Facua has recommended that consumers refrain from purchasing any Volotea tickets until the company’s future is clarified, following reports that the airline has filed for pre-bankruptcy proceedings to attempt to restructure its high debt.
“Prudence dictates that we should not buy any tickets,” said the general secretary of the consumer organisation, Rubén Sánchez, speaking to this publication. He explained that this recommendation remains in place “until we know whether the company is going bankrupt or is saved.”
Sánchez acknowledged that the decision might attract criticism because it could further aggravate the company’s situation, but argued that it is a direct consequence of a lack of guarantees for consumers.
“We are uncertain about what will happen to the tickets already purchased,” warned the Facua leader, who also denounced the absence of a mechanism to protect passengers if the airline ceases operations.
“For many years we have been asking successive Ministers of Consumer Affairs to require all companies to have insurance that provides coverage in case of bankruptcy,” Sánchez pointed out. He revealed that “we have asked the current Minister of Social Rights, Consumer Affairs and Agenda 2030, Pablo Bustinduy, repeatedly and he has ignored us.”
The recommendation follows Volotea’s approach to the Commercial Court number 9 of Barcelona to negotiate a plan with its creditors to avoid bankruptcy and ensure its continuity.
The airline faces a challenging financial situation, having lost 94,200,000€ in 2025 and closing the year with a negative net worth of 570,000,000€. Furthermore, it remains burdened by a 200,000,000€ bailout from SEPI and a 150,000,000€ loan guaranteed by the ICO.
In response, Volotea management has proposed a major cost-cutting adjustment. This includes reducing its fleet from the current 44 aircraft to between 30 and 35, alongside staff adjustments in Barcelona.
