Vueling Airlines within Spain; backup plan?
 

We have tickets for a flight on Vueling Airlines from Granada to Barcelona in early August. Our contact in Barcelona just informed me that Vueling is having a lot of problems this summer with flights. I went online to do some searches, and it appears that some travelers are experiencing delays of 9+ hours and/or cancellations, with no explanation or information.

It is important that we reach Barcelona on the day planned because I have already purchased tickets to an event that evening, and we have limited time there to begin with. Does anyone have any information on Vueling - how reliable they have been this summer - and whether it's advisable to have a backup plan?

I checked Elsa bus lines, and there are not many trips from Granada to Barca, not to mention that the bus ride is over 12 hours. Can anyone recommend any options?

Thanks!

They just changed a flight I booked from 11 am to 10pm which no longer works for me. It was the only direct flight to my destination.

If you have an event you *must* be at then you travel the previous day. Doesn't matter about the reliability or otherwise of the airline, just common sense.

It looks like the afternoon flights are having the longest delays, the first flight in the morning has an average delay of 20 mins.

You could book the latest flight the night before if you wanted. And also book an early morning Avis car just in case of unforeseen problems. Book the car to return Barcelona near your hotel next morning, so that you don't have to deal with the return on the evening of your event. It's an 8 hour drive and hopefully you don't have to do it, but I would book a no-obligation car just in case. Why not?

Used Vueling twice recently, once from Catania Sicily to Rome and the second from Rome to Barcelona without incident. Had never heard of Vueling before but they seem to have much better ratings than Ryanair for a budget airline. I did have a Vueling ticker agent at FCO send me to the wrong place to check my bag and still suspect he did it on purpose as he and his friend (a non-Vueling employee) at the counter seemed rather board and needed a little entertainment.

Vueling for me has always been hit/miss.I suggest you take the train.

What does it cost to have a ready to execute backup plan? Nothing beyond your time if it remains only a plan until you have to invoke it. Why would you not have one? You would know when is the drop dead time to invoke the back up plan.

There are trains that get you in about 8 hours, in Barcelona by 3pm unless for some reason you are only looking at planes and buses.
There are various routes via Madrid also.

I can't comment on Vueling's performance this summer since the summer just started, but I fly them quite often and generally without incident. Their check in at Barcelona airport can be pretty awful (because there are just too many people) but that should not affect you.

You already have tickets, right? No point in wringing your hands over this. Every airline has horror stories.

I booked twice with vueling but never flew with them.
First time a strike then a change of schedule like above.
Funny is that they refunded way in but not back.

I can confirm that Vueling is having some huge problems.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia...07G4P17991.htm
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia...0828695420.htm
and a last month ago the same airline had a huge delay with a flight between UK and Galicia.
http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia...5G25P10994.htm
Some news in English:
http://www.eturbonews.com/72484/book...you-check-bags
http://en.europeonline-magazine.eu/s...os_466858.html
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/new...ectid=11668218
Shame as it was once a good airline.

PS rumours(from another forum) suggest they have not got enough planes. But this is not confirmed at the moment.

From today's El Pais in English

http://elpais.com/elpais/2016/07/04/...96_910185.html

Yes, in the past it was efficient.

Interested topic as I was just considering booking with them again.....

these problems are being blamed on the French air-controllers strike!

bloody french, always on strike. All of Air France flights are announced going through, but with some delays.

I hope they get it together. I'm flying Vueling in September and again in October.

Their check in at Barcelona El Prat is always an exercise in patience, even when there are not any problems.

Thanks for the articles. The pictures alone were enough to make good on backup plan, which is now The Plan. Now taking the train. A long ride, yes, but it has to be better than being potentially stuck at the airport all day in limbo, and then potentially arriving at some point with no luggage! Lots of online chats as well about major problems this past weekend.

Family flew Vueling from Palma, Mallorca on the 18th June. One group flew to Barcelona and the other to Marseille. No problems and had very positive experience but do realize two flights do not represent the airline as a whole.

One thing I really liked was that they issued our boarding passes and seat assignments ( family seated together ) when I purchased tickets. British Airways on the other hand had no seat assignment for my 10 year old granddaughter until the 24 hour check-in. Family not seated together despite the fact that tickets were purchased a year in advance.

Doesn't British Airways/Iberia own Vueling?

Seems like hiring 130 new employees and leasing 6 new planes might help things quite a bit. Also seems like they might "clean up" things at BCN first since that's the airport that seems to be getting all the bad press.

Moving to your backup plan might be jumping the gun a bit, but at least now you don't have to worry and wonder for the next month.

Yes, Vueling is linked with Iberia which is a code share with B.A.