Vueling Airlines (VY, Barcelona El Prat) is to close its bases in Brussels National, Palermo International, and Catania this winter as part of a restructuring of its operations.
From the Belgian capital, the IAG International Airlines Group low-cost carrier currently serves Alicante, Barcelona, Ibiza, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela and Valencia Manises. From Catania and Palermo, Vueling operates to Barcelona, Florence, Paris Orly and Rome Fiumicino. In addition, it also offers a weekly Catania-Zurich service.
Airline sources, who spoke to Spain's EFE news agency on condition of anonymity, said the Spanish LCC is shifting its focus to the strategically important markets of Spain, France, and Italy.
As such, the closure of the two Sicilian bases is expected to facilitate greater emphasis on the carrier's mainland Italian operations - Rome Fiumicino and Florence Peretola in particular.
Despite the move, the number of seats on offer the winter season will remain on par with those offered from the same period last year.
Vueling suffered an embarrassing summer season this year when a shortfall in capacity resulted in the cancellation of numerous flights at its Barcelona El Prat hub.
