Vueling To Begin New Winter Sun London Gatwick Flights

London Gatwick Airport

IATA/ICAO Code:

LGW/EGKK

Country:

United Kingdom

CEO:

Stewart Wingate

Passenger Count :

6,260,000 (2021)

Runways :

08L/26R - 2,565m (8,415ft) | 08R/26L - 3,316m (10,879ft)

Terminals:

North Terminal | South Terminal

Travelers from the UK looking to escape the gloomy British winter will be spoilt for choices this year, as Vueling is planning three new winter-sun routes on sale from London's Gatwick Airport to three beautiful Spanish islands. The IAG member carrier will launch the flights on December 6th, increasing the number of direct routes from the UK to Spain to 15.

Sightseeing on the Spanish islands

Vueling will first open the new direct route from Gatwick Airport to Tenerife, flying thrice weekly from December 6th. Followed by twice weekly flights to Gran Canaria on December 7th. Lastly, the Spanish carrier will operate twice weekly flights to Lanzarote from December 8th. All flights will be operated on the airline's Airbus A320s.

Tenerife South Airport

Flight number	Departure time	Arrival time	Frequency
VY 6608 (LGW - TFS)	07:00 13:50 13:30	11:25 18:15 17:55	Tuesdays Fridays Sundays
VY 6609 (TFS - LGW)	12:05 07:00 18:35	16:25 11:25 22:55	Tuesdays Fridays Sundays

Gran Canaria Airport

Flight number	Departure time	Arrival time	Frequency
VY 6602 (LGW - LPA)	11:45 06:30	16:00 10:45	Wednesdays Saturdays
VY 6603 (LPA - LGW)	16:55 11:40	21:20 16:05	Wednesdays Saturdays

César Manrique-Lanzarote Airport

Flight number	Departure time	Arrival time	Frequency
VY 6606 (LGW - ACE)	07:00 13:30	11:00 17:30	Thursdays Saturdays
VY 6607 (ACE - LGW)	12:00 18:40	16:05 22:45	Thursdays Saturdays

Vueling has an all-Airbus fleet of 125, including 6 A319-100s, 76 A320-200s, 25 A320neos, and 18 A321-200s. Photo: Vueling

Part of the plan

According to Vueling, the three new routes formed part of its 'Advanced Network Design Transformative Plan. This is an initial integration of the airline's overall transformation plan known as 'Vueling Transform,' set to unlock the full potential of the airline using 19 initiatives. The 'Advanced Network Design Transformative Plan' was the network initiative enabling the low-cost carrier to see new ways of approaching the design of its route network. As such, one way that Vueling has identified is putting a heavier emphasis on spreading the seasonality of sales by expanding the network to attractive destinations during the winter months.

The network initiative takes into account fundamental elements such as the efficient use of aircraft and flight schedules in terms of carbon emissions, minimizing disruptions, and supporting operational teams in essential issues such as punctuality and demand. Unfortunately, adding routes isn't the only option considered by Vueling. In January this year, the budget carrier closed down a few Spanish bases after deciding it no longer needed to have overnight aircraft stationed in those areas. As a result, though the flight schedules became trimmed and proper for enhanced recovery, more than 140 of its employees were affected and had to be relocated.

Another part of the plan was the maintenance initiative, which saw Vueling transform its maintenance model, launching a new joint venture company that manages Vueling Line Maintenance. The airline also sorted out the structure of its fare families under the pricing initiative and introduced new ancillaries such as Guaranteed Hand Bag, giving more flexibility to passengers when choosing the services they require. Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Vueling, Marco Sansavini, highlighted the importance of 'Vueling Transform', saying:

"While withstanding an unprecedented situation due to the pandemic, Vueling is undertaking an ambitious transformation plan to emerge stronger."

Photo: Getty Images

Bottom line

Vueling has been adding several Spanish routes from London Gatwick this year. The addition of Seville, Malaga, La Coruna, Granada, Almeria, and Menorca during the summer season has proven to be a delight for passengers seeking direct flights between Gatwick and these Spanish cities. With the new winter routes, the low-cost carrier's presence within the UK will certainly strengthen, but it faces competition from easyJet, TUI, and Wizz Air for services to Tenerife. Whereas fellow IAG carrier British Airways, alongside easyJet and TUI, also offer flight services between Gatwick and Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.