Spanish airline from BA owners launches at Leeds Bradford

SPANISH low cost airline Vueling has launched at Leeds Bradford Airport for the first time.

It will start scheduled services from Leeds Bradford Airport to Barcelona, a major hub of Vueling, in Spring 2016.

Vueling, which flies to more than 130 destinations, is part of the listed International Airlines Group (IAG) which also counts British Airways and Iberia as airlines under its wing.

They will operate twice-weekly flights on Monday and Friday to Leeds Bradford, departing at 9.15am and returning from Barcelona at 7.00am.

Friday flights from June to September will depart at a later schedule of 15.40pm and return from Barcelona at 13.10pm and will allow connections across the airlines’ Spanish route network to destinations such as Madrid, Seville, Granada, Santiago and Bilbao.

Tony Hallwood, aviation development director of Leeds Bradford Airport commented: “We welcome the addition of Vueling as LBA’s newest carrier and this announcement is great news for Yorkshire and the Leeds CIty region.

“With great customer service and competitive fares the airline will be welcomed by both business and leisure travellers. We expect that Leeds will become a popular destinations for inbound Spanish visitors as LBA becomes a new UK gateway for the airline.”

Gerald Jennings, president at Leeds Chamber of Commerce said: “Like the Leeds City Region, Barcelona has a strong manufacturing base with many shared sector strengths in automotive, chemical production and textiles.

“Allied to this both regions have very strong finance and digital sectors supported by internationally recognised higher education institutions.

“With greater and more convenient connectivity to one of Europe’s most exciting cities I am hopeful that this will encourage new and greater trade links, more opportunities for collaboration and the opening up of supply chains.”