Vueling - Reviews and experiences

Weird morning — we’d driven five hours to Gatwick, checked in, grabbed coffee, and then got told the flight was cancelled. They said it was because of air traffic controllers’ strikes in France. Okay, strikes happen and I get that it wasn’t Vueling’s choice on the day, but the whole thing felt avoidable and handled badly. We were offered a full refund (which I appreciated), but the way it played out left me annoyed — especially since the strike had been public for days and their communication was basically non‑existent.
I don’t mind a refund, I mind the timing and the runaround. We could have been rebooked on another day, but the alternative was two days later — useless for a long weekend — so we took the money and drove home, tired and out of pocket for petrol and time. What really stuck with me was seeing an airline rep handing out a sheet about how to claim compensation, then later being told compensation wasn’t possible because it was “beyond the airline’s control.” That felt like false hope at the gate to calm people down. It’s not great to show customers a form that implies help and then tell them no when they actually try.
Also tried emailing customer service a bunch of times and heard nothing for two months. When I finally called, the person I spoke to was brusque and not interested in our situation — no empathy, no real explanation, just a quick no. I’ve had other airlines offer a small gesture in similar situations, so it’s hard to accept that none was possible here. The refund was the right thing, but it didn’t make up for the time lost, the cost of getting to the airport, or the stress of being stranded last minute.
If you’re thinking of flying this carrier, keep an eye on strike notices and push them for earlier communication if there are known risks. I wish Vueling would either proactively cancel with enough notice when strikes are expected or at least be honest and responsive so people don’t make long drives for nothing. A clearer policy and a bit of common courtesy from their staff would go a long way. I won’t choose them again for short trips where timing matters, and I’ve warned friends — not because mistakes don’t happen, but because this felt like poor planning and poor customer care.

I had the worst experience with Flivelling!! They canceled my flight and then refused to reimburse me for any expenses I had with my hotel. I called them SIX times and all they said was that it's "in process". It's been a whole stinking month and still no sign of my money. Seriously, worst customer service ever!

Oh my goodness, it was a complete nightmare! I had the worst customer service experience ever with this airline. They actually canceled my flight to Paris right at the airport, and to top it all off, they lied about why. The immigration officer even checked and confirmed that the plane never even landed at the airport. It messed up all my other travel plans, it was a total mess. The only decent thing they did was book us a hotel, but that didn't make up for all the trouble they caused. Seriously, save yourself the headache and avoid this company at all costs.