Will Hungarian Wizz Air fly to the USA?

The CEO of the Hungarian low-cost airline gave an interview to Trend FM and talked about the company’s plans. József Váradi highlighted that their performance level was 140 pc compared to the pre-COVID period. Furthermore, their new airline in Malta might start its operation this October. He also talked about their plans of entering the market of 8-hour-long flights.

Will Wizz Air fly to New York?

Wizz Air CEO József Váradi told Trend FM that the war in Ukraine caused only a temporary decrease in the market after the start of the Russian aggression. He added that he expected outstanding summer passenger traffic. He said that their four aircraft stuck in Ukraine are still there and are unharmed. “We have three planes in Kyiv and one in Lviv,” he stated. He said that they could not bring them out, but they would be able to fly after some maintenance. “We do not want to risk anything, so we are waiting for the right moment,” he said.

Wizz Air lost the Ukrainian and Russian markets because of the war, Váradi admitted. However, if things get back to normal, they will return to both countries.

Currently, the Hungarian low-cost airline has a fleet of 149 aircraft, mostly Airbus A320 and A321. However, they would extend that to 300 in some years and 500 in the long run. Furthermore, they will buy new Airbus types with which they could enter the market of 8-hour-long flights. The last time there was a direct flight between Budapest and, for example, New York, its flight time was 9 hours and 45 minutes, so

Wizz Air might even plan to enter the market of overseas flights. 

Furthermore, Wizz Air has several bases in Western Europe, including the United Kingdom. For example, on July 2, one can get from London to New York in only 7 hours and 20 minutes.

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Currently, they have destinations in 54 countries

Váradi shared some other numbers regarding the current state of the air travel business. In April 2020, only 3 pc of the Wizz Air fleet flew. This rate increased to 80 pc in August but fell back to 10 pc by November. In the summer of 2021, 100 pc of the fleet was in operation. This rate grew to 140 pc by this spring.

Currently, Wizz Air has flights to 54 countries.

The CEO criticised European governments for subventioning national airliners during the coronavirus epidemic, while discount companies received nothing. He argued that, provided an airline needed state support, it did not have a viable business model. There are four airliners now on the London stock market in the “recommended to invest” category. One of them is Wizz Air, he said proudly.

He added that they did not plan to enter the New York or the Budapest stock markets. Instead, they would remain in London because it is one of the most investable capital centres in the sector.

Source: Trend FM