Volotea, the airline of mid and small‐sized European cities, has carried 4.82 million passengers in 2017, increasing by 42% the 3.39 million carried in 2016. Turnover grew by 22% to exceed €300 million.

This increase in passengers has been achieved all across its network and in the 13 countries in which Volotea operates. Traffic in all its bases enjoyed a significant growth in passengers in 2017: Toulouse (80%), Asturias (73%), Nantes (51%), Genoa (60%), Bordeaux (37%), Strasbourg (32%), Verona (25%), Palermo (24%) and Venice (10%).

Volotea operated a total of 44,500 flights in 2017 in comparison to 37,300 in 2016, becoming one of the fastest growing large LCC airlines in Europe. Volotea has also ranked among the top nine airlines in the world opening more routes.

Welcoming Volotea's commercial proposition, seat load grew by 11 basic-points reaching an average of 86% throughout the year, with all bases exceeding previous year's figures: Venice (87%), Nantes (86%), Bordeaux (84%), Verona (87%), Toulouse (82%), Palermo (86%), Genoa (86%), Strasbourg (86%) and Asturias (88%).

Clients' recommendation rate stood again at 90%, keeping the high satisfaction levels from previous years. Volotea's turnover grew by 22% year-on-year and revenues exceeded €300m in 2017.

In 2018, additional 58 new routes are launched and available for sale for Volotea to increase its network up to 293 routes connecting with direct flights 78 European mid and small-sized cities in 13 countries.

Volotea expects to continue increasing its operations this year, expecting between 5.7m and 6.0m passengers. For these purposes, four new aircraft Airbus 319 are being received, increasing its fleet up to 32 units. For the first time, 52% of the flights are expected to be operated by A319 aircraft in 2018.

Additionally, Athens, Bilbao and Marseille, (all three showing healthy passenger increases over 77% in 2017), have been selected to become new Volotea bases this year. Aircraft will start being based in these airports in March and April to boost operations with an enhanced tailor-made offer of additional seats and new destinations.

Among its headquarters and its twelve bases, approximately 250 new positions will be open for recruitment for Volotea to capitalize in its continuous growth in operations in 2018. Volotea will announce in coming weeks its 15 millionth passenger, after starting flights in 2012.