OMM Newsroom
Spanish low-cost airline “Volotea” has canceled more than 10% of its winter flight capacity in France amid rising jet fuel prices and financial pressure, leaving passengers seeking alternatives, Anadolu Agency reported Monday.
The carrier operates numerous domestic routes in France and connects medium-sized European cities. It is grappling with rising kerosene costs and €250-300 million ($280-336 million) in debt accumulated during the COVID-19 pandemic, BFMTV reported.
Consumer association “UFC Que Choisir” criticized the airline’s handling of the cancellations, citing passenger complaints about delayed refunds and insufficient help arranging alternative travel.
Under EU regulations, airlines must offer passengers either a refund within seven days or alternative transportation when a flight is canceled. “Volotea” said it was processing refunds within seven days and would assess requests to reimburse alternative travel expenses individually.
Aviation analytics firm “Cirium” said the airline had removed more than 10% of its capacity between November and February. Bordeaux reportedly saw the steepest cuts, with cancellations up 35% year-on-year.
“Volotea” also plans to shrink its fleet from 44 aircraft to approximately 30-35, focusing on larger planes to increase revenue per seat.
