vueling

IAG, the airlines group formed after the merger of British Airways and Iberia, has announced its plans to acquire 100% of Vueling’s capital. Iberia already has 45.85% of the Catalan airline. Now, IAG intends to buy the remaining 54.15%, equivalent to 16.2 million shares. IAG is offering €7 per share, 28% more than Vueling’s last trading price on the stock exchange market. Vueling is one of the few airlines in Europe making a profit. Catalan politicians are “worried” about the purchase, as Vueling is based in Barcelona El Prat Airport and is committed to its expansion. However, Iberia abandoned its plans to develop El Prat and has prioritised Madrid Barajas. A Catalan MEP has asked the European Commission about the possibility of there being a free competition obstacle.

The Catalan company presented its strategic plan for next two years, which fosters its main hub, Barcelona El Prat Airport, by adding 28 new routes from next summer. Vueling plans to transform Barcelona Airport into the main European hub for short and medium distance flights. Currently, it is already the second continental hub in this category. Furthermore Vueling will strengthen its offer to business travellers by unveiling the ‘Excellence’ flying class and direct flights between Barcelona and London-Gatwick or Frankfurt. In addition, the Catalan airline will end 2012 with a profit for the fourth consecutive year.

The Catalan airline Vueling, based in Barcelona, increased by 16.2% the number of flights compared to a year ago. The airline has defied the Spanish market trend with an increase in its global volume of passengers by nearly 19%. Vueling attributes this increase to a growth in the company’s activity and a rise in its flight occupation rate, which reached 75.5%.

Vueling will offer almost 1 million seats from Rome in eight different routes, including a new direct connection with Nantes. Rome will be Vueling’s third base abroad, after Amsterdam and Toulouse. “It is the first necessary step to consolidate Vueling’s growth in Rome and in Italy”, stated the Catalan airline’s CEO, Àlex Cruz.

Vueling had a net profit of €10.4 million last year. This marks a clear improvement of 8.4% on its results from 2010 despite the 40% price increase in fuel. Vueling transported 11.6% more passengers in total, and 9% through its European routes last year. The Catalan company reached in 2011 its passenger record, with more than 12.3 million people transported.

The Catalan airline will invest €325 million in increasing the number of destinations and frequency of its flights from Barcelona El Prat Airport. Vueling will base 28 planes at Barcelona, after having bought 5 new aircraft. These initiatives demonstrate that Vueling continues with a strategy to consolidate Barcelona Airport as “a true hub” for intercontinental flights. The Catalan airline expects that up to 2 million of its passengers will change flights at Barcelona.

The Barcelona-based airline’s operational benefit reached almost €61 million, which represents a 2% increase compared to the same period last year. Despite the oil price increases, the company maintains its benefits thanks to the high occupancy rate of its flights (more than 80%) and the activity at its international bases.

The Catalan low cost airline, which is based in Barcelona, has announced new destinations from Barcelona, as well as an increase in frequency on other routes. Vueling’s President, Josep Piqué, presented the airline's latest news for next season. He also said that a low cost airline like Vueling is the only airline capable of stopping Ryanair’s expansion in Barcelona, in a clear reference to Spanair.

The airline Vueling, which has its main base at Barcelona’s El Prat Airport, has a network of permanent operating bases, to which Paris Orly will be added if French authorities give the green light. Vueling’s Chairman, Josep Piqué, announced that a minimum of six planes will be based at France’s second airport. Across the 21 routes it has in France, the airline estimates that it will carry 26% more passengers in 2011 when compared to last year.

Despite volcanic ash clouds and air traffic controllers’ strikes The Catalan airline increased its net profit by 66% in comparison with 2009. In 2011, the company plans to increase by 15% its number of flights and passengers.

It is a record figure for the company and represents a 35 percent increase in passengers since 2009. Vueling plans to offer 10.5 million seats for the 2011 summer season, almost 7% more than the same period in 2009. The company plans to open new bases in Amsterdam and Toulouse to foster its international growth.

Vueling will offer flights to the Lleida-Alguaire airport from 14 cities around Europe via Barcelona. The airline company Pyrenair will offer ski vacation flights from Madrid, Vigo and Lisbon.

Fewer trips, cheaper and shorter. More and more Spanish companies are choosing low-cost airlines when it comes to business travel. The Catalan company Vueling has felt the effects of this trend and already has 40% of its passengers travel for work-related purposes.

In July, more than 1.1 million passengers travelled with the low-cost airline, which represents a significant increase since the company merged with Clickair

Despite the rise in fuel prices and the dollar as well as the negative effects of the volcanic ash cloud, the Catalan company Vueling has gained a profit of 7.1 million euros in the year?s first trimester.