Today Iberia will join Japan Airlines, British Airways and Finnair in their joint business between Europe and Japan.

The joint business means that the four airlines will share revenue and cooperate on scheduling and pricing between Japan and Europe, providing customers with more flexible routing options and an attractive range of fares.

Last August Japanese regulators gave approval to the airlines’ plans to include Iberia in the joint business between British Airways, Japan Airlines and Finnair.

The Spanish airline starts today with thrice-weekly non-stop flights Madrid-Tokyo-Madrid.

The joint business opens up all four airlines’ networks between Japan and Europe and allows the airline partners to cooperate on expanding their presence in this growing and important market.

The agreement also strengthens the oneworld alliance and enables it to compete more effectively around the world with other global alliances.

Customer benefits of the joint business will include the ability to mix and match flights on all four carriers for the most convenient scheduling as well as online booking capability and check-in with any of the four airlines, regardless of which is being flown.

The addition of Iberia to the existing joint business means adding Madrid as a fifth gateway, together with Helsinki, London Heathrow, Madrid, Tokyo Haneda and Tokyo Narita, enabling customers to reach over 200 destinations in Europe and 59 in Japan.

Luis Gallego, president of Iberia, said: “Today is a great day for the Iberia family. We are returning to Japan as a renewed airline, with our newest aircraft and product for our customers, and we do so accompanied by such wonderful partners as British Airways, JAL and Finnair.

“We are proud to contribute to strengthen the alliance and to the growth of the leisure and business travels between Spain and Japan thanks to the only non-stop flights between the two countries.”