Vueling cancelled flight compensation

Vueling cancellations: what is specific

Vueling cancels at short notice for crew availability and rotation problems in peak season — compensable — and during French or Spanish ATC strikes, which may be extraordinary where the restriction actually hit your flight. Vueling must offer a refund or re-routing, including on other airlines when it cannot rebook you promptly, and care while you wait.

Keep the cancellation notice with its timestamp and the replacement offered. If Vueling refuses compensation, AESA’s binding ADR procedure is free and usually decisive for flights departing Spain; for departures elsewhere, use the enforcement body of the departure country.

The three questions that decide a Vueling cancellation claim

1. When did Vueling tell you? Informed 14 days or more before departure: no compensation, but a refund or re-routing and care. Less than 14 days: compensation is due unless a replacement flight met the windows below or the cause was extraordinary. Vueling must prove when and how it informed you — keep its cancellation e-mail or app notification with the timestamp.
2. What replacement did Vueling offer? Between 7 and 14 days’ notice, no compensation if the re-routing departed no more than 2 hours early and arrived less than 4 hours late; under 7 days’ notice the margins shrink to 1 hour early and 2 hours late.
3. Why was it cancelled? Weather, air-traffic-control restrictions, security and external strikes are extraordinary; Vueling’s technical problems, crew shortages, rotation planning and its own staff’s strikes are not.

What you always get, whatever the reason

Compensation may depend on the cause, but three rights never do. Vueling must offer you the choice between a full refund of the unused ticket (within 7 days, in cash or bank transfer — a voucher only with your agreement) and re-routing to your final destination at the earliest opportunity or on a later date of your choice. While you wait for the re-routing Vueling must provide meals, refreshments, two calls or e-mails and, when an overnight stay becomes necessary, a hotel and transport to it. If it leaves you to arrange this yourself, keep receipts and claim the reasonable amounts.

How much Vueling owes when compensation is due

€250, €400 or €600 per passenger under EU261, set by the distance of the flight (or of the whole journey on one booking). Vueling may halve the long-haul amount to €300 when the replacement flight it offered arrived within the reduction windows (2 hours late for short flights, 3 hours for medium, 4 hours for long).

How to claim a cancellation from Vueling

1. Keep the cancellation notice, the original booking and the details of any replacement flight offered (departure and arrival times).
2. Ask Vueling in writing for the reason for the cancellation.
3. Submit the claim through Vueling’s official channel (https://www.vueling.com/en/customer-services), or by post to Vueling Airlines S.A., Customer Relations, Parque de Negocios Mas Blau II, Pla de l’Estany 5, 08820 El Prat de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain, stating the notice date, the replacement offered (or not) and the amount per passenger.
4. If Vueling refuses or stalls for 8 weeks, escalate to AESA (Spain, binding ADR), then to the courts within the limitation period of the departure country.