Vueling Airlines (BMAD: VLG), commonly known as just Vueling, is a low-cost airline based in Barcelona, Spain.^[1] Its main base is Barcelona, with additional bases at Bilbao, Ibiza, Madrid, Málaga, Seville and Valencia.

Vueling serves destinations in Europe and the western Mediterranean. It is also the second largest Spanish airline after Iberia.

Vueling was established in February 2004 and commenced operations on July 1, 2004. The fleet consisted of two aircraft, serving the Barcelona to Ibiza route. The company first recorded a profit in December 2005, only 18 months after the start of operations.

Initially, major shareholders of Vueling Airlines were Apax Partners (40%), Inversiones Hemisferio (Grupo Planeta) (30%), Vueling's management team (23%) and V.A. Investor (JetBlue Airways) (7%). During its nascent stages, the company's general manager was Lázaro Ros, while Carlos Muñoz was CEO. In November 2007, Vueling appointed managing director of Spanair Lars Nygaard as CEO to replace Carlos Muñoz, who remained as a member of the Board of Directors.

In 2006 Vueling was chosen as the third-best European low-fares airline, behind Air Berlin and EasyJet,^[2] However, it did not maintain this position in 2007.^[3]

Vueling started restructuring in 2007-2008 to enhance profitability as the airline started to lose money and its owners were afraid that otherwise it might not survive in the fierce competition among European low-cost operators.^{[citation needed]}

A 2009 Skytrax Research survey rated Vueling the third best low-cost airline in Western Europe, behind EasyJet and Aer Arann.^[4]

In June 2008, Vueling and rival Spanish low cost airline Clickair announced their intention to merge.^[5] The merger was agreed because they wanted to make a single carrier better equipped to take out high fuel costs and fees, and both airlines were losing a lot of money. The airline was to be based in Barcelona where both of the low cost airlines were based and were to keep its original hubs. The boss of Clickair Alex Cruz was also to be the chief executive of the airline.^[6]

On the 15th July 2009 the merger of Vueling and Clickair was completed.^[7] The new merged airline operates under the Vueling brand, with Clickair flights and aircraft re-branded under the Vueling name. The repainting of the aircraft into Vueling liveries is still ongoing. It became the second largest Spanish carrier flying 8.2 million passengers in 2009, to almost 50 destinations.

In 2009, Vueling for the second year cooperated with MTV for the summer season. Two of Vueling's A320's (EC-KDG and EC-KDH) were transformed into MTV liveries with some MTV style inside too. The designs of the two A320's were created by Custo Barcelona.^[8]

The Vueling Airlines fleet consists of the following aircraft (in an all-economy class) as of 7 February 2010:^[9]

As of February 2010, the average age of the Vueling Airlines fleet is 7.1 years.^[10]

Some Vueling aircraft have a name. EC-KBU is called "Be Vueling my friend". There are many others.^[11]

• Vueling Airlines official website