Mirror reporter Cyann Fielding went behind the scenes at Vueling’s headquarters in Barcelona, Spain, to find out what running an airline on a daily basis actually looks like and how it deals with possible disasters
After booking and paying for your flight, you head to the airport, board the plane, sit back and enjoy the ride. All going well, you’ll then land and head out of the airport. For most travellers, this is the extent of their interaction with an airline.
However, behind every aviation firm is a dedicated team, working to ensure that the airlines’ operations run smoothly and efficiently. We may not see every staff member, but it doesn’t make their roles any less crucial.
During my visit to Vueling’s HQ in Barcelona, Spain, I witnessed first-hand the brains behind the airline’s success and how they keep the show going at 30,000 feet. From an on-duty pilot in the Integrated Operations Control Center (iOCC) dealing with queries from other pilots in the skies, to the IT teams developing Vueling’s booking systems, the atmosphere was buzzing with innovation and energy.
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Managing 750 flights a day during peak season is no easy feat, but Vueling’s iOCC makes it look seamless. Behind three sets of doors lies the operation hub, which resembles a high-tech newsroom. Here, Vueling monitors the safety, efficiency and punctuality of its flights each day.
In the centre of the room stands a towering bank of screens, displaying real-time data that updates every second. Below, a ‘bull pen’ houses senior staff responsible for different areas of the airline’s operations. Each leader faces a team of professionals working in their sector, whether that be coordinating with cabin crews or maintaining communication with airports.
Like pieces of a puzzle, each team plays a vital role in the larger picture. Together, they ensure that cabin crews and pilots are looked after, airports and grounds teams are communicated with and weather is monitored.
A glance at the screen to my left shows key performance indicators (KPIs) — all in green — indicating that Vueling is currently operating with 92 per cent of its flights on schedule. Across 2024, the airline maintained an impressive on-time performance rate of 81.2 per cent on over 223,000 flights in Europe, all thanks to its iOCC.
Whilst the room and the workers within it are impressive, the operations of the iOCC is limited to what is currently happening. But unfortunately, sometimes an emergency or crisis does occur, and for this, Vueling are equally prepared.
A discreet, tall door at the end of a corridor initially looks like it leads to a cupboard. However, it actually opens into something far more important. As I enter, the clean, almost unused smell hits me. The lights flicker on, and I find myself in a formal, corporate-looking space. It has the feel of a high-level boardroom and reminds me of the meeting room deep beneath the White House, as it’s depicted in movies at least.
The room hosts a rectangular arrangement of tables, each with a chair and a large screen standing at one end. Along the sides of the room are several more screens. Each seat is designated with a name tag corresponding to the role of the person who would sit there, such as CEO or communications.
When activated, black tablet-like screens rise from the table, adding to the futuristic feel of the room. This sleek, high-tech space is Vueling’s emergency response hub, where key representatives for the airline will gather in the event of a crisis. Whilst plane crashes for any airline are rare, Vueling is prepared for such events, with detailed protocols in place long before a crisis occurs.
Each individual in the room has a specific role, — whether that be coordinating with local authorities at the crash site or communicating with the families of passengers. In the aftermath of an incident, a dedicated team could be working in this room for 14 days, all whilst the day-to-day operations of the airline continue to be managed by the team in the iOCC next door.
As part of their emergency training, Vueling runs simulations where the screens come to life and display news coverage of a staged crash. The team will analyse the coverage in real-time, ensuring the accuracy of reports and working to manage public perception in the aftermath of a crisis.
Fortunately, the room has never had to be used for a crash. It has been put into action twice, both times last year, for the floods in Spain and also the issues caused by CrowdStrike, a cybersecurity company which sent out a flawed software update. By using the room, the airline was able to manage the issues and limit further delays and problems for its passengers.
The airline’s training goes beyond the emergency room too — the team will head to talks or recent incidents to learn and develop new measures and protocols into their own emergency responses.
Vueling’s dedication to ensuring smooth operations and planning ahead are ultimately what helps the airline achieve a good safety record, with no crashes since its founding.
