Vueling assessment in Barcelona 2026: the Catalan question, the group dynamic, the summer contract and the Ryanair and easyJet comparison at El Prat
-
#1 Vueling, Barcelona, and the Spanish threads on here are Iberia and Iberia Express. Vueling is the biggest airline at Barcelona and the one most Catalan and Spanish applicants start at, and nobody has written the assessment. Here it is.
The airline
IAG's Spanish low cost carrier, Barcelona El Prat as the main base, with bases across Spain and in Paris, Rome, Amsterdam and others, an A320 family fleet, a network across Europe and North Africa. A young crew, a fast operation, the Spanish low cost model with the IAG structure behind it.
The assessment
Online application, a video interview, then an assessment day in Barcelona (sometimes at the base cities). The day: a group dynamic in Spanish (a scenario, eight people, the usual watching), an English conversation, a short individual interview, the reach and the document check. Smaller than the Gulf events, 40 to 60 per session, and friendly in the Spanish way.
The Catalan question
Not required. Spanish is the operational language, English is tested, Catalan is a plus for the Barcelona announcements and the passengers and the crew room, where it is spoken constantly. Non Catalan Spanish speakers are the majority of the crew and have no issue. Non Spanish speakers with fluent Spanish are hired; without it, no, as at Iberia.
The contract
Spanish employment contract under the Vueling collective agreement, with a seasonal or permanent structure: many new joiners start on a summer contract (the fijo discontinuo, which is a Spanish contract form that guarantees return each season) and move to permanent. The pay: a basic, flight hour pay, commission on the buy on board, allowances. A summer month is a decent Barcelona salary; a winter month on the seasonal contract is the Spanish version of the seasonal question every low cost thread describes.
Versus Ryanair and easyJet at El Prat
Ryanair Barcelona: the Malta Air contract, the agency in year one, the Ryanair pace, the sales. easyJet Barcelona: the Spanish easyJet Europe contract, a smaller base, the UK routes. Vueling: the Spanish collective agreement, the IAG group (the path to Iberia exists and is used), the biggest base at the airport, the Catalan crew room. Applicants apply to all three and Vueling is the one that feels most like home for the Catalans.
The path to Iberia
Real and used: Vueling crew with two or three years apply to Iberia mainline for the long haul and the IAG connection helps at the assessment. Rosa's Iberia thread says the 'why not Vueling' question is asked and the answer is long haul, never anything negative about Vueling.
For applicants
Spanish fluent, English conversational, Catalan a bonus, a summer contract likely first, and the IAG door to long haul later. Vueling is a good first airline and a fine career for the crew who love Barcelona and short haul. The ones who want the world go to Iberia or the Gulf with the hours.
-
#2 Barcelona, different airline now, and Vueling was my first and Bella has it exactly: the summer contract first, the Catalan crew room, the IAG door. The fijo discontinuo is the thing non Spanish readers will not understand and it is a real protection.
-
#3 Iberia Madrid, and the Vueling to Iberia path is the one I see every round. Vueling crew arrive fast on the cart and ready for the long haul course. The 'why not Vueling' answer is long haul, as Bella says.
-
#4 Iberia Express, and the Spanish low cost triangle (Vueling, Iberia Express, Ryanair Spain) is where most Spanish crew start. Vueling has the Barcelona identity, we have Madrid. Both lead to the mainline.
-
#5 Valencia, applying, and Vueling Valencia is on my list with Ryanair Valencia. The seasonal contract being the Spanish fijo discontinuo rather than an agency contract is the difference I did not understand. Thank you.
-
#6 Madrid, Iberia Express assessment done, and the Vueling and Iberia Express days sound like the same day in different cities. The Spanish assessment is friendly and the group dynamic is the whole thing.
-
#7 Ryanair Bergamo, and the Barcelona Ryanair base competes with Vueling for the same Catalan crew and loses the ones who want the collective agreement. Bella is fair to us. The pace is ours; the contract is theirs.
-
#8 @diegovlc94 the fijo discontinuo is the Spanish seasonal contract with a guaranteed return and it is why the Vueling winter is less frightening than the Ryanair one. Ask for it by name at the assessment.