Volotea strengthens its presence in Spain and bets on Barcelona

Volotea, the airline directed by Carlos Muñoz from Barcelona, ​​already has its second largest market in Spain, a position that until recently was occupied by Italy alone (France continues at number one).

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
06 February 2023 Monday 01:46
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Volotea strengthens its presence in Spain and bets on Barcelona

Volotea, the airline directed by Carlos Muñoz from Barcelona, ​​already has its second largest market in Spain, a position that until recently was occupied by Italy alone (France continues at number one). The company has once again accelerated its growth and for this year plans to launch a total offer of twelve million seats, compared to the eight million put up for sale in 2019, the year before the pandemic and the air crisis. In 2022 it transported 9.5 million passengers.

The commitment to grow in Spain is determined, affirms Muñoz. In the country it will activate 2.6 million seats this 2023, 30% more than last year and 82% above 2019. Overall, it will operate 107 routes from Spain -400 in its entire network, 60 of them new –. The Balearic and Canary Islands concentrate a large part of its offer this year, with the not inconsiderable figure of one million seats. In Catalonia, it adds new destinations and already offers eight routes – it has just announced new connections with Asturias or Sardinia. "For now, our setting in Catalonia is El Prat," says Muñoz. In 2021 it entered Reus, but the operation did not give the expected results and they left the airport. In Girona, business circles have placed part of their hopes in Volotea to increase the offer from this airport and diversify the presence of airlines. "In the short term we do not plan to enter Girona or Reus," says Muñoz. Barcelona –he continues– has a great attraction and concentrates its operations here.

Muñoz is "optimistic but cautious" regarding the demand. "The summer worked very well and all the indicators point to the fact that the demand is maintained, which has surprised the industry," he points out. For this year, his business plan contemplates exceeding 700 million euros in turnover and entering profits. In 2022, revenues amounted to 550 million, 25 million more than initially set – both due to the increased activity and the 10% price increase – but they recorded losses. "The crisis in Ukraine and the increase in costs, including fuel, affected our forecasts," argues the manager.

The airline received an ICO loan of 150 million euros and a SEPI participatory loan of 200 million, the repayment terms of which are met, Muñoz emphasizes, without impacting its growth plan or the goal of going public within a period of between two and three years. Regarding employment, Volotea has increased its workforce to 1,750 workers. It is also pending the outcome of the purchase operation of Air Europa by IAG to attract new routes.