IAG has announced the appointment of Rafael Jiménez Hoyos as LEVEL’s new CEO effective October 1st, 2024. Previously, he served as Chief Operating Officer at Iberia, which he joined in 2013.
On Thursday (September 12, 2024), IAG announced the appointment of Rafael Jiménez Hoyos as the Chief Executive Officer of LEVEL effective October 1st, 2024. Mr. Jiménez Hoyos previously served as Chief Operating Officer at Iberia, which he joined in 2013. LEVEL is in the process of obtaining its Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and developing an ambitious growth plan with capacity increases in routes to the U.S. and Latin America. LEVEL is currently the leading long-haul operator at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport. Rafael Jiménez Hoyos succeeds Fernando Candela who is retiring following a successful career with the Group, having served as LEVEL’s CEO, Chairman of Iberia, and Director of Transformation at IAG and CEO of Iberia Express.
In Thursday’s announcement, IAG’s CEO, Luis Gallego, said,
“With the appointment of Rafael Jiménez Hoyos, we are benefitting once again the extraordinary talent that we have in our Group. Rafael’s contribution has been fundamental to achieve Iberia’s operational excellence, becoming one of the most punctual airlines in the world. In this new phase, LEVEL will continue working to grow the airline and connect Barcelona with the world. I would like to deeply appreciate the extraordinary work and commitment of Fernando Candela since he joined LEVEL in 2019, role that he has combined recently with the Group’s transformation plans and the Iberia leadership.”
Before serving as Iberia’s Chief Operating Officer, Rafael Jiménez Hoyos served as Director of Flight Operations at Iberia Express, and Director of Flight Operations and Director of Quality and Operational Safety at Vueling. Additionally, he is a graduate of the Spanish Air Force Academy, as well as an Airbus A320 commander and examiner. As a commercial pilot, he worked as a captain at clickair, Vueling, Iberia Express and Air Nostrum. During his military career, he was a combat pilot for the Spanish Air Force, and participated in a number of missions abroad alongside the U.S. Air Force, and he was also part of the Spanish Eagle Patrol.
In the current financial year, LEVEL increased capacity to destinations including New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Boston, and also launched new service to Miami. In Latin America, the carrier is also increasing capacity to Santiago de Chile and Buenos Aires.
Source: International Consolidated Airlines Group (IAG)
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