Volotea inaugurates 21st European base in Bari, Italy

BARCELONA / BARI – Volotea celebrated a major milestone by officially inaugurating its eighth operating base in Italy, located in Bari, which is now the airline’s 21st European base. First announced in November, the new base consolidates Volotea’s presence in the Apulia region and follows the opening of the carrier’s 20th base in Brest, France, in April of this year.

Since starting its operations in Bari in 2012, Volotea has transported over 2 million passengers, continuously enhancing connectivity at Karol Wojtyla Airport and improving links from the Apulia region to the rest of Italy and Europe. This year, the airline will offer more than 1,260 flights and 224,000 seats (+37% compared to 2023) and will base one Airbus A320 aircraft to serve 18 destinations from the Apulia region, nine of which are exclusively operated by the carrier. Today’s inaugural event coincides with the launch of eight new routes, which will start between July 4th and July 6th, to Bilbao, Comiso, Dubrovnik, Malaga, Preveza/Lefkada, Rhodes, Split, and Toulouse.

This rich offering of destinations enhances Volotea’s varied service from Bari, where the carrier maintains high operational standards. From January to June 2024, Volotea achieved a completion factor – the percentage of successfully operated flights – of 97%. This performance is complemented by an OTP15 (on-time performance within 15 minutes) exceeding 70%.

“We have been operating in Bari since 2012, and the opening of our eighth operational base in Italy, our twenty-first in Europe, further confirms our strong partnership with this region,” commented Valeria Rebasti, International Market Director of Volotea. “Thanks to this important investment, we will not only be able to support the local economy by enhancing tourism in the area, but also offer more opportunities for local communities to travel to other European countries with a rich selection of destinations. We thank the regional authorities and especially the management of Airports of Apulia, whose valuable collaboration has allowed us to achieve this milestone. We also do not want to forget the many Apulian passengers who have chosen us flight after flight, enabling us to grow over the years.”

 “The opening of Volotea’s base represents a significant asset for our region. The benefits will be felt not only by the airport but, more importantly, by the entire community it serves,” added Antonio Maria Vasile, President of Airports of Apulia. “The base not only increases connectivity but also boosts the local economy, benefiting Apulia’s residents and economic system. Airports of Apulia has always supported such initiatives because we believe they are fundamental for the territory and the community. The opening of a base is a crucial step in the life of an airport, especially when it is done by an airline with which we have strong commercial ties. This move, aligned with our strategic plan, will diversify the offerings of airlines, promote competitiveness, and adapt to changing market conditions for the benefit of consumers. It enables us to offer passengers a broader range of destinations and allows Airports of Apulia to expand its network. This well-considered and shared decision pleases us and reflects the significant work we have been doing to offer ever higher service standards to passengers transiting through our airports. Today is a milestone for our company, which I am honored to chair, serving as an incentive to do even better for the region, always in synergy with the Apulia region, which consistently supports us, and with airlines that prove themselves to be reliable partners.”

Volotea’s new Bari base offers connections to 18 destinations: nine in Greece (Athens, Corfù, Heraklion/Crete, Mykonos, Preveza/Lefkada – New 2024, Rhodes– New 2024, Santorini, Skiathos,, and Zante), three in Italy (Comiso – New 2024, Florence, and Olbia), two in France (Lyon and Toulouse – New 2024), two in Spain (Bilbao and Malaga – both New 2024), and two in Croatia (Dubrovnik and  Split – both New 2024). The airline’s offer in the Apulia region also extends to destinations served by Volotea from Brindisi, connecting Salento Airport with Nantes and Cagliari.

In Italy, Volotea will operate 171 routes this year, providing over 4.2 million seats across more than 25,000 flights. The airline directly employs 450 people in the country and enjoys high customer satisfaction, with 9 out of 10 passengers recommending Volotea to family and friends.

The article Volotea inaugurates 21st European base in Bari, Italy first appeared in TravelDailyNews International.