By opening a “preconcurso” procedure to restructure its debt, it secured a three-month breathing spell.
By the latest end of December, it must therefore be able to reach an agreement with its creditors, notably the Sociedad Estatal de Participaciones Industriales, the SEPI, for its 200 million euros loan taken during the health crisis.
On top of this amount, there is the bill caused by the surge in kerosene prices, which has boosted its costs by around 150 million euros.
To provide lenders with signs of sustainability and to restructure the company, Volotea published a plan that foresees the removal of 50 jobs, mainly in Barcelona, but also a reduction of its fleet, which should fall from 45 to 35, or even 30 aircraft.
And management quickly moved from words to actions.
By regularly monitoring the carrier’s flights, it is rare to find more than 26 aircraft in the air at the same time. The number tends to hover between 15 in recent days and 25 at most.
Moreover, the reduction in offer, and thus in the active fleet, had at one point led management to suspend its charter activity.
Volotea: “We’re getting cancellations by the bucketload”
It has returned in smaller proportions and only for a few dates, betraying a sharp reduction in supply. What happened to these aircraft? No one knows. It is possible that some of them have been returned to leasing companies, although that comes at a cost.“Some airlines have leasing contracts that include a ‘power by the hour’ component — i.e., a payment based on the aircraft’s actual usage.
If that is the case, leaving planes idle when demand slows and costs rise can be a way to reduce losses,” explains an expert.
This fleet reduction, aimed at minimizing cash burn, leads to sometimes harsh schedule adjustments in the program, notably in France.
And this is not neutral for tourism professionals, as Toussaint holidays approach. They find themselves confronted with cancellations left and right, without always having backup options.
“We’re getting cancellations by the bucketful,” laments an intermediary specializing in air distribution.
The situation is such that travel agents have tried to protect their clients for upcoming flights. Except that, given the carrier’s unique position on certain routes, it can be very difficult to find solutions.
Looking at the figures, we measure the scale of the task and the difficulties that also affect travelers. The reduction of the October flight plan was 27.8% for France, according to statistics provided by OAG.
The global provider of transportation data told us the number of flights planned in October as of August 3, then the number of flights actually scheduled as of October 11.
And this regulation affects French airports differently, although all platforms appear concerned. At the top of the list, Perpignan stands out with 81.8% of flights canceled, followed by Bastia (-62.4%) and Brest (-56.5%).
Volotea trims its October 2026 schedule
Data provided by OAG
By departure country
Change in the number of flights scheduled from airports in each country.
The 10 most affected airports
Source : OAG Analyser, Schedules Power Table. Flights operated by Volotea (IATA code V7), non-stop, from the European regions EU1 and EU2, monthly frequencies in one-way.
Method : comparison of the October 2026 program published on August 3, 2026 and on October 11, 2026. Each flight is counted once, at its departure airport.
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Published by Christophe Hardin 
