Vueling and Ryanair responsible for 65% of airline complaints filed in Catalonia

Vueling and Ryanair together account for 65% of the 1,550 complaints filed with the Catalan Consumer Agency (ACC) against airlines between 2024 and 2025.

The Spanish low-cost airline Vueling tops the list with 575 complaints, followed by Irish carrier Ryanair with 447.

Other airlines with a notable number of complaints include Iberia (118), Wizz Air (56), and eDreams (54).

The most frequent causes of complaints are flight cancellations and delays, which represent nearly 40% of the total.

A smaller share of grievances, around 13%, concern charges for carry-on baggage.

“Hand luggage is clearly a recurring issue,” the director of the Catalan Consumer Agency, Isidor García, told the Catalan News Agency (ACN).

García noted that some airlines “have decided to join forces at the EU level to defend their right to charge for it.”

“However, the European Parliament has taken a firm stance, saying this cannot continue at the expense of consumers' rights,” he added.

Of the total complaints filed, around 38% have already been resolved through mediation, while a further 15% are currently being processed.

Sources at Vueling told ACN that during the same period covered by the complaints, the airline transported 32 million passengers from Barcelona and Reus airports, and that the 575 complaints represent just 0.001% of total passengers.

García also predicted a rise in airline complaints in the coming years.

“As consumers become better informed, they are also more aware of how to defend their rights—and we’re here to ensure they can do so,” he concluded.

In parallel, the Catalan government has fined seven airlines a total of €500,000 for “unfair commercial practices,” including charging for hand luggage on domestic flights and the imposition of abusive contractual clauses.