Vueling Enhances Flights from Spain to Egypt

DALLAS - Spanish low-cost airline Vueling (VY) has announced a new route launch from its Barcelona (BCN) hub to Sharm El-Sheikh (SSH) as the winter season in Europe arrives in the aviation market.

This will be the third direct connection served by the LCC between Spain and Egypt, as the country is a typical tourist destination for Spaniards in winter.

Vueling stated that it has chosen to operate SSH "mainly because of the charm of its nature. The crystal clear waters of the Red Sea and an underwater world to explore is the perfect vacation destination for those looking to spend a few quiet days, but also live experiences among the marine ecosystem available at the town and other moments of entertainment."

Flights to Sharm El-Sheikh will start on December 2 and will be operated only once a week on Saturdays. Vueling will use its Airbus A320 and A320neo family of aircraft on this route but is yet to specify the variant.

Vueling, a member of IAG, operates one of the largest Airbus A320 family fleets in Europe. Photo: Fabrizio Spicuglia/Airways.

Vueling's Middle-Eastern Route Network

Vueling maintains a strong presence in the Middle East from its two main Western European hubs. During the last few years, the airline has launched routes to the Eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea from Barcelona-El Prat (BCN) and Paris-Orly (ORY) airports.

At the moment of writing, VY flies regularly to Larnaca (LCA), Beirut (BEY), Tel Aviv (TLV), Amman (AMM), Cairo (CAI) and Luxor (LXR). The service to SSH will be the seventh arrival of the airline to this highly-demanded region in winter.

Vueling operates a fleet of 124 Airbus A320 family aircraft, including four units of the A321neo, which the carrier took delivery as late as January this year. It is one of the largest European A320 family operators today.

During the winter, the traffic between Spain and Egypt rises enormously due to the high demand for leisure air travel to the region. Photo: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways.

Spain's Deep Connection With Egypt

Spain is widely known for its warm climate in summer. The country is one of the most selected holiday destinations for tourists from the United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and Scandinavia. It is, by far, one of the largest markets for big low-cost carriers such as Jet2 (LS), TUI Airways (BY) or Condor (DE).

However, the Spanish population has different preferences when looking for their own leisure destinations. Especially in winter, Spanish travel agencies contract immense slots for package holiday itineraries to Egypt, and between October and February, the traffic between the two countries rises significantly.

To adapt to the demand, charter airlines such as Air Cairo (SM), Nesma Airlines (NE), or Nile Air (NP) schedule flights to Madrid (MAD), and the flag carrier EgyptAir (MS) performs many aircraft upgrades from Boeing 737 to Airbus A330-300 or Dreamliners on the regular service to Cairo Airport (CAI). Flights to Luxor (LXR) happen frequently as well.

https://airwaysmag.com/iag-expands-airbus-a320neo-fleet/

Featured image: Adrian Nowakowski/Airways.