Vueling, the new generation airline, was last week awarded the Innovation prize at the World Low Cost Airlines Congress, held in Barcelona. The prize was awarded in recognition of Vueling’s integration of ticket distribution utilising GDS, Amadeus, Galileo and Worldspan with a product adapted and improved for use by Travel Agencies.

The award was received by Juan Carlos Iglesias, Vueling’s Director of Sales. At the moment sales through channel agencies represent 40% of Vueling’s total ticket sales. Other companies shorlisted for the award included Allegiant, Air Asia X and SR Technics, suppliers of technical services to the civil aviation sector.

The Innovation Award was open to vendors and service providers to low cost airlines. To be eligible for consideration, entrants had to have services or products introduced to the market during 2009. A key factor was that the entrants had to be demonstrably different from existing solutions. The winner also had to show how the product had directly affected  increasing income whilst at the same time reducing costs. On top of this the winner also had to show how the implementation had made a positive effect on company profit and demonstrate how it directly affected defining the global business model of low cost airlines.

Brilliant Future - The judges emphased the fact that Vueling had achieved a way of maximising the potential income from an aircraft due to the implementation of the system.  For this they see a brilliant future for the company.

The Innovation Award is given every year during the Gala Dinner at the Congress. The Awards are known as the Budgies. These awards, more than just trophies, recognise the success and the contribution that the low cost companies make to the airline sector.

Other recommendations received during 2009 - Vueling has received various recommendations during 2009 for aeronautical achievements as well as tourism and marketing.

At the beginning of the year it was recognised as one of the most cool Brands in the World and the leading Spanish brand, in an independent study by the strategic and branding consultants Allegro 234.

On 20 January, the company received the Environmental award from Lisbon airport for being the quietest airline operating out of the airport in 2008, the previous year Brussels Airport had recognised the company for similar reasons.

18 February was the turn of Athens Airport who named Vueling as the best new performing airline for contributing the most passenger numbers of all the airlines in 2008, completing a year of uninterrupted flights to the airport.

In March, Conde Nast Traveller awarded Vueling the Best Low Cost Airline following a readers poll. Finally on 24 June, Vueling was considered the Best Low Cost Airline in the XVII Edition of Premios Travelranking.

In little more than five years of operations, Vueling has been recognised as one of the most innovative companies, at the same time receiving great support from its clients.