Consequences of limited flights per week on Vueling PMO-BCN?
 

I've already booked an open-jaw flight US-CTA and BCN-US on Delta/Alitalia (DL/AZ) for a vacation in November. The BCN-US flight leaves on 11/27/11. I have not yet booked the intra-europe flight, but am looking into flying Vueling PMO-BCN to do it because they're the cheapest (BTW, how do you prononce the airline? VYOO-ling? VWAY-ling (since it's Spanish)? Voo-ELL-ing?). The problem is that Vueling only flies PMO-BCN 2 or 3 times per week in November, and only the flight on 11/24 would work with my schedule. The next flight is 11/27, which obviously won't work since I'd be flying back to the US on that day.

Assuming that the flight goes according to plan, great. What happens though if Vueling cancels the flight? Are they going to rebook me on the 11/27 flight? Could they interline me to another airline that flies on a schedule that works for me (AF, AZ, BA, LH, etc.)? Am I looking at having to pay full-fare one-way Y on AZ as my backup plan? I tried reading Vueling's contract but unfortunately I speak English, not Lawyer.

Alternatively, would trip-interruption insurance cover me if Vueling decides to cancel the flight because the sun is too bright, because there are too many vowels in "Jueves" (or "Giovedi"), or any number of other reasons not related to weather or mechanical failure? I was looking at travel insurance policies and their coverages for cancelled flights varied widely, from some making it sound like I'd be SOL to one that would at least cover for weather or mechanical problems.

Another alternative I've considered, which is more expensive but would cover me if the flight is cancelled, is to buy a throw-away round-trip ticket on AZ for about $265 (AZ one-way is $761), taking the PMO-LIN/FCO-BCN flights and throwing away the return.

All in all, if you were me, would you take your chances with Vueling (and if so, what is the downside risk), buy trip insurance and hope it covers a cancellation, or just buy the throw-away ticket?

I don't know if Vueling has interline agreements with nay other airlines. That's the first question. most of these LCC's do not. SO it may not be possible for them to sign over your ticket, but you should find out from them.
Trip insurance varies widely - look at insuremytrip.com to compare plans but USUALLY if the carrier cancels the flight you may be able to get reimbursed.
I don't fly airlines that don't have some interline agreements or alliances so I wouldn't risk it but I am truly risk averse on overseas flights. The obvious downside is that if vueling cancels the flight( or weather forces them to cancel) you are SOL if they won't rebook you on another airline.

"<i>am looking into flying Vueling PMO-BCN to do it because they're the cheapest</i>"

Sometimes cheapest isn't best. IMO, this is a situation where the extra cost would be money well spent.

Odds are great you will be just fine with a confirmed rez

skyscanner.net for best cheapest flights booked over there

seat61.com cheap training options... www.eurolines.it also

Lots of euroecono flights out of Sicily train up to

Naples or Rome 1 hour by fast FrecciaRosa train from Naples

for even more options so I would relax stay flexible.

insuremytrip.com always wise though.

I think the risk of Vueling canceling is very small. Personally, I'd save the money and take the risk. I would just know and have the money in the bank (or high enough credit limit) to buy tickets if need be. If you were already going to buy trip insurance, I would just make sure it covers flight cancelation and replacement ticket purchase.

Oh.. and the pronunciation is WELL-ing

I looked at trip insurance policies and their coverages varied widely, from some only covering the initial departure from the US, to others saying that a delay must impact X percent of the duration of the trip, to one that seemed to say that they will cover any mechanical or weather-related delay. I'm more concerned about the pilot oversleeping, or the FA who had 6 shots of tequila before the flight, or any number of other random events. I am not going to depend on trip insurance to cover me.

The latest strategy I came up with is to book the VY flight, but also to book a refundable, full-fare Y-class ticket on a different airline for the following day. Assuming that everything goes according to plan, I fly VY and when I land in BCN, I cancel the Y ticket and get my money back. If not, well then I'm not out any more money than I otherwise would be if I had to go from VY to, say, AZ on 11/24. Not exactly a cheap solution if the VY flight is cancelled, but it's foolproof.