Wizz Air launches new flight to German city, may receive giant fine from Spain

Wizz Air, Hungary’s budget airline, launched its brand new flight to Stuttgart, commuting five times a week. Meanwhile, they may get an incredible fine in Spain for their luggage policies.

New Wizz Air flight to German city

According to Budflyer, a Hungarian aviation news Facebook page, the first Wizz Air flight took off from Budapest Airport to Stuttgart, Germany. The flight will carry passengers five times a week: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. Such flights are crucial because tens of thousands of Hungarians work in Germany, and they regularly come back to visit family or do official business.

According to the German Statistical Office (Destatis), more than 210 thousand Hungarian nationals lived in Germany in December 2023. That is a 3,230 decrease compared to 2022, but still very high.

Spain may fine Wizz Air for millions of euro

Spain’s social affairs ministry fined four budget airlines. One of the reasons for the brutal 150-million-euro fine is that the airlines should enable passengers to bring trolley bags on board for free. Based on Okosutas, such a measure would make boarding longer and plane circulation more difficult. Furthermore, it would increase the aircraft’s weight due to the many bags, which will impact its emission.

Okosutas argues that budget airlines introduced the payable trolley bag scheme in the 2010s to decrease ticket costs. That is because those who do not carry large bags on their journey can travel cheaply. For example, with Wizz Air, one carry-on bag (max 10 kg and 40 x 30 x 20 cm) is free, which is enough for half the passengers. Other budget airlines have similar regulations concerning luggage.

Photo: FB/Wizz Air

Four airlines were fined 150 million euros: Ryanair, Easyjet, Vueling, and Volotea. Wizz Air and Norwegian are also present in the Spanish market, but they did not receive a fine in this round. Okosutas wrote that all low-cost air travel sector functions follow the free carry-on and payable trolley bag rule. If that changes, plane ticket prices will increase. The airlines concerned did not accept the Spanish decision, they appealed to local courts.

Internationally renowned street artist’s work decorates the passenger pier at Budapest Airport

According to Budapest Airport, “passenger pier at Terminal 2 is adorned with the artwork of internationally renowned street artist Gergely Void, created in collaboration with children living in state care. With the purchase of the painting, Budapest Airport Plc. supported the Foundation for Children in State Care (Világszép Alapítvány), which helps young people living in children’s homes in Hungary, and Unicef Hungary”.

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