air

NATO tanker aircrafts circled for hours over Lake Balaton

tihany balaton

Two NATO tanker aircrafts circled for hours over Lake Balaton on Wednesday, according to flight-tracking sites.

According to information from 24.hu, the British Airbus Voyager, which departed in the morning from its base in Akrotiri, Cyprus, flew nine times over Balatonfüred and Tihany in the early afternoon, and then headed back to Greece after 3 PM.

The other plane, a special Airbus A330, arrived from Eindhoven in the Netherlands. It spent almost five hours in the region, including a short stopover in Poland. The plane travelled all over the Balaton area waiting for deployment.

According to NATO’s website, the so-called Multi-Mission Fleet (MMF) was established in Eindhoven in 2020, when the first of the fleet’s eight aircraft arrived at the main base in the Netherlands.

As described, the Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) fleet is designed to provide strategic transport of people and cargo. Its aim is to significantly increase European aerial refuelling capabilities and to be available for medical evacuation if required. The fleet is funded by Belgium, the Czech Republic, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Norway.

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Wizz Air chosen as worst airline for short flights

wizz air a321 aircraft

Brits say Wizz Air is the worst airline for short trips. The Hungary-based airline serves passengers from eight UK airports. These include Birmingham, Edinburgh, Gatwick and Luton.

Wizz Air received low ratings

Less than half of those surveyed, just under 48 percent, were satisfied with the Hungarian low-cost airline’s service. Meanwhile, Ryanair received 52 percent, Eurowings 53 percent and British Airways 56 percent, Telex reports.

Which? asked around 8,000 Britons about airlines providing short-haul travel back in October 2022. Participants were asked to rate the boarding experience, the quality of the cabin and the comfort of the seats. Jet2.com achieved the highest score of 80 percent, followed by Turkish Airlines with 78 percent.

The passengers surveyed gave Wizz Air only one star out of five for the boarding experience, the cabin and how comfortable the seats are. They gave no more than two stars in other categories, including value for money and cleanliness.

Airlines like Jet2.com have excellent customer service

According to Which? travel editor Rory Boland, passengers have had a tough time in recent years. One of the main reasons is that last-minute delays and cancellations have been unacceptably common. “While airlines such as Jet2.com have excelled at providing excellent customer service and a reliable service to passengers, many of their competitors cannot match this.”

Their assessment is that Wizz Air should be avoided because of their poor customer service record. A spokesperson for the airline told The Guardian that Wizz Air does its best to ensure that its passengers arrive on time and with minimal delays.

“Wizz Air operates a fleet of brand new, state-of-the-art Airbus aircraft, with an average age of 4.6 years, which offer passengers comfort, space and modern interiors. The A321neo features the widest single-aisle cabin configuration with 239 18-inch-wide seats. Every aircraft is cleaned after each flight and deep cleaned every night,”

the spokesperson added.

Budapest airport shuttle travel 100E Airport Express
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Important: German airline cancels Budapest routes

lufthansa

Lufthansa is reducing its summer timetable due to a shortage of labour. The German airline is still facing a shortage of staff and will cancel 34,000 flights from the end of March to the end of October. Budapest routes are also affected.

Lufthansa adjusts its summer schedule due to shortage of staff

A Lufthansa spokesperson confirmed to Wirtschaftswoche that the German airline has adjusted its 2023 summer schedule. Flights to Frankfurt and Munich are affected. The reason is the shortage of staff, just like last year, airportal.hu reports. Until the end of this year, Lufthansa plans to hire some 20,000 employees. However, this cannot be done until the beginning of the summer peak period.

According to information from aero.de, there are not enough pilots for the A320 family in particular, which operates on European backbone routes. According to the news portal, Lufthansa will be forced to cancel 34,000 flights in the summer months as a result. This represents around 10 percent of the planned schedule.

The German airline aims to prevent panic caused by last-minute cancellations

The airline reduces frequencies on routes with several daily flights and cancels those with few bookings. With this, they are making it easier for affected passengers to rebook to other flights. With planning and informing passengers in advance, Lufthansa aims to prevent chaos caused by last-minute cancellations.

This information is supported by a recent post on the Aeroroutes timetable analysis site. The post shows that Lufthansa has cut its European flights from Frankfurt and Munich by 12.7 and 11 percent respectively for the summer timetable period, compared to 29 January.

Frankfurt-Budapest and Munich-Budapest flights are affected

According to the article of Aeroroutes, the number of flights on the Frankfurt-Budapest route will be reduced from 1,085 to 966 and on the Munich-Budapest route from 992 to 837 between 26 March and 28 October.

According to the article, further flight cancellations can also be expected at subsidiaries Eurowings, Austrian and Swiss.

Meanwhile, Amsterdam Airport will continue to limit the number of departing passengers in April and May, according to information from airportal.hu.

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New airline comes to Budapest making 100 destinations accessible

Air Serbia Budapest Hungary

As the summer season approaches, more and more airlines announce that they would like to return to the Hungarian capital. Thanks to a destination network extension, Air Serbia decided to create a new home at Hungary’s Ferenc Liszt International Airport near Budapest. They will operate 15-17 flights and open almost 100 destinations for the passengers boarding their planes in Budapest.

According to turizmus.com, Air Serbia is reestablishing its Budapest-Belgrade direct flight from 13 March. The first plane will come from the Serbian capital that day. Afterwards, the airline plans to operate 15-17 flights between the two capitals. That will mean that they will open almost 100 destinations reachable from Belgrade after transfer.

That is good news because Air Serbia’s network includes even New York and Chicago in the United States. Furthermore, you will be able to travel from Budapest with one transfer in Belgrade to several European destinations like Tivat and Podgorica in Montenegro, Tirana in Albania, Madrid, Valencia, Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca in Spain. Moreover, there are Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence and Palermo in Italy, and Athens and Thessaloniki in Greece.

Before, Air Serbia operated direct flights between Belgrade and Budapest between 2014 and 2016. HERE you can already book your ticket. Based on a December post shared on the official Facebook site of the Budapest Airport, the airlines will operate three flights each day.

According to exyuaviation.com, Air Serbia not only opens new destinations. It will also grow frequency in some of its existing routes from 26 March. Based on the website’s information, the carrier will increase the number of flights to Zagreb, Skopje, Tirana, Pula, Larnaca, Barcelona, Rome, Vienna, Prague, Bologna, Madrid and Düsseldorf.

“A number of destinations will now have the same number of frequencies or exceed the number of flights which were operated during the pre-pandemic 2019 summer season. The frequency growth will complement the airline’s plans to inaugurate 22 new routes over the coming months”, they wrote.

Air Serbia emergency landing
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Plan ahead: 8 cheap spring flights from Budapest!

aircraft travel flight

Cheap spring flights are still available to visit cities near Budapest. Spring is probably the best time to visit a place, explore buildings, parks and castles, since the weather is perfect for that.

Utazómajom collected eight routes that can be booked for around HUF 15,000 (EUR 39.2), but surely under HUF 22,000 (EUR 58). Find these destinations below!

  1. Podgorica, Montenegro: 4-7 March
  2. Malmö, Sweden: 14-18 March
  3. Târgu Mureș, Romania: 18-23 March
  4. Brussels, Belgium: 23-28 March
  5. Warsaw, Poland: 26-29 March
  6. Nuremberg, Germany: 18-23 April
  7. Tirana, Albania: 25-28 March
  8. London, England: 8-11 March

Podgorica, Montenegro: 4-7 March

The average temperature in Podgorica is 16-17 degrees Celsius. This means you can enjoy a pleasant stroll on a spring day trip to the Sastavci Bridge, which is mainly visited by lovers. And, for lovers of historical sites, the medieval Ribnica Fortress is a must-see.

Offer: with Wizz Air, without membership

Malmö, Sweden: 14-18 March

You can visit Malmö’s busy city centre, the old market square and Lilla Torg (a beautiful small medieval square) in March. And, if you want to see the very spectacular Oresund Bridge, it’s only a 15-minute drive from the city centre!

Offer: with Wizz Air, without membership

Târgu Mureș, Romania: 18-23 March

In and around Târgu Mureș, there are cycling and hiking trails you can try. Also, do not miss the castle! As the sixth largest city in Transylvania, there are several restaurants with traditional cuisine, where you can try some Transylvanian dishes!

Offer: with Wizz Air, without membership

Brussels, Belgium: 23-28 March

Brussels is easy to get to know and discover in just a few days. After a stroll around the Grand Place, a chocolate waffle will do you good, Utazómajom recommends. Even the biggest sights can be squeezed into a few days out.

Offer: with Wizz Air, without membership

Warsaw, Poland: 26-29 March

Warsaw is a mix of architectural styles, but a walk around the Old Town is a great experience. For lunch, you can stop off at a dairy bar for an authentic and cheap meal. On a rainy day, the Polish capital has plenty of indoor activities.

Offer: with Ryanair

Nuremberg, Germany: 18-23 April

The Bavarian metropolis lies on the banks of the Pegnitz River. Strolling through its main square, you’ll find colourful market stalls open almost every day and the Frauenkirche, the city’s symbolic Gothic church, soaring overhead. The Kaiserburg castle also has exhibitions and breathtaking views of the city from its towers, Utazómajom writes.

Offer: with Ryanair

Tirana, Albania: 25-28 March

Tirana’s main attractions are located in the main square, such as the Et’hem Bej Mosque, the interactive museums BunkArt 1 and 2, which show the world of communism, and the House of Leaves, an exhibition in the Albanian secret service building.

Offer: with Wizz Air, without membership

London, England: 8-11 March

The sights of London may not need to be explained (Palace of Westminster, Big Ben, Parliament, Tower Bridge, London Eye), but it’s good to know that many museums in the city are free. These few days are certainly not enough to see everything, but with good planning, you can see many sights. Note: You need a passport to enter London!

Offer: with Ryanair

The low-cost flights shown include a small carry-on bag.

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Popular airline returns to Budapest Airport with new routes!

budapest airport taxiway runway

From the end of March, the Latvian airline Air Baltic will return to its summer schedule, flying three times weekly between Riga and Budapest.

The Latvian airline will operate its Airbus A220-300 aircraft on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays. The first flight will arrive on 27 March, connecting Budapest and Latvia on a weekly basis.

The journey to Hungary takes 1 hour 55 minutes and 2 hours on the return journey. Flights depart at 11.25 AM on Mondays and Thursdays and an hour and a half later on Saturdays. Tickets for the flights will be available for booking soon, airportal.hu writes.

Here are the localities where the air quality is deteriorating

Air quality due to pollution is deteriorating in several cities and towns in Hungary, the National Centre for Public Health (NNK) said on Wednesday.

Air quality is in the “dangerous” category in Putnok and is considered unhealthy in Ajka, Győr and Sajószentpéter, NNK said in a statement. Air quality was deemed poor in twelve other localities, it added. The current cold and dry weather makes it unlikely that the situation will improve in the coming days, they added. NNK warned that the high concentration of particulate matter in the air can cause eye and respiratory irritation.

HERE you may find a map concerning NNK’s findings. Green is OK, while red is dangerous.

A Hungarian passenger got into a fight on a Wizz Air flight, he had to be tied up

wizz air a321 aircraft

The flight from Jeddah landed in Budapest with a total of 18 hours delay because one of the Hungarian passengers of the plane got into a fight with another traveller and then a member of the crew. 

A Hungarian passenger got into a fight

A Hungarian passenger on the low-cost airline’s flight from Jeddah to Budapest started to act in an abusive way towards a fellow passenger when the flight was passing over Cairo, and then hit a member of the crew, according to the Budflyer Facebook page. The captain of the flight, therefore, ordered the immediate diversion of the plane to the airport of the capital of Egypt. However, the tied-up passenger was only removed from the plane more than 2 hours after landing, reports Index.

Instead of Budapest, the plane continued on to Larnaca

In the meantime, the working hours of the flight crew were coming to an end, so the plane continued in the direction of Larnaca instead of Budapest. In Cyprus, approximately 220 foreign passengers, most of them participating in the pilgrimage to Mecca, were transported by bus to a hotel in Larnaca and Nicosia, 50 kilometers away. The plane finally started its journey to Budapest 3 hours late compared to the originally planned take-off at 11.30 AM, where it landed a few minutes before 4.30 PM. The trip across three continents ended with a total delay of 18 hours, writes budapestkornyeke.hu.

Wizz Air’s reaction to the indecent

“Wizz Air confirms that flight W6 2296 from Jeddah to Budapest on 02/04/2023 was interrupted in Cairo after a passenger on the flight showed aggressive behavior towards a passenger and a crew member. The staff acted in accordance with Wizz Air’s safety protocol, and after restraining the aggressive passenger, interrupting their journey in Cairo, handed him over to the local authorities. Wizz Air apologizes to the affected passengers for the delay and possible inconvenience, but for the airline, the safety of passengers and staff is always the priority, so it applies zero tolerance to all possible forms of aggression, let it be verbal or physical, and acts strictly against them.” – the airline wrote to Index.

Important: Wizz Air cancels all flights to this city

Wizz Air

Without any prior official communication or warning, the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air cancelled all flights to Aqaba, Jordan, from 11 February 2023. For those who already booked their flight to the seaport city, we will show you what alternatives you have.

Wizz Air flights to Aqaba in Jordan will be cancelled from 11 February, Utazómajom has noticed. The flight to Aqaba is seasonal by default. It is a part of the winter schedule, so it would have been removed from Wizz’s schedule from April anyway, spabook.hu writes.

However, tha airline cancelled the route a month and a half before the end of the season, but still before the 14-day statutory deadline, so the airline will not have to pay compensation to passengers affected by the cancellation.

Alternatively, those affected can fly to the capital Amman or find a direct flight to Aqaba from Vienna.

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Wizz Air summer schedule 2023: flights from Budapest and Debrecen to 64 destinations

wizz air a321 aircraft

Wizz Air will operate flights to 64 destinations in 30 countries from Budapest and Debrecen this summer. The Hungarian low-cost airline will also expand its 12-aircraft Budapest base with a new Airbus A321neo from June.

Following Ryanair CEO’s Budapest conference, Wizz Air issued a statement

Just a few hours after Ryanair held a press conference in Budapest and announced this year’s Budapest schedule (you can find our article covering that at the bottom), Wizz Air also issued a statement. The Wizz statement said that it expects another record-breaking year in terms of bookings in 2023, following last year’s record-breaking passenger numbers.

The airline – which describes itself as Hungary’s market leader in the announcement – will launch flights to 30 countries on 64 routes from Budapest and Debrecen in summer 2023, airportal.hu reports.

No mention of specific routes yet

The announcement does not mention any specific routes or increases in the number of flights. Wizz Air will provide 32 percent of all seats available from Hungary by summer 2023, thanks to continued capacity growth, the statement said, citing currently available data.

The airline has responded to the increase in passenger numbers by further expanding its Budapest base, which previously consisted of 12 aircraft, with a new Airbus A321neo from June.

The statement recalls that Wizz Air carried a record number of passengers last year, doubling its 2021 performance, with a seat load factor of 84.5 percent in December, an increase of 9.1 percent compared to the previous year. The announcement also said that Budapest and Hungary are a key base for Wizz Air and it remains committed to domestic growth.

Michael O'Leary in Budapest
Read alsoHere is Ryanair’s Budapest 2023 schedule with one new route

Here is Ryanair’s Budapest 2023 schedule with one new route

Michael O'Leary in Budapest

Ryanair announced its summer 2023 schedule with 56 routes to/from Budapest. As Budapest’s biggest and lowest fare airline, Ryanair will base eight aircraft in Budapest for Summer ’23 – an USD 800 million investment creating over 250 high paid jobs for pilots, cabin crew and engineers. In addition, they will operate on a new route, connecting Budapest to Belfast. 

Ryanair’s Budapest 2023 schedule

Ryanair’s Budapest 2023 schedule will deliver 8 based aircraft with USD 800 million investment, one new route to Belfast, 56 routes and 500 weekly flights. In addition, passengers can expect increased frequency on 15 other routes, including Berlin, Corfu, Rome and Copenhagen. Ryanair is supporting over 250 highly paid pilot and cabin crew jobs. With 500 weekly flights to/from Budapest in summer 2023, Ryanair is offering its customers in Budapest the widest choice and the lowest fares when booking their summer getaways. Budapest citizens/visitors can now book a well-deserved summer break to exciting destinations such as Madrid, Malaga, Palma, Thessaloniki and many more popular hotspots on Ryanair.com.

Eco efficient aircraft

This unrivalled schedule is underpinned by Ryanair’s USD 22 billion investment in new eco efficient aircraft that burn 16 percent less fuel, cuts noise by 40 percent and carry 4 percent more passengers, with two of its eight Budapest aircraft being new “gamechangers”. Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary emhasised the importance of investing in new greener aircraft.

The strongly debated eco tax and municipal tax

Ryanair welcomes the Hungarian government’s support in opposing the proposed local municipal tax that would see passengers at Budapest unfairly double taxed, and jeopardise growth and jobs at Budapest Airport. As Europe recovers post Covid-19, it is essential that countries like Hungary maintain competitive low-cost access for low-fare airlines like Ryanair which can deliver much needed tourism and employment recovery post Covid-19. According to Michael O’Leary, the eco tax does not work for a country like Hungary. He would scrap both the municipal and the eco tax.

A new route to Belfast

Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said at the press conference in Budapest: “As Budapest’s No. 1 airline, we are pleased to announce our Summer 2023 schedule that sees Ryanair carry more passengers than any other airline at Budapest and open one new route to Belfast. To support our operations, Ryanair will base 8 aircraft in Budapest in Summer ’23, representing an USD 800 million investment as we deliver more traffic and lower fares than any other airline in Budapest. As Ryanair grows and invests in Budapest, we welcome the Hungarian Govt’s support in opposing the proposed crazy municipal tax that would see inbound passengers double taxed and jeopardise Budapest’s tourism and jobs recovery, especially at a time when countries need to stimulate tourism growth. We look forward to welcoming millions of Hungarian customers/visitors onboard Ryanair’s low fare flights to/from Budapest this Summer.”

Although now there is only one new route, when asked about possible new destinations, the Ryanair CEO said he would like to link Budapest to Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal, and Italy. However, this will only happen if he can come to an agreement with the goverment regarding the eco tax.

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Design the painting of this Wizz Air plane!

Wizz Air Airbus A321neo

Wizz Air is launching a competition to design the livery of one of its aircraft. The selected winning design will decorate one of Wizz Air’s Airbus A321neo aircraft, raising awareness of the importance of sustainability among passengers.

Competition details

Wizz Air is inviting creative talents who care about sustainability to help raise awareness of this issue with the new, eye-catching design of one of its Airbus A321neo aircraft, airportal.hu reports. Entries are welcome until midnight on 12 February at li**********@wi*****.com in accordance with the competition rules and submission guidelines.

Following the announcement of the results, the winner will be able to see part or all of the winning design on one of Wizz Air’s A321neo aircraft. The winner will also be the recipient of a EUR 2000 gift voucher!

Environmentally friendly choice

Wizz Air has one of the world’s youngest fleets and the lowest carbon intensity in Europe. The low-cost airline is striving to be the greenest choice in aviation and is already leading the way for the rest of the industry towards a more sustainable future, according to their statement.

The airline recently announced that its average carbon dioxide emissions per passenger-kilometre in 2022 were just 55.2 grams. That is 15.4 percent lower than in 2021 and its lowest ever in a calendar year. Wizz Air’s priority is to reduce its carbon intensity by a further 25 percent by 2030, with the renewal of its fleet with A321neo aircraft as a key element of its sustainability strategy.

Hungarian brands Wizz Air
Read alsoFlights from Budapest to a popular destination cancelled from March

Flights from Budapest to a popular destination cancelled from March

Hungarian brands Wizz Air

By default, there are hardly any flights from Budapest to the Canary Islands: only 5 per week to the 4 islands in total. And, from March, one of the routes will be discontinued. Read on to find out which island you cannot travel to anymore from Budapest from March 2023.

No more flights to Fuerteventura from March

Fuerteventura, the second biggest Canary Island has been removed from Wizz Air’s schedule. They have been selling tickets for the summer season for a long time. In spite of that, the Hungarian low-cost airline decided to discontinue the route. The flight has also disappeared from the timetable for next winter. However, this does not necessarily mean that it will not return in October, okosutas.hu reports.

Wizz Air has made their next winter’s timetable by essentially copying the summer’s and leaving the prices high. That is why, for example, Cyprus was left in it with the summer frequency of five times a week: whereas now, the airline only flies to the island nation twice a week.

Wizz Air might put the island back into the schedule

So, it is possible that Fuerteventura will be put back into the schedule. So, it is possible that Fuerteventura will be put back into the schedule. The Canary Islands are typically a popular destination in winter. That is because at that time, it is cold on the mainland, but somewhere between spring and summer on the archipelago.

Ryanair will also close flights to Lanzarote at the end of March, okosutas.hu reminds us. However, it is already on the horizon to be back on the next winter schedule: meaning, it will return as a winter-only route. The difference is that Ryanair originally planned it this way and did not start selling tickets for the summer like Wizz Air.

In summary, of the four Canary Islands currently available, only Tenerife and Gran Canaria will be served in the summer timetable, with Lanzarote returning from the end of October and Fuerteventura uncertain.

Closing bases and flights

As we reported before, Wizz Air closed three bases in Europe recently. The Hungarian low-cost airline closed its base in Cardiff, Wales; in Bacău, Romania; and in Bari, Italy. However, we also reported some good news for those wanting to travel to the beautiful capital city of South Korea, Seoul. We wrote about the increasing opportunities travellers will have in the future in case they wish to visit the Asian metropolis.

Wizz Air Hungary
Read alsoWizz Air closes a flight from Hungarian international airport and opens two new

Wizz Air expands offering to destinations in Turkey

Wizz Air Airbus A321neo

Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air on Thursday said it will expand flights between Hungary and Turkey in the coming months. Wizz Air will launch a daily Budapest-Istanbul flight from March 31. It will operate three flights a week between the capital and Antalya from May 24, and two flights a week between Debrecen, in eastern Hungary, and Antalya from June 10.

Turkey’s largest city is a unique cavalcade of East and West. Its cultural diversity, fascinating history, stunning architecture and culture will fascinate all visitors. The city spanning two continents offers a wealth of activities and attractions, with palaces, mosques, baths and bazaars from the past making the trip truly magical.

For beach lovers, Wizz Air will be offering flights from Budapest and Debrecen to Antalya, a popular holiday destination on the Turkish Riviera, from this summer.

In addition to the clean beaches, the city’s main attractions can be explored in Kaleiçi, the romantic old town, where visitors can enjoy a wide range of gastronomic and cultural experiences. The city, also known for its vibrant nightlife, offers plenty of family-friendly options for a perfect beach holiday.

“We are delighted to announce three new routes between Hungary and Turkey. With its breathtaking scenery, fascinating history and architecture, Turkey offers a unique experience for all travellers. The new routes also demonstrate how important it is for us to offer our Hungarian passengers affordable prices and greater choice through our ever-expanding network of direct flights. We are looking forward to welcoming our passengers on board our young, efficient and sustainable aircraft on our flights to Turkey,” said Zsuzsa Trubek, Communications Manager, Wizz Air.

wizz air hungary
Read alsoWill Hungary-based Wizz Air be acquired?

Will Hungary-based Wizz Air be acquired?

wizz air hungary

Michael O’Leary, CEO of Ryanair, spoke about the recession in the travel sector and air fares. He also spoke about Hungarian-based Wizz Air.

Michael O’Leary sees no signs of recession. The CEO of Rynair pointed out that they had record bookings in January and that UK demand is picking up. Ryanair is the largest airline in Europe by passenger numbers. Last weekend, it had 2 million bookings, a record.

“There just seems to be very strong demand out there and people, I think, worrying that prices are going to rise in summer, which I think they will, and people getting in early and booking their Easter and summer travel,” Euronews quotes O’Leary as saying.

Ryanair expects a strong summer season. “The holiday mood is holding up despite the economic downturn due to high inflation, because people no longer see holidays as a luxury,” said Ryanair’s CEO.

Competing airlines EsayJet, British Airways and Lufthansa are still behind the 2019 figures. O’Leary says they have the advantage of owning most of the aircraft, while EasyJet and Wizz Air lease most of their fleet, index.hu reports. O’Leary said the European airline industry faces further consolidation in the coming years.

“Alitalia could clearly go to Lufthansa in the next three to four months, TAP could be bought by BA-IAG, easyJet could be bought by either BA or Air France or a combination of the two, and then Lufthansa will buy Wizz Air,” said Michael O’Leary.

Wizz Air Hungary
Read alsoWizz Air closes a flight from Hungarian international airport and opens two new

Wizz Air leads the industry: the most sustainable airline

Wizz Air plane Ukraine All You Can Fly

Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally*, reports that its average carbon emissions for 2022 amounted to 55.2 grams per passenger/km, 15.4 percent lower than in 2021. This represents its lowest ever annual carbon intensity result recorded in one calendar year.

Lowest carbon emissions

Wizz Air operates the lowest carbon emissions per passenger/km amongst all competitor airlines and is committed to further reducing its carbon emissions intensity by 25 percent by 2030. An integral element of Wizz Air’s sustainability strategy is the renewal of its fleet. The airline has been continuously adding new Airbus A321neo aircraft to its fleet and replacing older aircraft, with 34 Airbus A321neo added to the fleet in 2022.

The share of new “neo” technology aircraft within Wizz Air’s fleet is planned to surpass 50 percent by the end of this financial year. Currently, the airline operates a fleet of 177 Airbus aircraft with an average age of 4.6 years, well below the average age of its major competitors, which is around 10 years.

New aircraft

The new Airbus A321neo incorporates the latest technologies in aviation and offers significant environmental benefits, with a nearly 50 percent reduction in noise footprint, a 20 percent reduction in fuel consumption and 50 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions compared to the previous model. Wizz Air is currently the biggest operator of the Airbus A321neo in Europe and has one of the largest standalone order books globally of over 300 aircraft of this type, which will help the airline reach its sustainability targets.

Sustainable partnerships

In addition to its ambitious fleet renewal programme, Wizz Air is constantly working on fuel efficiency initiatives and improving the related data analytics. The airline has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Airbus to explore the potential for hydrogen-powered aircraft, as well as with OMV to supply sustainable aviation fuel between 2023 and 2030. These partnerships reinforce Wizz Air’s commitment to driving emissions intensity down by the end of the decade.

Johan Eidhagen, Chief People and ESG Officer at Wizz Air, said: “We are proud to offer Wizz Air passengers the most environmentally responsible choice when they choose to fly. We have achieved our industry leading sustainability position by operating the most efficient and modern aircraft and focusing on finding solutions to further reduce our carbon emissions intensity. We are thankful for the hard work from all those within the company who have made it possible to achieve our lowest ever carbon intensity annual result.”

*According to the CAPA – Centre for Aviation Awards for Excellence 2022

Wizz Air
Read alsoWizz Air closes multiple bases and flights

Air quality ‘dangerous’ in three Hungarian towns

fog hungary budapest

Air quality due to pollution has remained “unhealthy” in and around Budapest and in the northeast whereas it is still “dangerous” in three towns in the north and the northeast, the National Centre for Public Health (NNK) said on Monday.

In the towns of Tokol, Nyíregyháza and Putnok, concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) in the air have exceeded what is considered to be safe, NKK said in a statement.

Beside Budapest, air quality is “unhealthy” in Vác, Salgótarján, Eger and Sajószentpéter and is “poor” in Debrecen, Miskolc, Kazincbarcika and Szeged.

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Air quality is dangerous in Northern Hungary

Air quality due to pollution is “dangerous” in five settlements in Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén county, in north-eastern Hungary, and in Vác, north of Budapest, the National Centre for Public Health (NNK) said on Saturday.

The quality of air is in the “unhealthy” category in Budapest, Esztergom, Kecskemét, Nyíregyháza, Salgótarján, Százhalombatta, Várpalota and Veszprém. Poor air quality (the category above “unhealthy”) affects twelve localities, including Szombathely, Győr, Székesfehérvár, Pécs and Dunaújváros.

In the northeast, concentrations of particulate matter (PM10) in the air are expected exceed what is considered to be safe until Wednesday, according to forecasts by the National Meteorological Service (OMSZ), while the quality of air is expcected to improve in most areas over the weekend.

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