Please sign in to post.

How reliable is Vueling Airlines?

Not very and we would not use the airline again. Certainly EasyJet, but also Flybe and RyanAir are all excellent in comparison.

We were due to fly from London Gatwick to Florence, Italy, with budget airline Vueling. The flight was delayed by more than a day. That sort of thing can of course happen, but the treatment was so horrific and the refusal to compensate passengers such that a majority of the passengers (more than 70 people) clubbed together and turned to a legal team to launch a compensation claim against the airline, which is currently ongoing. We are using the legal team at Bott, UK, for such a purpose.

Some of the issues, although by no means all: Lack of information or assistance throughout the ordeal. The flight was delayed by many hours and several reasons were given over the course of our wait (eg radar issues, Barcelona strikes, weather conditions (yet other Vueling flights arrived from the same airport)). Finally we boarded, delays and discussion of where to land, only to be taken off the plane again very late at night (yet there was another flight that did go from LGW to Florence). We were then kept waiting in a hall, with small children, elderly people and people with health issues (recent heart operation), just left standing for more 1.5 hours in the early hours of the next day, before information was given that airline could not find accommodation for us but we should fend for ourselves and come back next day for a flight. Some slept on cold stones at airport. From a sign it looked as if flight next day was due to be at at 12:30, but we were not given any new flight tickets. The next day the crew was not there even by 12:30 and did not arrive till much later. In addition ground staff and Gatwick’s second in command manager were not able to reach ‘Vueling operations or Vueling crew’, as they repeatedly said. We could not leave until much later, taking off at 17:00.

When passengers asked for the official compensation, we were told that the problems had been out of Vuelings hands, therefore there would not be any compensation.

There are a number of additional points that one should make about the dismal level of communication from Vueling, and their breaking of rules regarding food vouchers etc.

One passenger had had a similar experience with Vueling on their previous flight but had assumed such problems would not happen twice.

One information pack for an arts festival in Florence now recommends not using Vueling to get to Florence.

Posted by
11569 posts

What a terrible experience. We had one good flight with them but our second flight was canceled. Vueling is owned by Iberia.

Posted by
2 posts

Sorry to hear of your cancellation too but sadly that and no compensation seems to be the norm.
I think IAG, the company that also owns British Airways and Iberia, owns Vueling.

Posted by
33820 posts

Welcome to the Forums.

Was this flight recently?

Posted by
6790 posts

Vueling is about as reliable and customer-service-oriented as any low cost airline. Keep your expectations low, follow all the rules scrupulously, and hope for the best.

Everyone loves super-cheap fares, but they come with a price.

Posted by
8319 posts

I'm just waiting to see what budget airlines worldwide will exist after the current health problems are over.

Every airline in the world is bleeding red ink right now, and only the fittest will survive.

I've been a proponent of European budget airlines in the past because they have kept airfares low enough where many of us can afford international travel. We need all the competition we can get.

I flew Granada-Barcelona on Vueling last June without issue.

Posted by
378 posts

Our May 9th FCO-ORY flight was canceled and we were given a choice of a voucher or a refund. We chose the refund. We’ll see how long it takes to receive the funds. I planned on not getting anything back so I am pleased I waited until the flight canceled before getting the voucher they previously offered.

Posted by
4045 posts

Sounds like a miserable experience. I'm sorry you had to endure this. Legal action seems appropriate. I'm interested to hear the outcome.

Posted by
10193 posts

I'm just waiting to see what budget airlines worldwide will exist after the current health problems are over.

I am with David.