Vueling recortará capacidad este invierno, pero se blinda en las rutas nacionales

Vueling plans to cut winter capacity by around 4.5% this year, despite its parent company IAG expecting a 50% increase in activity by 2035. The airline, which operates 15 million seats between November and March, will focus on internal routes and maintain its strong presence at Barcelona Airport with 10 million seats. Vueling has scheduled 14.5 million seats in total, down from the 15.7 million it announced for the same period last year.

The airline attributes the reduction to rising fuel prices and inflation, which have put downward pressure on demand and profits in the aviation sector. However, Vueling's management, led by Carolina Martinoli, believes the program aligns with its strategic plan to grow activity to 50% by 2035, with a particular emphasis on national routes and connections from its Spanish hubs to major European cities.

The company will reopen Madrid-Barcelona route next Monday and expand Bilbao's capacity by 10%, to 1.5 million seats, while increasing Santiago's activity by 27% through a capacity boost of 720,000 seats. Vueling expects to grow most in domestic Spain with 4% more capacity (7.2 million seats), particularly to the Canary Islands, and in Spain-France (+4%) and Spain-Italy (+16%) routes.

Sources say this is the minimum program, which could be adjusted upwards depending on emerging opportunities.