Vueling flight delayed or cancelled? Get compensation and a refund!

UK and EU air passenger rights for delayed or cancelled Vueling flight

If your Vueling flight was delayed or cancelled, your rights to compensation and refunds are protected by British and EU regulations.

It all started in 2004 with the so-called EU261 regulation which stated that air passengers should be compensated for the loss of time as a result of flight cancellations. Following additional court rulings, the regulation started to cover delayed flights as well.

After Brexit, EU261 was adopted into British law. What do these regulations say about air passengers’ rights with delayed or cancelled Vueling flight?

• Was your Vueling flight delayed? If you arrived at your final destination at least 3 hours late, you are most likely entitled to flight compensation.

• Was your Vueling flight cancelled? If you did not take an alternative flight offered by the airline, you are entitled to a refund. Additionally, if the flight was cancelled fewer than 14 days before departure, you might be entitled to cancelled Vueling flight compensation.

• Regardless of the flight disruption or its cause, airlines must provide passengers with special assistance, known as the "right to care.” This includes: food and beverage vouchers, communication services, and, if needed, accommodations and transportation. You can claim those directly at the airline’s service desk at the airport, if the airline refuses to give you a voucher, just go and buy what you need — they will have to pay you back those expenses (as long as they are reasonable).

Warning: If your flight was delayed or cancelled because of “extraordinary circumstance”, you won’t be entitled to flight compensation as the airline needs to be responsible for the flight disruption to provide compensation to passengers.

When can I claim compensation for a delayed Vueling flight?

Generally, you can claim Vueling compensation if your flight was delayed by at least 3 hours.

Keep in mind that to be eligible for compensation, Vueling must be the party at fault for the delay. See the Extraordinary Circumstances section of this article for more information on situations where the airline does not need to pay out compensation.

Vueling cancelled flight – compensation and refund

Depending on the exact circumstances of your flight cancellation, you might be eligible for flight compensation, a flight refund, or both.

H3: When can I claim compensation for a cancelled Vueling flight?

This depends on three factors:

• When the flight was cancelled — you can claim Vueling compensation if your flight cancellation was announced fewer than 14 days prior to the departure.

• Details of the alternative flight offered by the airline — see table below.

• Who or what caused the cancellation — Vueling must be the party at fault for the cancellation for you to be eligible for compensation. Check the Extraordinary Circumstances section of this article to learn more.

=> Not sure if you qualify for compensation? Check it with our free, no-obligation Claim Calculator.

When can I claim a Vueling refund for a cancelled flight?

Even if you don’t qualify for cancelled flight compensation, you can probably still claim your Vueling refund. 

You are eligible for a ticket refund if after the cancellation the airline did not offer you an alternative flight — or they did offer you one but you decided not to take it. In some cases, you might be eligible for both Vueling compensation and a Vueling ticket refund!

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS: Vueling is not allowed to force you to accept a travel voucher instead of a monetary refund.

Can I receive flight compensation if I cancel my Vueling flight?

If you choose to cancel your Vueling flight, it is important to understand the compensation policy. Generally, if you initiate the cancellation, you may not be eligible for flight compensation in accordance with industry regulations. However, it is advisable to review Vueling's specific refund and compensation policies for further details on possible scenarios that may qualify for compensation in case of cancellation.

Vueling missed connection flight due to delay or cancellation

In the event that you have missed a connecting flight with Vueling due to a delay or cancellation, and both flights were booked under the same reservation, there is a possibility that you could be eligible for compensation and/or a refund for the entirety of your trip. This is applicable if the delay or cancellation meets the specific criteria mentioned earlier in this section.

How much Vueling flight compensation can I get?

The exact compensation amount depends on the distance of your flight.

Can I claim compensation for a non-EU Vueling flight?

Yes, no matter where you are flying with Vueling, you are eligible for compensation and a refund.

However, the situation might be different for other airlines. See the table below to learn more.

Extraordinary circumstances — when can Vueling deny me compensation?

In certain situations, the airline is not obliged to pay compensation to the passengers. This happens when the flight disruption was not caused by the airline’s actions but rather is an effect of force majeure or if a third party is at fault.

We call such situations extraordinary circumstances. The most common examples of these are:

• Bad weather conditions, such as thick fog, heavy rain, or thunderstorms.

• A strike, most often specifically within the aviation industry (for example, a strike of air traffic control workers at a specific airport).

  However, a strike of the airline's crew is not considered an extraordinary circumstance!

• Political circumstances, such as a terrorist attack or general security risk due to political unrest.

• Natural disasters, including volcanic eruptions and hurricanes.

• A collision between the aircraft and birds or other foreign objects.

• An ill or unruly passenger.

• Flight delays caused by the airport staff, such as extraordinarily long queues to security checks.

Keep in mind, however, that airlines often claim that extraordinary circumstances happened, even if that was not the case. They do so in hope that they will avoid paying out compensation.

Let us help you get your money. We will carefully assess all the circumstances and if we find you to be eligible for compensation, our team will fight for your rights until the very end. No win, no fee.

How long do I have to submit my Vueling claim?

If you are flying to or from the UK, you have up to 6 years to submit your Vueling compensation or refund claim.

If you are travelling with Vueling between other countries than the UK, you have up to 5 years to submit a claim, as Spanish regulations then apply.

How long will it take to get my Vueling flight compensation?

Many of the passengers that claim via Flight Delayed get their money within a few weeks to a few months.

However, in some situations, for example when a court case is needed to force the airline to pay, the waiting time might get extended to up to a few years.

“Flight Delayed were brilliant. I had my compensation claim rejected by Vueling as not applicable, but I knew that Vueling has lied outright about their actions. So F-D pursued them to the courts. A lengthy process, but this is usual and the outcome was I got my compensation claim through and was informed throughout the process. I would have got nothing otherwise. Well done that team, I would use you again in these circumstances. Thank you.”

Rest assured, though, that no matter how long your claim will take, we will always be there for you to answer any of your questions and keep you informed of any important events regarding your case.

How to claim Vueling compensation and refund?

With over a decade of experience, legal teams in 9 European countries, and a 98% success rate in courts, Flight Delayed is the best option when it comes to claiming compensation for a delayed or cancelled Vueling flight.

We handle the whole process for you, from start to finish. The only thing you need to do is dedicate 5 minutes of your time to submitting all the important information and flight documents via our smart online system. No win, no fee!

Start now — don’t wait until your claim expires!

About Vueling

Vueling is one of the largest Spanish airlines, alongside Air Europa, Iberia, and Volotea. Since 2013, Vueling has been part of the International Airlines Group, a parent company of multiple other carriers, such as British Airways and the aforementioned Iberia.

Vueling serves over a hundred destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Besides its main hub at the Barcelona-El Prat Airport, the low-cost airline has hubs also at Paris-Orly and Rome-Fiumicino.

In February 2023, Vueling is the second most punctual airline in Europe with a punctuality rate of 86.3% out of 14,000 flights. 

Useful links

• Air Europa flight compensation
• Air Nostrum flight compensation
• More details on delayed flight compensation
• More details on cancelled flight compensation
• Rules regarding missed flight compensation
• Claim Calculator — check if you are eligible for compensation