Volotea, the airline of mid and small-sized European cities, has carried more than 7.6 million passengers in 2019, one million more in comparison with 2018. The airline achieved an average seat load of 94% throughout the year, the highest in its eight years of operations.
In 2019, Volotea has carried more than 7.6 million passengers across its network, becoming again one of the fastest growth low cost airlines in Europe. Volotea served a total of 59,600 flights, up 12% in comparison to 2018.
This increase in the number of passengers, up 16% year-on-year, has come together with Volotea’s highest average seat load, reaching 94% for the first time.
In 2019, Volotea launched an ambitious programme aimed to increase customer satisfaction. Several measures were implemented in the first half of the year, with a total investment of 15 million euros. Therefore, Volotea customer satisfaction levels increased significantly in 2019.
Additionally, these measures allowed the airline to increase the integrity and punctuality of its operations, reaching 75.6% (Flightstats OTP 15 Departures) in 2019, more than two percentage points up in comparison to the previous year. In 2019, Volotea continues to lead Europe reliability rankings, as the second European airline with the lowest number of flight cancellations.
– For Volotea, 2019 has been the best year in operational performance, strengthening our offer and network and delivering high on-time and reliability standards. The customer experience has been significantly enhanced, after investing to improve Volotea’s flight experience. We will keep on growing in 2020, adding more routes to our fast-growing European network, stated Carlos Muñoz, Founder and CEO of Volotea.
Volotea will continue growing throughout its network, and more than 62,300 flights have been scheduled in 2020 totaling more than nine million seats, already available for sale, to serve 354 routes among more than 90 cities. Volotea will lease six additional Airbus A319 aircraft, increasing its fleet to 39 units. At the same time, three Boeing 717 will be phased out to progress in the transition plan to become a 100% Airbus airline by the end of 2022.
In France, Volotea will offer more than four million seats, with main increases in Lyon (new base in 2020) and Marseille (+ 43%). In Nantes, the airline will offer 1.25 million seats.
In Italy, Volotea will increase its offer by 10% and will open a new base in Naples on May 28th, where it will offer more than one million seats (+ 16%). In Cagliari (base since May 2019), the airline will serve half a million seats in 2020 (+ 26%).
Volotea will also increase its operations in Spain (+ 16%) and Greece (+ 19%), where the airline will start serving in four new airports: Barcelona and Castellon in Spain and Kalamata and Thessaloniki in Greece. Overall, the airline will start operations in eight new airports adding also: Varna (Bulgaria), Hanover (Germany), Marrakesh (Morocco) and Deauville in the North of France.
Three new bases will be launched by Volotea in Lyon, Naples and Hamburg in 2020. Hamburg stands as its first base in Germany and it has been opened to operate the Airbus Shuttle Service started on November 4th that Volotea will serve for the next five years.
Volotea will place Airbus A319 aircraft at its new bases to boost its growth and create new local jobs. Volotea expects to add 150 new positions in 2020 for its headcount to exceed 1,450 people among its 16 bases and Barcelona headquarters.
Last summer, the carrier received on board its 25 millionth passengers since the beginning of operations in April 2012 and Volotea expects to hit its 30 millionth cumulative customer very soon.
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