Vueling to Open Fourth Link to London Heathrow

Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling Airlines is to inaugurate flights to London Heathrow from the northwestern city of Vigo this summer, its fourth link to the UK airport. The Barcelona-based carrier has three slot pairs at Heathrow; one is used for daily rotation to Bilbao, one for a daily service to La Coruña and one for a daily link to Seville. With little opportunity to secure additional slots there, it is to cut its Seville flight to four times per week, using the three additional slot pairs to add the new seasonal link to Vigo, which will launch on April 16.

“We are happy with the performance of all our flights at Heathrow and are committed to continuing service to all three destinations, Alex Cruz, Chief Executive Officer, Vueling Airlines, told The HUB ahead of this week’s formal route announcement. “However, the local authorities have been campaigning for us to resurrect this link from Vigo and we know we can expect good passenger numbers.”

Prior to the merger of Vueling Airlines and Clickair, the latter had previously served the Vigo – London market, initially serving Gatwick and then Heathrow, so Vueling’s management has first-hand traffic data on the route, reporting average loads of around 78 per cent in the peak season.

Visitors to Vigo have the opportunity to sample delicious seafood and relax by the Atlantic Ocean. The Galician town is situated in the province of Pontevedra, in the northwest of Spain and boasts the best Galician cuisine and some incredible scenery, including Rodas beach, on the island of Monteagudo, which was chosen by a leading UK newspaper as the "most beautiful beach in the world".

Schedule:

VY7212 VGO1555 – 1650LHR 320 246
VY7213 LHR1735 – 2045VGO 320 246

NOTE: A full interview with Alex Cruz, Chief Executive Officer, Vueling Airlines appeared in the April 8 issue of The HUB, where he discused minor changes to the airline’s business model, its developing relationship with Iberia and a potential new order for short-haul airliners.