Volotea will maintain all scheduled flights from San Sebastián Airport in Hondarribia without cancellations, despite the low-cost carrier filing for a pre-insolvency agreement under Article 583 of the Spanish Insolvency Law at the Commercial Court No. 9 of Barcelona. Operating out of the Gipuzkoa airfield since June 2021, the carrier confirmed to diariovasco.com that its routes remain unaffected by the restructuring process aimed at addressing approximately 350 million euros in debt.
The Bottom Line
- Debt Restructuring: Volotea is seeking formal negotiations under a pre-insolvency framework to restructure roughly 350 million euros in liabilities and avoid a formal voluntary bankruptcy filing.
- Financial Headwinds: The airline’s current balance sheet pressures stem from post-Covid state rescue obligations, fuel cost increases estimated at 150 million euros following the conflict with Iran, and ongoing fleet optimization plans.
San Sebastián Schedule and Route Stability
As diariovasco.com reported, sources within Volotea confirmed that flights departing San Sebastián will operate normally throughout the winter schedule published by DonostiAir. The airline maintains its commitment to providing competitive regional connectivity, preserving its routes to Málaga and Sevilla alongside the newly inaugurated Florence connection.
The broader Hondarribia winter schedule features eight direct connections, marking a net increase of one route compared to the previous year. Alongside Volotea’s offerings, Iberia anchors the airport’s highest frequency volume with daily Madrid rotations. Vueling restores its evening Barcelona service four days a week from Thursday to Sunday, while Binter preserves its scheduled connections to Gran Canaria and Tenerife Norte.
| Airline | Destination | Operating Days |
|---|---|---|
| Volotea | Málaga | Lunes y Jueves |
| Volotea | Sevilla | Jueves y Domingos |
| Volotea | Florencia | Jueves y Domingos |
| Iberia | Madrid | Diario (con frecuencias múltiples) |
| Vueling | Barcelona | Diario (con doble frecuencia Jueves-Domingo) |
| Binter | Gran Canaria / Tenerife Norte | Martes, Jueves, Viernes, Domingos |
| British Airways | London City | Lunes, Viernes, Domingos |
Broader Network Pressures and Consumer Warning
While Hondarribia operations stay insulated for now, Volotea’s financial distress has triggered visible network contractions across other northern Spanish airports. As reported by deia.eus, passengers departing from Bilbao’s Loiu airport have received operational cancellation notices, notably affecting November flights to Venice. Additional itinerary shifts in Bilbao affect routes to A Coruña, Gran Canaria, Marrakech, and Oporto.
Granada Hoy noted that Volotea confirmed no immediate impact on its four routes operating from Granada—Asturias, Santander, Nantes, and the upcoming Oporto service launching November 3—even as the company navigates debt talks alongside the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales (SEPI), operational partners, and financial institutions to secure viability before December.
Meanwhile, consumer protection group FACUA issued a public advisory reported by El Correo, recommending that passengers suspend purchasing future tickets until the carrier clarifies its financial standing and long-term solvency.
Company Background and Fleet Adjustments
Over its five years operating in Gipuzkoa, the carrier has transported approximately 345,000 travelers, with Balearic Island flights remaining consumer favorites. Its broader network includes significant footprints at other terminals, such as 24 routes from its base in Asturias and 22 connections at Bilbao, where it based two aircraft and handled 608,427 passengers last year, representing about 8.6% of the airport’s total volume. At Santander’s Seve Ballesteros airport, its presence expanded significantly by taking over routes previously operated by Ryanair amid a fee dispute with Aena, serving destinations including Málaga, Sevilla, Valencia, Menorca, Granada, and an upcoming November route to Madrid in direct competition with Iberia and Air Nostrum. In Granada, it became the second most important carrier after Vueling following the pandemic. To address its financial situation, the airline plans to reduce its fleet from 44 to between 30 and 35 aircraft, a restructuring that is estimated to impact approximately 50 administrative jobs at its Barcelona offices.
