Later this month, the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League, Europe's second-tier club competition, will take place across the continent. Alongside Norwegian underdogs Bodø/Glimt's tie against Italian heavyweights Lazio, the remaining three quarter-finals each feature a British side, with Tottenham Hotspur taking on Eintracht Frankfurt, Manchester United facing Lyon, and Rangers squaring up against Athletic Bilbao. The latter of these draws has prompted a boom in flights.
Vueling will operate special flights for both legs
As is commonplace in European competition, the quarter-final ties will be played over two legs, with one team hosting the first match on Thursday, April 10th, followed by the second leg at the other side's home stadium a week later. For Rangers' tie against Athletic Club, the first leg will take place in Scotland's most populous city, with the second leg being staged at the Estadio San Mamés in Bilbao. In order to transport fans to the two matches, Vueling has scheduled special flights.
Vueling A320 Departing Barcelona
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According to data made available by Cirium, an aviation analytics company, the Spanish low-cost carrier will use 180-seat Airbus A320 planes to operate these rare services. Departing on April 10th, flight VY6460 is scheduled to leave Bilbao Airport (BIO), where Vueling has an operating base, at 07:10. Its arrival into Glasgow (GLA) is scheduled for 08:35 local time, two hours and 25 minutes later.
Meanwhile, the return leg, numbered as Vueling flight VY6461, it scheduled to leave Glasgow at 09:30, with its arrival back into Bilbao planned for 13:05 local time. This gives the 871-mile (1,402 km) flight a scheduled block time of two hours and 35 minutes. Needless to say, its relatively early departure on the Friday morning could represent an interesting challenge for fans of Athletic Club who get caught up in the post-match Glaswegian festivities, particularly in the event of a good result!
Connecting two similar cities
A week later, fans of Rangers, a club known for its huge traveling support, will make the pilgrimage to Bilbao for their side's quarter-final second leg against Athletic Club. Once again, Vueling has arranged a dedicated return flight to allow supporters to make their journey as direct as possible, although Rangers Review notes that tickets will cost an eye-watering £427 ($552). Still, the non-stop convenience of these flights may be too good to turn down for fans with deep pockets.
Vueling A320 Departing Munich
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According to Cirium, the outbound leg of this itinerary will have the same times as the return leg of the flights put on for Athletic Club fans for the first leg, departing Glasgow at 09:30 and reaching Bilbao just over two-and-a-half hours later at 13:05 local time on April 17th. The day after the game, Rangers fans will have a very early start to contend with, as the return leg leaves at 07:00, with its arrival back into Glasgow penciled in for 08:25 local time. Commenting on the flights, Vueling stated:
"These additional flights demonstrate Vueling's commitment to connecting the UK to cities across Spain. Bilbao, much like Glasgow, is famous for its industrial heritage and iconic cultural centers, making it the perfect location to explore while there for the game."
TUI is also joining the party for the second leg
Elsewhere, TUI has also penciled in a non-stop round trip from Glasgow to Bilbao and back in conjunction with the second leg of the Europa League quarter-final tie. Using a 149-seat Boeing 737-700, the first of these flights is scheduled to depart Glasgow Airport at 09:00 on April 17th, touching down at Bilbao Airport in plenty of time for the game some two hours and 40 minutes later at 12:40 local time.
TUI 737 Taxiing In Tenerife
Photo: Markus Mainka | Shutterstock
Meanwhile, the return leg is much kinder time-wise to Rangers fans who may be planning a big night out in Bilbao after the match, the winner of which will face either Manchester United or Lyon at the semi-final stage. Indeed, this flight has a leisurely lunchtime departure at 13:00, with its arrival back into Glasgow planned for 14:50 local time, some two hours and 50 minutes later. However, the Scottish Sun notes that these flights will cost a whopping £1656 ($2,142).