Making Connection in Madrid

You have back up. If you should miss the flight to Brussels at 8:45 am, there is another Iberia flight to Brussels at 12:10 pm. If Iberia says it is a legal connection, you should be able to make it. If not, you're still covered.

Prepare a typed note on paper with a nice letterhead (your contact info) which essentially states the following:

"Our name is XXXXX and we are going to Terminal 4 to connect withe Flight ZZZZ to Brussels.
Will you please call the gate and let them know we are coming?
The short connection time is due to a schedule change made by Iberia.
Thanks!"

Translate the message into Spanish and place the message in Spanish at the top of the paper.

Make four copies of the paper. Hand one to a flight attendant just prior to the flight arrival and request her assistance.
Hand a copy to the Iberia agent meeting the plane at the gate (typically stationed just after you exit the plane onto the concourse.

The agent meeting the plane is typically your best bet for having that person call ahead for you.

The extra copies are if you arrive, miss the flight and then are told you cannot be placed on the next flight.
This will provide you with evidence you did everything you could to meet the schedule Iberia changed.
Carry a copy of the original flight schedule and the changed itinerary with you.

Since you are making a connection you should not need to clear passport control until you arrive in Brussels.

This Barajas Airport map in English might be some help: http://madrid-mad.worldairportguides.com/terminal-maps.php, As you can see, 4 and 4S are close, but you have to use an underground rail system to get from 4S to 4. Note that there are links to each terminal below the map as well as on the map itself. If you click on 4S, you can see where Passport Control is. That might help with locations, if not with their speediness. Both 4 and 4S are large and beautiful. Do a Google image search for the terminal(s) to see inside. As I remember, and as the pictures will show, the signs are in English and Spanish.

Both Terminal 4 and 4S in Barajas are HUGE. The signage is excellent, but be prepared to run.

"Since you are making a connection you should not need to clear passport control until you arrive in Brussels."

Not true. Since Madrid is your first entry to the Schengen Zone, you will clear passport control there. However, you will not see your checked luggage or clear customs in Madrid, but rather in Brussels.

Harold,
Thanks for the correction. I went back and looked at my trip notes and realized that we did have to clear customs on a trip where we made a connection. My apologies for the mistake, but am wondering if there will be enough time to clear customs and make the connction.

I am getting old.

Thanks for everyone's help. Sounds like it is doable to make the connection. Worst case scenario we get a connecting flight later in the day or maybe the following day. I guess I could think of worse places than Madrid to spend a day.