Spanish low-fares airline Vueling Airlines has announced plans to offer direct services to Alicante and Rome from June next year, the Manchester Evening News has reported.
Part of International Airlines Group (IAG), Vueling will launch the two new routes from Manchester Airport for summer 2016. The Spanish low cost airline will operate three flights a week to Alicante and two flights a week to Rome in addition to its existing service to Barcelona, which started in June this year.
Flights to Alicante will operate on Tuesday, Friday and Sunday, while flights to Rome will be on Friday and Monday. The routes will be operated by an Airbus A320, with capacity for 180 passengers.
Ken O’Toole, managing director for Manchester Airport, said: ‘We’re delighted that Vueling Airlines has chosen to expand its route network from Manchester Airport. Alicante and Rome are popular destinations with our 22.9 million passengers and these additional services reinforce our status as the UK’s Global Gateway for the North of England.’
Separately, Edinburgh Airport said that Vueling is planning a major route expansion at the Airport, which will see three-times-a-week direct flights from Scotland’s capital to Rome Fiumicino, Paris Orly and to Alicante, Edin.
The new Rome Fiumicino and Parlis Orly routes from Edinburgh will both commence from March 29, 2016, while the new Alicante flights will commence from June 16, 2016.
Gordon Dewar, chief executive of Edinburgh Airport, said: ‘It is tremendous that we have two new routes to Rome and Paris and we have increased our service to Alicante – this offers our passengers even greater choice and is further confirmation of Edinburgh Airport’s position as a key driver for Scotland’s economy.
‘This commitment from Vueling – a strong European airline – shows that we’ve listened to our passengers and recognise the need for greater choice and European connectivity; this expansion in service is good news for business and leisure travellers, for Edinburgh and for Scotland as a whole.’
