4th Jul 2016 05:37
BARCELONA (Alliance News) - An investigation has been launched into Spain's low-cost airline Vueling following chaos caused by the company at Barcelona airport at the weekend, the Spanish Transport Ministry said Sunday.
The management of the airline has been summoned to an emergency meeting in Madrid on Monday where they would be expected to deliver "explanations and immediate corrective measures," the statement said.
After days of "operational problems," a further 13 flights were cancelled by the Catalan airline by midday Sunday without any reason being given, La Vanguardia newspaper reported online.
At the start of the busiest part of the day on Saturday, passengers at Barcelona airport were faced with delays of up to four hours because of flight cancellations and delays, leading to chaotic scenes.
Outraged passengers staged loud protests at the airline's check-in and information desks, demanding that their fares be reimbursed.
Police had to force the crowds back to prevent an escalation of the scenes.
Vueling, a subsidiary of International Consolidated Airlines Group to which Iberia and British Airways also belong, has been experiencing problems for weeks.
A total of 20 flights were cancelled on Saturday.
A spokeswoman apologised for the chaos and made assurances that the company was working to find a satisfactory resolution for everyone involved.
Experts say Vueling has expanded too quickly and had not prepared properly for the busy summer holiday season.
Copyright dpa
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