Volotea (V7, Barcelona El Prat) will open its first Spanish base in Asturias in the country's north in May next year local paper Expansión has reported. Earlier this year, the Spanish budget carrier announced plans to open a total of five local hubs by 2016 with Bilbao, Santander, and Vigo touted as possible locations.
Co-founder Carlos Muñoz told the newspaper that funding for Volotea's ambitious expansion programme, which in addition to the new bases will see its staff compliment rise by 25% over the next two years, could come from an IPO due by 2016.
Using a fleet of fifteen B717-200s, Volotea serves 63 destinations in eight countries using Bordeaux Mérignac, Nantes, Palermo International, Venice Marco Polo, and soon Strasbourg Enzheim, as its primary bases.
