Iberia flies passengers to witness total solar eclipse from 10,000‑meter altitude

Iberia will operate a special flight on 12 August 2024 to observe the first total solar eclipse visible from the Iberian Peninsula since 1912. The Airbus A321XLR, bearing the code IB1473 in tribute to astronomer Nicolás Copérnico, will depart Madrid‑Barajas at 18:45 and climb above 10 000 m, following a route designed to maximise eclipse viewing over Palencia.

The aircraft will provide high‑speed Starlink Wi‑Fi, enabling a live broadcast of the event on Iberia’s social channels. On board, a team of researchers from the Shelios project, led by astronomer Miquel Serra‑Ricart, will study the solar corona free of atmospheric interference, while also observing Venus, Mercury and other stars. The crew is commanded by Javier Lopera Alcalá, with pilot Javier Meana Fernández, who holds training in astrophysics.