Spanish low-cost carrier Vueling is to launch a raft of new routes from Paris Orly to European destinations, including six UK services.
Business Traveller was first alerted to the news via a press release from Birmingham airport, which will welcome a thrice weekly service on November 3, with flights on Monday, Wednesday and Friday as follows:
- Flight VY8164 departs Paris Orly at 0655, arriving into Birmingham at 0715
- Flight VY8165 departs Birmingham at 0800, arriving into Paris Orly at 1030
The route will be served by a 220-seater A321 aircraft, and joins the IAG member carrier’s existing four-times-weekly Birmingham service to its Barcelona hub.
But it’s now clear Vueling is to launch over 30 routes from Paris Orly in November, with a total of six UK routes to and from Birmingham, Belfast, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle.
Cardiff airport has published its own press release, confirming that twice weekly flights to Paris Orly will launch on November 2.
The Welsh airport said that “The news comes as a result Vueling’s acquisition of slots at Paris Orly, enabling the airline to expand and operate 32 new routes from November”.
Ukaviationnews.com reports that these slots have come from Air France, “after the EU commission ruled it must dispose of some slot pairs and these were picked up by International Airlines Group (IAG) which owns Vueling”.
Commenting on the launch of flights from Birmingham, Tom Screen, Birmingham Airport’s aviation director, said:
“This is a great new route for Birmingham, operating into the heart of Paris with a successful airline that offers affordable prices and great service.
“We are incredibly pleased that Vueling, an IAG member, has committed to this new route, increasing capacity to Paris from Birmingham and adding to its existing Barcelona service.
“We look forward to a successful launch on November 3 and seeing Midlands’ leisure and business travellers enjoy this new three times weekly service.”
