As the long-term President of a tour company that has provided exceptional travel experiences in Italy, Greece, Switzerland and Germany to over 750 satisfied guests, I feel compelled to write a brief statement to those of you who may be considering flying Vueling Airlines.
In a word: DON’T!
We have had innumerable issues with the airline, from poor communication regarding flight status, delayed flights with no explanation, missed international connections by our clients and lost/delayed luggage.
The most recent experience is still ongoing: Nine months after one piece of client’s luggage was delayed by over ten days during a tour, the airline has yet to settle the more than fair and complete filing made for reimbursement for expenses. The filing was submitted to Vueling on October 24, 2015.
Despite making over fifty calls to Vueling Customer Service over these past nearly nine months, there has been but one person in the company who has contacted us. Still no resolution.
My own delayed luggage experience: after six months of waiting and making over thirty calls to Vueling to follow up on my file, the settlement was finally made. The amount requested with submitted receipts was cut by 56% of the fair amount requested with no explanation.
A family of four clients held tickets on a Vueling flight from Barcelona to Madrid to make an international connection to a US bound flight. With no explanation given, Vueling cancelled their scheduled flight and no one at the airline was willing to assist the family in making other arrangements to get to Madrid. The family had to take the train to Madrid, with no assistance provided by Vueling for the inconvenience, and they had to move their return flight to the following day.
These are only three of a list of issues our clients or I have experienced with this airline.
You must carefully consider whether having confidence in receiving your checked luggage and/or your ability to rely on making flight connections are worth the risk of flying on Vueling.
We will no longer endorse nor support any of our clients using the airline whether for a tour, itinerary planning services or travel advice.
A brief word of explanation about airline ownership and control: British Airlines, Iberia Airlines and others are owned by, or are held in majority stake by, an organization called International Airline Group (IAG). Vueling is 97.52% majority stake held by IAG. Some of the airline members of IAG are also members of the One World Alliance, a confederation of airlines who have agreed to share some services, booking ‘ease’ and similar mileage credit programs.
We have written to the CEO’s of IAG member airlines who are involved with the management of Vueling or who are affiliated with the One World Alliance. The letters inform those CEO’s of our intent to boycott their services for all future clients who book any travel services with our company.
