3.8%, driven by the growth of IAG passengers, which grew by 8.7% on average per year over the same period. IAG is the group that has transported the highest number of passengers since 2011 (the year IAG was created) and in the last financial year transported 47% of passengers at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport.
Specifically, in 2023, IAG airlines carried 24.4 million passengers, connected the airport to 118 cities in 34 countries and flew on 122 routes and. Approximately two-thirds of the tourists carried by IAG airlines are international. And it is the routes between Barcelona and London, Paris and Amsterdam that concentrate the greatest number of international passengers. On long-haul routes, the destinations with the most passengers are Buenos Aires, New York and Los Angeles. Meanwhile, in the case of domestic routes, the connections with Madrid, Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza lead the ranking.
IAG is the only airline group that offers direct flights to domestic, European and long-haul destinations at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport. Of IAG’s growth at this airport, it is worth highlighting the development of Vueling, a company that was founded 20 years ago with just two aircraft and today has a fleet of 124 aircraft and a team of more than 4,600 professionals.
In the long-haul sector, LEVEL is already the leading operator at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat airport. The company, which expects to complete the Air Operator Certificate (AOC) in the coming months, is increasing its seat offer and expects to reach almost one million seats by the end of the year, which is almost double the figure offered in 2019 (523,000 vs. 954,000).
Finally, IAG has reinforced its commitment to innovation and emphasised that, through its transformation initiatives, the objective is to add value to the operating companies and generate a competitive advantage from the investments that the Group is making.
In this regard, IAG has announced the forthcoming opening of its artificial intelligence laboratory in Barcelona. A space for collaboration and excellence that will have 150 highly specialised professionals, in addition to the artificial intelligence laboratory that the Group already has in London. IAG’s ambition is to be a leader in innovation and in the development and application of artificial intelligence in the airline industry.
Imagen: IAG
