Well for me it's good to see the 19:50 MAD-LHR is on BA. I hate, hate, hate the IB experience in economy late in the evening after a hard day.

Moving the 09:30ish flight LHR-MAD is a pain though. I could just drop the children at school, drive to LHR, park in Business Parking at T3 and get the flight at 09:30. The earlier time messes this up completely.

The whole IB merger has been an unmitigated disaster from my perspective being a very regular pax to MAD. Prices have rocketed, standards on IB are p*** poor in economy unless you can get an exit row (a whole other story of course even as an Emerald), it's €2.00 for water and the seating has such poor legroom it reminded me of XL Airways.

Get the IT right, provide drinks at least for free, allow seat reservation for Elites, provide some legroom, bring the prices down and I might think there is a slight benefit in the merger. Otherwise can see nothing in it for me....

(rant over for the moment!)

globalste, still hope to see you at Barajas one day!