Possible Vueling Flight Cancellations Due to Strike

On December 2 there's a train at 8:15 AM that arrives in Barcelona at 2:20 PM. There is no transfer required. There's also a 1:18 PM departure arriving at 8:22 PM, plus some others that take longer. The 1:18 PM involves a transfer at Antequera, but the transfer time is a generous 47 minutes.

I know I'm a lot more tolerant of long train rides than others, but I don't consider six hours to be all that long when you don't have to travel to and from airports or show up at least two hours before departure time. Flying would probably take close to five hours, door to door. In your situation, I'd seriously consider the train.

Three nights would be a pretty short visit to Barcelona, so I don't think it's a tragedy if you need to postpone that city until a later trip. In that case, you might consider adding a night in Granada if you're currently scheduled to be there for only two nights. Another good possibility would be going to one or more of the fabulous smaller cities around Madrid. For me, the best target for three nights would be Toledo. If you want to split your time between two places, I'd base in Madrid and take side trips. These are the obvious options, all accessible by train:

• Toledo
• Segovia
• Salamanca
• Cuenca (train ticket can be very costly if not bought well in advance)
• Alcala de Henares (very near Madrid with frequent commuter-rail service)

Ouch! Your post has me reading up on the strike, and it's no small matter! Looks like your travel date would specifically be affected if it isn't resolved within three weeks, and IAG is a notoriously tough negotiator with their labor unions.

You're wise to consider alternatives.

@acraven: Thank you for your suggestions. Of the places to consider, I do have Toledo and Sergovia as day trips from Madrid when we will be in Madrid at the beginning of the trip. I really wanted to visit Salamanca but didn't think a day trip a good idea. Now that I may not be able to visit Barcelona, that's back to be an option.

Here are the few options I am considering:
1. Take a late train from Granada to Madrid, stay Madrid overnight and catch an early flight (6am) to Barcelona. Or catch a not-so-late train to Madrid and late Madrid to Barcelona train. Reason: Stick to my original travel plan and the cost of booked entrances won't get wasted.
2. Similar to the above, except change the final destination from Barcelona to Salamanca.
3. Stay in the Granada area, day trip to Ronda.
Decision, decision...

@scudder: Ouch is the right word. Thank you for the additional information. I was hoping my flight wouldn't be cancelled but considering it's on a strike day (Friday), I probably shouldn't take the chance...

@acraven: Forgot the option that acraven suggested: 8:15am Granada train to Barcelona arrive at 14:20pm. Since our Alhambra visit is booked on Friday morning, this can only be done on Saturday. That will give us 2.5 days in Barcelona.

If you decide to spend a night in Madrid en route to Barcelona, it would be best to do the entire trip by train, because it will be considerably faster than dealing with airports. The total travel time between Madrid and Barcelona by train is as little as 2-1/2 hours. However, the bargain-priced tickets went on sale some time ago, so the rail fares are unlikely to be cheap. Fares will likely increase as you get closer to your travel date. You can take a look at the current situation on the Renfe website.

If you're filling out extra/found time in Madrid, the Monetary (which is really a low-key royal palace) at el Escorial is another good day trip—maybe a half-day trip. The Valley of the Fallen is also near there, but not easily accessible and the value of visiting there is debatable at least—maybe even controversial.

I'm also kind of a Madrid fan. Glad to float lots of ideas that many people don't see on a 'standard' tourist visit.

@acraven: Definitely trains only, after the Vueling debacle. Yes I know the faster I act, the better prices I can get for train tickets and hotels, but I also found earlier reservations make me less flexible. Had I not had all those reservations already booked, I could re-arrange the order of our trips to save time...

I always liked to plan ahead to have peace of mind but this time I am debating if I should wait until Vueling cancels the flight before taking any action. Yes we most likely will pay higher prices for the reservations but if our flight is not cancelled...Wishful thinking?

@Scudder: Thank you for the suggestion. If we are going to El Escorial we will book a tour.

We have flights with Vueling on December 26 from Paris to Barcelona. Things aren't looking good. Thank you for posting this alert as I'm not sure I would have looked at my Vueling account until weeks from now. The message on their website seems to be saying that I should make alternate plans, however, they also state that most of their flights will be in operation--so what to do?! Furthermore, flights on Mondays (our flight) will be affected.

I recommend keeping tabs on ticket availability for your travel date. It's not exactly rare to see "Full Train" notations on the Renfe website. I have no reason to think the trains sell out really early, but if you're waiting for definite information from your airline, you might not be happy with the remaining rail options.

I've just looked at Madrid-Barcelona trains. The situation for this Friday looks sketchy. I don't know whether that's typical on Fridays or there's something special driving demand this week.

Hi acraven,
Yes I totally agree. I am constantly checking Renfe and also Vueling. Honestly, neither is helpful with making desicision. The Renfe site doesn't show remaining tickets, and the flight status for the GRX-BCN flights shows a few cancellations, none for the time of my flight, but you never know which one Vueling will cancel and when...The worst scenario is that Vueling cancels the flight in the last minute.

For one minute I decide I will wait and see; but the next I think I should book the alternatives now, which include transporations and changing hotels...

Hi Lindy,

I also just came across the strike by accident. I think Vueling should notify all its passengers of the strike, not just post some informaiton on its website. Just a couple of weeks ago, Vueling alerted me departure time change of my flight and allowed me to change to a different flight but it all seemed business as usual.

Yes, Vueling said 90% of their flights will be operating normally but over 3 million passengers will be impacted during the strike. It's the uncertainty that makes things complicated. If Vueling tells us now what flights will be cancelled, we can make plans for alternatives. But since there is still a chance, as slim as it may be, that the flight will not be cancelled, and because the alternatives are more costly & inconvinient, I am debating if I should abandon my original travel plan. It's not only money, but also time.

Thanks for your response, jeansn6. I agree--they are playing both sides against the middle. I have emailed them for what that's worth. We'll be looking at other airlines today. It's worrisome that we might not get the days or times that we have now planned our trip around. Wishing you the best with your situation.

Hi Lindy,

I didnt' think about writing to Vueling by email but that's not a bad idea. I read on Twitter a lot of unhappy customers about cancelled flights and refunds. To quesitons regarding whether a specific flight will be cancelled, Vueling's replies were the unhelful "You will be notified by email if you flight is affected...".

Do you know if we voluntarily cancel our flights we will get a full refund? Flight credit is useless for me since I don't think we will able to use it before it expires.

Best luck to you as well. This certainly added stress to my trip. Although strikes are common in Europe, I didn't factor that into our planning-there were already so many other things to consider.

Have you read this?
vueling.newsVueling informs youFacebook Twitter Flickr Youtube Spotify RSS Feed
flying
vuelingnews
"Cabin Crew Strike
After the Vueling cabin crew strike call, called by the STAVLA union as of November 1, 2022, the company expects to operate most of its flights normally.

However, specific adjustments to our programming will be necessary and the affected clients will be informed of their new alternative through the email provided when making the reservation. If you have booked a flight operated by Vueling through Iberia, British Airways, a travel agency or an online agency, you should contact them directly.

Also, remember that you can check the status of your flight in Flight Status .

You can access your reservation to consult the information of your new flight and manage the available alternatives in Manage your reservation .

We offer the following alternatives to affected customers:

Request reimbursement for the affected journey. We will make the refund of the amount in the following 7 days of your request.
Alternate transportation to your final destination as quickly as possible.
Change to another flight to your final destination at another date or time, at your convenience, subject to seat availability.
Your rights as a passenger are regulated by the European Regulation (CE) 261/2004 . In addition, you will find information on all the rights that assist you in accordance with the aforementioned regulations in the event that your flight is affected by cancellation or delay in the Incidents on your flight section on our website or mobile application.

Due to the exceptional volume of calls that we expect to receive, we advise you to manage your reservation on the web if your departure is not immediate.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by this situation.

Vueling Team"

If you have an account with Vueling, you can log in and also subscribe to their newsletter which I did.

We'll see.

No I don't think what I read was as comprehensive as what you posted.

I am not sure what "affected journey" means, flights already cancelled, or any reserved flight?

Yes I have a Vueling account. I just submitted their newsletters. Thank you for the suggestion.

I am watching what flights have been cancelled for my route and if the pace of cancellations is accelerating. So far, it appeared Vueling was cancelling the first and/or last flight of the day.

Hi Lindy,

What Vueling email address did you use? I searched on Vueling's website but couldn't find one. My google searches landed a few suspious results.
Many thanks!
Jean

I'll do my best, jeansn6. Vueling's website is a labyrinth. Go to "Log in". Scroll down to "Contact". Click on "Customer Service Centre". Then, "If you have a Query". Then, "Customer Service". Finally, "Any Other Questions". Also, look for the link that provides phone numbers to call them further down from "Any Other Questions".

It does appear that some of their links change by the day or that I simply have gotten lost in my many attempts to email them. Btw, so far, I've received nothing from Vueling. I've also not tried to phone them. Please let me know if you get through if you do attempt to call.

I'm also keeping my fingers crossed that this issue will be resolved and soon. Your trip is getting closer--I can imagine your anxiety!

I just discovered a shortcut: go to https://vuelingnews.com/ and then Customer Service bottom right.

I had not heard about the strike. So I thank you for posting. I'm booked on a flight from Nice to Barcelona on Dec. 15. My other option is to book an additional flight on Easy Jet for about $75. Maybe it's worth the "insurance," maybe I should wait a while? Train is likely to be more expensive and take 8 hours. If the Vueling flight is cancelled, I'd have no use for a credit.

Does anyone have a thought?

Booking an insurance flight with another airline is worth considering, Chani. I have been looking at Ryanair for our Paris to Barcelona flight. Does anyone know if there is reason to be concerned about other lower fare airlines also going on strike? I read that Ryanair just avoided one. I don't want to go from the frying pan into the fire.

Hi Lindy,

Thank you so much for your help. I followed your instructions from your first post and clicked on the link in the second post. I sent a question each time but I am not sure where they went and if I will get a reply.

I haven't tried calling Vueling because Vueling says it is experiencing high volume of the customer contacts (surprise!) and I don't want to be put on hold forever burning cash considering my phone provider doesn't cover calls from US to Spain.

I don't know if Vueling is managing the situation poorly or playing games with its customers. It could have a FAQ for the strike based on the inquiries they received to reduce the call, email or Twitter volume. I looked at the flights they are offering in December and January for my route, they didn't reduce the number of flights!

Hi Chani,

It's good that you have a comparable alternative. In my case, Vueling is the only carrier offering direct flights. The other ones are not only much more expensive but also much longer.

I wonder how most of the strikes in Europe were resolved. If Vueling doesn't back down by January 31, 2023, will the strike continue, or will the workers go back to work and wait for another time to go on strike?

Hi Jean,

Skyscanner shows a RyanAir flight from Malaga to Barcelona at 10.25 pm on the 12th. Check how long (and how much) to go to the Malaga airport from Granada. Also, the train may only add about 2 hours to total travel time - though it's a lot more expensive than the cheap flights.

Lindy, I chose Vueling because Ryan has had so many issues lately.

Sigh.

Hi Chani,

Thank you for the suggestion. It's about 2-hour bus from Granada to Malaga and yes, there are a few other carriers having direct flights from Malaga to Barcelona. But given the chaos with the airlines I will try my best to avoid them. They can cancel flights on short notice. Trains seem more reliable.

I still hope Vueling will not cancel my flight. Did you check how many and what flights were cancelled for your route by Vueling?

Best luck to you. We need it.

I have been checking my flight for Fridays, Sundays and Mondays (the days most likely to have a strike, according to an article) and, so far, there have been no cancellations.

Also, "Stoppages are expected to take place every Friday, Sunday and Monday until January 31st, 2023. They have also added December 6th, 8th, 24th and 31st and January 5th to the strike schedule as they’re key dates for holiday travel in Spain." (The Local ES)

@Lindy-Your route must be popular. I see they reduced at least one flight on a few days for my route. For the day of my flight, Friday, they removed the last flight thru the end of November and I suspect they will continue to do so for December and January.

I don't know how often they update the flight schedule, every two weeks? If so, maybe by next Monday, I will know what other flights will be cancelled.

Where do you check for flight cancellations? My flight's on Thursday, so that's some comfort.

Chani, I go to the Vueling website. I have a log-in account (you might create one if you don't have one). It shows your flights, etc. just like any other airline. You could just click on Flight Status without an account, I believe. I plug in my Flight # and look at Monday which is the day of my flight. Thursdays are supposed to be one of the "lucky" days! Here's wishing you luck!
I just checked Flight Status for Dec. 15th Flights 1516 and 1518 both of which are still listed. Is one of those your flight? The dreaded, "The flight with this origin and destination does not operate on that date. Please check it and try again. If you had already booked this flight, you can access the options available for you in Manage your booking. You can see the passenger rights. If you would like more information or to make a claim, please get in contact with our Customer Services here." WAS NOT DISPLAYED. Looking good, so far, for you!

Btw, this is the website that I use https://www.vueling.com/en
Click on "Flying Info" at the top and then "Flight Status" to the right.

I just compared Vueling's daily flights before the strike or (in January. I don't think Vueling has updated its January flight schedule to include the strike impact) to those in the recent two weeks to determine what flights they may have cancelled. For instance, they normally have 4 flights on Fridays, now they have only 3. The last one of the day was cancelled.

Thank you for the additional info. I did go to "manage my flight" previously and it's still a go - but it's also a month away. I will register and keep checking - will uncross my fingers just long enough to do that.

Has anyone seen an article about the strike that is more current than November 2nd? I can find absolutely nothing. We need "a Nigel" here. Nigel is a retired rail employee from England who is full of knowledge about the rail strike in England/London. Any Spain residents here who have more information about the Vueling strike?

Nov. 7th news reported Vueling cancelled 58 flights after the Nov.2nd announcement of 54 flight cancellation. It seems the news comes out every Monday. We will see if that's true tomorrow.

I have been searching updates on the strike but didn't see much. What this implies is subject to interpretation: Does it means the impact of the strike is limited as Vueling previously announced, or strikes are really no big deal thus not warranting daily headlines, or bigger storms are yet to come?

. . ."

Below is the latest that I've found about the Vueling strike. I've had to turn to Twitter to find my news! No information, unfortunately, about negotiations.

"Strike at Vueling: 64 flights canceled this Sunday, 28 of them in El Prat
Vueling has canceled a total of 64 flights scheduled for this Sunday, due to the cabin crew strike; 28 of these located at the El Prat airport in Barcelona. The airline plans to operate a total of 497 flights this Sunday, 89% of those initially scheduled, after preventively canceling part of the routes not protected by the minimum services decreed by the Ministry of Transport. The Stavla union, the majority among the crew, has called strikes every Friday, Sunday and Monday until January. A mobilization calendar that promises to affect the Christmas campaign and the return operation.

In a statement, the IAG group airline states that 83% of flights (135 out of 163) will operate normally in Barcelona, ​​that is, a total of 28 flights have been preventatively canceled due to the strikes. The Catalan capital is one of the towns most affected in terms of volume by crew strikes, as it is the main base of operations for Vueling throughout Spain.
In the rest of the country, the percentage of canceled flights is 9% (194 out of 215 will operate) and 8% internationally (168 out of 183 will operate). Vueling specifies that 94% of the customers affected by the cancellations have been relocated to other flights or have accepted an alternative proposed by the airline." (https://www.elperiodico.com/es/economia/20221120/huelga-vueling-64-vuelos-cancelados-domingo-20-noviembre-2022-78814817)

"Today is another day of strike at Vueling. The airline has announced that 85% of flights at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-el Prat Airport will be guaranteed. The company will operate 129 of the 152 flights initially planned. This is what he has detailed in a statement in which he explains that, to minimize the effects of the cabin crew stoppage, he has canceled 50 operations throughout the state and has offered alternative flights in advance to affected passengers. According to the company, they have been able to relocate 89% of the passengers and 11% are still waiting to choose a flight." Dateline November 21, 2022
(https://www.alacarta.cat/noticiesenxarxa/noticia/guadalupe-romero-sindicat-stavla-vueling-el-incremento-salarial-del-6-5-es-insuficiente-necesitamos-mas-para-llegar-a-fin-de-mes)
It's a daily check on Vueling's site to see if my flights are still viable.

Lindy,

Thank you so much for the update. I am still checking the flight status of my route, but my hope that my flight wouldn't be canceled was getting higher. With this update, I became nervous again. The questions are how much advance notice will Vueling give its passengers about the cancelations and how often it announces the cancellations. My flight is within less than two weeks.

So Barcelona is the most impacted city. Were most of the cancelled flights departing from or arriving at BCN? Or both directions are equally impacted?

Where did you find the news? I googled but only got outdated "news".

The links are included at the end of each post. I have been checking my flights for the days that I am flying Vueling. I also check the most recent flights to see if they were canceled. The flights last Friday from Barcelona to Granada and the one from Paris to Barcelona today all have "Landed" in the flight status. I deduce from that that they weren't canceled.
Wouldn't it be wonderful to know how far in advance they let passengers know of flight cancellations?! I have my fingers crossed for you.

Thank you Lindy! I did click on the links. I was just wondering how you found the information.

I also check daily to see what flights were cancelled on the day. On one day last week, one of the flights landed in Valencia instead of Barcelona!

BTW: Do you know how to check in baggage online? I was doing a test on Vueling's website but ended up having completed the check-in process (I thought I would have the change to cancel before I finish but I didn't). I read that if you don't check in your baggage online, you have to pay extra money to check it in at the airport, but in the online check-in process that I just accidentally completed, it didn't ask me if I want to check my baggage. The boarding pass says "Your booking includes one checked bag, go to the check-in desks to check in your bag". Does this mean it automatically checked in the baggage for me? This is different from US airlines.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Good morning, Jean.
I obtained the links that I posted from Twitter. Never thought I'd get the best source for my news from there! I just put "Vueling" into the search bar on Twitter. I've done the same for STAVLA, the flight crew's union.

Unfortunately, I can't help you with checking in bags. We haven't gotten to that point, yet. When is your flight?

Hi Lindy,

My flight is on December 2nd. I found it's interesting that Vueling allows you to check in way ahead of the departure time, while here in the US, the earliest you can check in is 24 hours prior to your departure time.

I only succeeded once in getting latest news on Twitter on Vueling strike. Thereafter, my searches ended up old news. Maybe because I didn't want to sign in or provide my personal information. I don't need to tweet, just the news.

I received the dreaded email from Vueling canceling my December 26th flight at 10:45 a.m., however, they did reschedule that flight for 9:15 a.m. on the same day. What a relief! Fingers crossed that it stays that way. They automatically ticketed us for the new flight. I can see that that would be very frustrating for those who cannot make the flight that they automatically reschedule. I've seen that emailing and/or phoning them is not working. It appears that Vueling does respond on Twitter, however.

"As a result of the Vueling Cabin Crew strike, called by the union STAVLA, some preventive changes to our flying programme will be necessary and, to minimise the impact as much as possible, some flights will not be able to operate.
Unfortunately, this strike will affect your flight VY8003. In these circumstances, you have the right to one of the following options:
a. Full refund of your ticket, processed within 7 days of your request
b. Alternative transport to your destination on the next available flight. Your booking has been proactively moved for you, below you can see the new flight details:
Original flight:

VY8003 26-12-2022 ORY-BCN - 10:30 / 12:10

New flight:

VY8001 26-12-2022 ORY-BCN - 09:15 / 10:55"

I am happy to report that my flight was not canceled. It was full but departed and arrived on time. Good luck to everyone else who booked a Vueling flight for before the end of January.

Wonderful! So far, so good for us, too. Thanks for the update.