Wizz Air

Wizz Air in trouble: EU may investigate record high number of cancellations

Wizz Air Romania EU

A Romanian state secretary complained about the regular delays and cancellations of the Hungarian low-cost company. And it seems he did not stop at just talking about the problem. He turned to the European Union’s Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) after Wizz Air cancelled a record-high number of flights this weekend.

Wizz Air losing Eastern Europe to Ryanair?

Wizz Air continuously expands in the Eastern European market, and the Middle East and Central Asia. For a non-professional outsider, the situation might seem as if the Hungarian carrier agreed with its main competitor, Ryanair, and distributed the European market. Wizz Air takes flights carrying guest workers between Eastern European and Western European countries. Meanwhile, the Irish low-cost airline dominates the market in Western Europe where Wizz Air seems unable to compete because of the many delays and cancellations its passengers must face.

However, we wrote HERE that the situation is far from that. Ryanair plans to take away the Eastern European market from Wizz Air. They want to beat Wizz Air by being punctual, offering tickets for a better price, more routes, and doing their best when it comes to delays and cancellations. They want to gain a dominant position in Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania. Meanwhile, József Váradi, the CEO of Wizz Air, regularly talks about the importance of Eastern expansion, not a Western one. Probably that is why Abu Dhabi became the Hungarian airline’s main hub in the world instead of e.g. London or a German city.

Romania’s complaint and a possible investigation may accelerate the aforementioned trends. Bogdan Mîndrescu, a secretary of the Romanian transport ministry, announced in a Saturday Facebook post that they filed an official complaint against Wizz Air. The reason is that the Hungarian low-cost airline cancelled nine flights in only one day, maszol.ro, a Hungarian newspaper in Romania, wrote.

Romania outraged: investigation may start soon?

The secretary said they conducted negotiations concerning Wizz Air’s flight cancellations, delays, and the state of the Romanian passengers of the Hungarian company. He added that among the participants of the meeting were Yvonne Moynihan, Chief Corporate & ESG Officer of Wizz Air, Zsuzsanna Poss, the CEO of Wizz Air Group Communications and Customer Service, Diarmuind O Conghaile, Managing Director of Wizz Air Malta, and Horia Constantinescu, President of the Romanian Consumer Protection Authority.

The secretary said they filed an official complaint after Wizz cancelled nine flights in one day due to technical reasons. “We demanded an action plan urgently from the leadership of Wizz Air on reducing the number of cancelled flights due to technical reasons”, he said. Mr Mîndrescu added they wanted calculable flights and to solve the problem of the overworked crew. Mrs Constantinescu informed the participants that they sent a report about the situation Wizz Air created in Romania to the EASA.

The secretary highlighted that they follow Wizz Air’s activity closely and will not tolerate any anomalies from international and national rules. Here is his post:

Interested in Wizz Air stories? HERE is an article about Wizz Air’s latest gigantic investment.

New European destination available from Budapest this autumn

Budapest Airport new flight

The international airport of Brassó/Brasov – Vidombák has opened recently. Wizz Air is already active at the airport since it launched a flight connecting Brasov and London. However, an unnamed airline will begin service between the Central Romanian town and the Hungarian capital in autumn. Many things are still unclear about the route, but below you may read what we know.

The Brassó-Vidombák international airport was completed weeks ago, but there are already two airlines offering routes for locals. Hungarians regard the airport important. That is because a Hungarian community lives in Szeklerland, Central Romania, a few kilometres North of the airgate. For them, that opportunity can mean a much easier and cheaper travel opportunity to Hungary, provided a direct flight is established.

Levente Magyar, Hungary’s foreign affairs secretary, said there would be such a flight. However, he did not share details. Before the opening, Dan Air, a new Romanian airline, promised to carry passengers between Hungary and Brasov, but they backed down even before the launching of the first flight.

Apart from charter flights to Türkiye and Greece, Dan Air and Wizz Air operate scheduled flights from the airport. Wizz started its service on Wednesday and will fly to London to carry Romanian and Hungarian guest workers to the UK capital.

Budapest is important for the Szeklers

Now, the airport shared a post on its Facebook page saying they have are certain about launching flights to Budapest in autumn. However, they did not share further information e.g. about which airline would operate that. Levente Magyar said on 18 July that the new flight would connect Budapest with the Szeklerland, where 700-750 thousand Hungarians live in the heart of Romania, but getting to Hungary is very difficult and long on the old roads if we do not consider the Southern motorway (Temesvár-Déva-Nagyszeben-Brassó).

Currently, Wizz Air’s planes will take off thrice a week from Brasov to London, the most popular destination in Romania. In September, they will launch new flights to Dortmund, Germany. The leadership of the airport called Wizz’s presence historic, portfolio.hu wrote. They added they wanted long-term cooperation.

The international airport was opened on 15 June, and the project was supported by the leaders of Kovászna county, the “most Hungarian” Romanian county, with a population of 75 percent Hungarian majority.

Meanwhile, the Romanian economy minister complained about the operation of Wizz Air. HERE you may read our article.

Traffic kicks off at new airport: Wizz Air flights started on Wednesday

wizz air plane

Life is getting busier at the Brasov Airport, where the Wizz Air airline began operation on Wednesday. Although for the time being, it will expand the airport’s offers with only two weekly flights to London.

Wizz Air flights depart from Brasov Airport

In the recent period, the relationship between Dan Air and the Brașov–Vidombák International Airport has normalised, the Romanian airline adapted to the opening hours of the airport and restructured its schedule so that flights can take off and land between 7 AM and 7 PM, writes kronikaonline.ro. Wizz Air flights made their debut at Brasov Airport on Wednesday. Currently, apart from the popular charter flights to Greece and Turkey, only the Romanian airline Dan Air operates scheduled flights from the airport.

Budapest will be skipped

Although many expected that Wizz Air would also launch a flight to Budapest, no such announcement has yet been made. On top of that, citing low interest, Dan Air also cancelled the planned Budapest flight. All that is known about the Hungarian-owned airline is that they will fly to Dortmund from Brasov from September 2, and ticket sales have already begun according to a statement published on the company’s website.

What is certain about the much-anticipated Budapest flight is that the Brasó County officials conduct negotiations about launching a daily flight. Levente Magyar, the parliamentary state secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, announced on July 18 in Marosvásárhely that the decision to start the Budapest-Brassó direct flight has been made. In this way, another important region of Székelyföld (Szeklerland) can be reached from Budapest on a daily basis. However, he did not reveal more specifics.

Wizz Air will fly from Hungary to Egypt

As we reported earlier, Wizz Air announced its fourth flight connecting Hungary with Egypt. Wizz Air plans to operate two flights each week between Debrecen and Hurghada. They will commute on Thursdays and Sundays in the winter season. The first plane will take off from Debrecen’s renewed international airport on 29 October, and the company promised wallet-friendly prices. For the new Hurghada flight, prices will start from HUF 15,190 (EUR 40.5).

Wizz Air expands further with new giga investment

wizz air airbus a321neo

Hungarian-owned low-cost airline Wizz Air has signed a firm order for 75 Airbus A321 neo family aircraft.

Wizz Air expands

Low-cost airline Wizz Air has so far ordered a total of 434 Airbus from the largest member of the single-aisle family. Looking at the entire A320 family, Wizz Air now has 565 aircraft on order.

Hungarian-owned Wizz Air is not stopping there, however, and has ordered 350 more Airbus A321 neo aircraft, airportal.hu reports. “With today’s announcement, Wizz Air further strengthens its position as the largest A321neo family operator in Europe and the Middle East,” said József Váradi, CEO of Wizz Air, according to the statement.

The low-cost airline had already announced in September 2022 that it would exercise its option for 75 A321neos. Shareholders have now approved this at an extraordinary general meeting, allowing management to sign the order.

The fleet expands, new flights may start

Wizz Air operates exclusively Airbus. Currently, more than half of its fleet of over 180 aircraft is made up of members of the neo-series equipped with new generation engines.

The announcement does not say when Wizz Air will have access to the new aircraft, but it is likely that the new aircraft will enter into service between 2028 and 2029, which could lead to an increase in flights and the launch of new routes.

Romanian Economy Minister complains to Brussels about Wizz Air

Wizz Air Hungarian airline

Romanian Economy Minister Stefan-Radu Oprea complained about the Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air in Brussels, citing the frequent delays and cancellations.

Complaint against Wizz Air

Romanian Economy Minister Stefan-Radu Oprea was attending a meeting of the Council of the European Union in Spain when he spoke to the European Commissioner for Consumer Protection Didier Reynders.

According to a ministry statement, Oprea expressed concern about the problems of the Hungarian-owned airline Wizz Air in Romania.

According to his statement of dissatisfaction, several flights of Wizz Air have been delayed for a considerable time or cancelled at the last minute, leading to customer dissatisfaction and complaints.

Didier Reynders has pledged his support to remedy the situation, writes kronikaonline.ro. Reynders said that Romanian citizens, like everyone else, can count on the support of the European Union to solve the issues. They can register on the website of the European Consumer Centre Romania and get reimbursed or even receive compensation.

Delays and cancellations

More than half (55 percent) of flights to and from local airports in June were cancelled or delayed, according to an analysis by travel agency Vola.ro.

The airline most affected by delays or cancellations was Wizz Air. In June, more than 40 percent of flights faced issues, according to the survey.

Wizz Air to connect Hungary with another Asian metropolis

Wizz Air Hungary

We wrote before about the Budapest-Tashkent direct flight connecting the Central Asian capital with Hungary’s astonishing capital. But Hungary’s low-cost airline, Wizz Air, is also planning to open a flight to Uzbekistan. They would like to offer direct travel opportunity between Budapest and Samarkand.

Uzbekistan and Central Asia come closer to Hungary

Samarkand or Samarqand is a city of more than 600,000 people located in Southeast Uzbekistan. Being the second biggest in Uzbekistan, the city of Samarkand was founded in the 8-7th century BC when Rome was founded. It has prospered for long since it was a centre for trade between Europe, the Middle East and China. Being an important stopping point on the Silk Road, it was one of the largest cities of the empires formed and fallen in the region.

The city is noted as a centre of Islamic scholarly study and the birthplace of the Timurid Renaissance. Therefore, the old city offers tremendous opportunities to learn about history and culture by visiting monuments, shops, and old private houses. Meanwhile, the new city is the venue of modern business with its educational, industrial and administrative institutions. The international airport is just 6 kilometres away from the old city.

Samarkand is well known for craft production, Silk Way caravans and Islamic architecture with popular tourist attractions including Registon Square, Bibi-Khanym Mosque and Shah-i-Zinda. Famous local dishes include Plov, which is made of rice, meat (beef or lamb), onions, carrots, garlic and dried fruit including sultanas or barberries cooked in giant cauldrons called kazans and Kebab, prepared with thin layers of boiled dough with dried veal meat served with finely chopped onion dried tomatoes and radish, wizzair.com wrote.

Samarkand is the next city to which Hungary’s low-cost airline, Wizz Air, will carry passengers from Budapest. The service will begin this December, Péter Szijjártó, Hungary’s foreign minister, announced this week following the meeting of the Uzbek-Hungarian inter-governmental economic affairs committee.

Wizz Air to fly to Uzbekistan from Budapest, route is unknown yet

As we wrote earlier, Uzbek Qanot Sharq Airlines will operate flights between Tashkent and Budapest. Qanot Sharq airline will start flights between Tashkent and Budapest Airport on 20 August with its Airbus A320 aircraft. From end-August, one flight will commute between the two capitals per week. That number will increase to two flights per week in the autumn and three flights per week from 1 January 2024, airportal.hu wrote. However, Budfyler noted that flights cannot be booked yet on the company’s website.

Such details were not shared about Wizz Air’s new flight to the Uzbek city of Samarkand. The company recalled that they operated flights between their Middle-Eastern hub, Abu Dhabi, Tashkent and Samarkand. However, they did not explain why they could not operate the new Budapest-Tashkent flight with that experience.

Budflyer wrote that Wizz Air’s flights to Samarkand could be uncertain. That is because the Hungarian carriers cannot use Russian airspace. Therefore, Wizz can only connect the two cities with a significant detour. Maybe that is why they will not operate the flight to Tashkent. And that is why the Astana flight has been paused, while opening a new route to Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, progresses slowly.

HERE is an article about a Wizz Air flight to Budapest stranded in Abu Dhabi for more than 30 hours. Furthermore, the UK Civil Aviation Authority brought enforcement action against Wizz Air – details in THIS article.

Wizz Air flight to Budapest stranded in Abu Dhabi for more than 30 hours

Wizz Air Hugarian Company UK Purchase

Wizz Air flight from Abu Dhabi to Budapest has been delayed for more than 30 hours. It is not known when passengers will be able to get home.

Wizz Air flight delayed for 30 hours

Wizz Air’s flight from Abu Dhabi to Budapest has been delayed for 30 hours, a Telex reader reported.

The plane was due to take off at 7:10 PM local time on Tuesday. It was delayed by an hour and a half, check-in was done, and everyone boarded the plane.

“At that time, the local yellow-vested crew mechanics were still going in and out of the cockpit, and then the captain was going in and out of the plane. Finally, as if everything was in order, the flight attendants closed the doors as if we could take off, and the aisle was uncoupled from the plane, almost ready for take-off,” writes a Hungarian on the scene. But the plane remained on the ground. Later, staff members in yellow vests appeared again and the steward announced that they were experiencing a technical issue.

“The air conditioning slowly stopped working on the plane, the tension started to be palpable on board, while it was scorching 38 degrees outside. Those sitting in the front rows could clearly see the captain following the mechanics for a short while, looking puzzled, as if he didn’t know what was happening either,” a reader wrote to Telex.

Waiting for a day

The captain announced that the plane would not take off due to a sensor malfunction. Passengers were given food and accommodation, at around 4 AM. They were instructed to return to the airport by 8:30 AM. The plane was due to take off at noon, but 10 minutes before departure time there was no plane or crew in sight.

On Wednesday morning, passengers were kept waiting for four hours in a stuffy room without air conditioning. Passengers were not given any information, food or water. A Hungarian on the spot said, “we only got water and some Arabic spicy food to nibble on in the fifth hour”.

Wizz Air sent a written apology to passengers about what had happened and reassured them that cold sandwiches were on the way, up to two for the day. At this point, the passengers had been waiting for 27 hours.

“Although there is water in the buffet, you can only ask for coffee, the buffet does not provide water. One passenger has already gotten ill in the crowd and mothers try soothe their crying children. People are exhausted and desperate. We have now been delayed for 27 hours,” a Hungarian passenger said.

Wizz Air writes that the plane was unable to take off due to delayed repair work. While waiting, accommodation and meals were provided for passengers, although this took longer due to logistic challenges.

“The airline would like to apologise to all concerned for any inconvenience caused; the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft remains our top priority,” says Wizz Air.

Wizz Air reacts

“At 7:10 this morning, the Wizz Air flight from Abu Dhabi scheduled for 25 July arrived successfully in Budapest. The aircraft was unable to take off on time due to a sensor malfunction; technicians immediately started to rectify the problem, but due to the lengthy repair process, the airline eventually sent a relief flight to pick up the passengers.

The passengers stranded in Abu Dhabi were provided with accommodation and meals by a ground handling company contracted by Wizz Air.

The airline would like to apologise to all those affected for any inconvenience caused; the safety of our passengers, crew and aircraft remains our top priority. Passengers affected by the rescheduling of their flight can request reimbursement of accommodation and other costs by presenting a copy of their invoice via the Wizz Air website or by contacting Wizz Air Customer Services,” issued the Hungarian low-cost airline.

Regulator brings enforcement action against Wizz Air — UPDATED

Wizz Air plane flight

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has taken enforcement action against Wizz Air following significant concerns over high volumes of complaints about the airline not paying passengers what they are owed.

The regulator has been in contact with Wizz Air for several months after complaints by passengers that their rights had not been met when flights were cancelled or delayed.

Passengers were left very frustrated because they believed the airline had failed to meet its passenger rights obligations – particularly around providing alternative flights to enable passengers to get to their destinations when their flight had been cancelled.

This is likely to have contributed to a large number of County Court Judgements (CCJs) which have been found against Wizz Air over the last nine months.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority has now instructed Wizz Air to make changes to its policies and procedures to ensure consistent compliance with its re-routing and care obligations.

Wizz Air has engaged with the regulator and has committed to introduce changes to its policies, procedures and passenger communications. The airline has also committed to re-look at claims it received for replacement flight costs, transfers when replacement flights were via different airports, and care and assistance (typically hotel costs) following flight disruptions.

This will make sure passengers who made claims to Wizz Air in the past, but had their claims incorrectly rejected, will receive the money they are legally owed.

The action by the regulator will cover claims made for flights due to depart from or arrive into a UK airport on or after 18 March 2022. No action is needed on the part of passengers to ensure these claims are reviewed. Passengers whose flights were due to depart from or arrive into a UK airport before 18 March 2022 can also request for their claims with the airline to be reopened, as long as their flight was no more than six years ago.

Wizz Air has agreed to sign undertakings to formalise these commitments with the regulator.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority will monitor the airline for compliance with its revised policies and procedures over the forthcoming months. As part of the enforcement action, Wizz Air will also be required to provide information to the UK Civil Aviation Authority about its review of closed expenses claims.

The regulator will also review a sample of the claims that Wizz Air relooks at, so it is satisfied that passengers receive what they are owed.

Paul Smith, Joint-Interim Chief Executive at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “This enforcement action sends a clear message that airlines must meet their obligations to passengers when they cancel or delay a flight. We will not hesitate to step in if we believe that airlines are not consistently doing this.”

“Passengers have every right to expect their complaints and claims to be resolved quickly and efficiently and to be treated fairly by airlines, in line with regulations. We made it clear to Wizz Air last year that the way it was treating passengers was unacceptable.”

“We will continue to watch the situation closely to check that passengers receive what they are owed and that Wizz Air’s policies have improved, so that consumers have a better experience if things go wrong.”

Further information is available on the UK Civil Aviation Authority website.

The UK Civil Aviation Authority

The UK Civil Aviation Authority is the UK’s aviation regulator. We work so that the aviation industry meets the highest safety standards and consumers have choice, value for money, are protected and treated fairly when they fly.

The Civil Aviation Authority’s civil enforcement powers stem from Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002. The regulator can use these powers to seek information and undertakings from businesses if it believes they are breaching consumer law in a way that harms the collective interests of consumers.

An undertaking is a voluntary agreement a firm makes to address an enforcement authority’s concerns. An undertaking can also include enhanced consumer measures to provide redress to consumers who have already suffered loss because of the suspected breaches.

These undertakings have been provided to the UK Civil Aviation Authority voluntarily and without any admission of wrongdoing or liability. It should not be assumed that Wizz Air has breached the law – only a court can decide whether a breach has occurred.

Information for consumers

  • Airlines are required to offer passengers whose flights have been cancelled the choice of an alternative flight at the earliest opportunity under comparable transport conditions. We expect airlines to reimburse passengers the cost of booking their own replacement flights under comparable transport conditions if they fail to meet this obligation.
  • Airlines are required to cover the costs of transferring the passenger to their original airport or another close by destination agreed by the passenger if that passenger is re-routed via alternative airports.
  • Airlines are required to offer passengers care for denied boarding, flight cancellation and delays of at least two hours (including hotel accommodation for overnight delays) or reimburse passengers the costs they incur making their own care arrangements.

UPDATE, Wizz Air reaction

“Last summer, like all airlines in Europe, Wizz Air faced unprecedented operating challenges, driven mostly by the external environment, including ATC disruptions, airport constraints and staff shortages across the whole supply chain. As a result, we were unable to meet our own high standards of service. Flights were too often late or cancelled, disruption management overwhelmed our internal and external resources, and claims took too long to process and pay,” explains Marion Geoffroy, Managing Director at Wizz Air UK. “We have learned from this experience and have taken significant steps to make our operation more robust and customer-centric.”

Geoffroy added “We expect this summer to be challenging for air traffic control, which will impact airlines. While we cannot anticipate every disruption, we have invested over GBP 90 million to prepare for increased air traffic. We are confident that we have taken the right steps to better support passengers this summer season.”

Travel at risk: Wizz Air also affected by engine failure

Wizz Air London Luton

A component used in the manufacture of a new generation Pratt & Whitney engine does not comply with the specifications. This means that 1,200 engines from the Airbus A320 family have to be taken out of service and inspected. The Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air is also affected.

Problems with Pratt & Whitney engines, Wizz Air affected

According to Pratt & Whitney’s parent company RTX, microscopic contaminants have been found in the metal powder used in the turbine blades of the high-pressure stages of engines produced between 2015 and 2021, AIRportal.hu reports. This means that the affected units must be inspected before the required time.

The resources should be dismantled and returned to the manufacturer’s designated service centre for complete disassembly and inspection. If necessary, the component concerned will be replaced. The engines may then be reassembled and returned to the operator.

Not immediate safety concern

While the failure does not pose an immediate safety concern, AIRportal.hu adds, 200 engines are due for overhaul by mid-September and a further 1,000 over the next 9-12 months. This number represents around 40 percent of the PW1100G-JM engines in service.

RTX CEO Greg Hayes told Reuters that it can take up to 60 days to inspect and repair an engine.

Pratt & Whitney stressed that while every effort is being made to minimise downtime for operators, previous engine failures have forced many aircraft to ground due to a lack of replacement engines, parts supply problems and limited service capacity for time-consuming repairs.

Falling shares

Pratt stressed that the engines currently in production are not affected by the problem. Airbus responded that no delays in aircraft deliveries are expected. The manufacturer began notifying customers of the defect last week. As Reuters reported, Spirit shares were down 2.8 percent, Jetblue shares 5.3 percent in morning trading and Wizz Air shares were down around 3.2 percent in London.

Another Central Asian capital is to be connected to Budapest with regular flights starting from August – read more HERE.

Wizz Air flight makes emergency landing in Budapest – UPDATE

plane

A Wizz Air flight from Greece to Poland made an unscheduled landing in Budapest on Monday afternoon, Budapest Airport said in a statement.

The flight from Corfu to Katowice landed in Budapest after an unusual smell was detected on the plane, the statement said.

The Wizz Air aircraft landed safely at Liszt Ferenc International Airport, and the 184 passengers on board disembarked and were asked to wait at the airport until further notice.

As we wrote yesterday, chaos was at Budapest Airport, passengers waited hours for Wizz Air.

UPDATE

Wizz Air statement:

“Wizz Air’s relief flight will soon depart from Budapest to Katowice with passengers. The cause of the strange smell on board the original flight is still under investigation. Wizz Air has always put the safety of its passengers first, and our colleagues have followed the strictest protocol in this case.”

Chaos at Budapest Airport: passengers waited hours for Wizz Air

wizz air

According to Blikk, even the staff of the Budapest Airport did not know why Wizz Air’s flight to Italy’s Milan did not take off. The cabin crew told the passengers that they needed to leave the jet and wait for a new staff. Chaos and scandal at Budapest’s main airgate yesterday evening again. Details below.

Wizz Air‘s scheduled flight to Milan from Budapest took off more than 5 hours later than it was due. They should have begun their journey at 7.10 PM. However, it was delayed first to 9.20 PM. Afterwards, the airline moved it to 10.20 PM. Finally, the jet left Budapest only at 0.30 AM the next day.

However, passengers boarded the plane at 10.30 PM. All seats were occupied by many tourists and children, which is not surprising on an Italy flight during the summer season. However, instead of the regular security check, nothing happened. Passengers saw the captain and cabin crew holding a council in the front of the plane, Blikk wrote.

Then the captain said they ran out of working time. Therefore, people must leave the plane and wait for the replacement. They will prepare the flight in two hours, so they will take off at 0.30 AM.

Balázs, a passenger, said that the security check was quick. They befriended the thought that their jet would not take off for another 2-3 hours. They heard about the strikes at Italy’s airports, so they did not suspect anything. Staff checked them in again, so people lost their original seats next to their family members, kids. Boarding was completed swiftly, and people started to swap places to be close to their loved ones.

Wizz Air helped the passengers

Finally, the captain announced that the plane would not take off. “Why the hell did we board if they knew we would not go anywhere?”, Balázs asked outraged. Other passengers said they did not even know about the first delays. He just waited for the take-off for almost seven hours at Budapest Airport. Furthermore, he did not receive food and drink coupons since his partner bought the tickets.

Even airport staff did not know why they had to wait in an empty waiting room. Thankfully, Wizz Air provided coupons for HUF 4,000 (EUR 10.5), so nobody was hungry or thirsty.

The new cabin crew boarded them again after midnight, and it seemed they would take off at 0.50 AM. Then the new captain announced they found a minor technical problem they must solve before leaving Budapest, but that would only require 10 minutes. He was right. They took off at almost 1 AM instead of 9.20 PM and arrived in Milan in the early hours of Sunday.

We wrote HERE about a new Wizz Air flight to a popular holiday paradise. Meanwhile, in THIS article, you can read about a possible Ryanair vs Wizz Air war for Europe.

Busy Italian airport closed, Ryanair and Wizz Air passengers may be affected

emigration travel

Due to a fire, Catania airport, the busiest one in Sicily and the fifth busiest in Italy, will be closed until Wednesday, the airport’s operator said on Twitter on Monday. The fire started half an hour before midnight on Sunday and no one was injured, the operator said.

Firefighters said they managed to extinguish the flames about ninety minutes after the fire was reported. However, they did not comment on the possible causes or on any possible link between the fire and the current high temperatures in the area. A red alert was issued in Catania and Palermo on Sunday due to the heat, Utazómajom writes.

catania airport
The Catania–Fontanarossa Airport. Source: Wikimedia Commons/
Walter J. Rotelmayer

According to the ANSA news agency, after the fire started, thick smoke began to spread in the lower part of the airport, causing panic among the people, who rushed out of the airport screaming and confused.

Catania airport will be closed until 2 PM on Wednesday. Traffic has been diverted to the island’s airports.

Both Ryanair and Wizz Air operate direct flights to Catania–Fontanarossa Airport. For the time being, flights can still be booked on the reservation system despite the closure of the air station. It is not known whether the airlines will cancel flights or transfer passengers to other airports, Utazómajom clears.

Featured image: Illustration (Pixabay)

New Wizz Air flight to a popular holiday paradise from Hungary

Wizz Air plane Ukraine All You Can Fly

Wizz Air’s newest flight will take you to breathtaking coral reefs near the shores of the Red Sea from the international airport of Debrecen, Hungary’s second biggest city.

According to a statement of the Hungarian low-cost airline, Wizz Air announced its fourth flight connecting Hungary with Egypt. This time, they aim to help passengers get to Hurghada, one of the most popular holiday paradises in the North African country. The first plane will take off from Debrecen’s renewed international airport on 29 October, and the company promised the prices will be friendly. And from today, you can buy a ticket using the app or the official website.

Wizz Air plans to operate two flights each week between Debrecen and Hurghada. They will commute on Thursdays and Sundays in the winter season. Hurghada is on the shores of the Red Sea, 450 kilometres away from Egypt’s capital, Cairo. Its coral reefs are beautiful, so Hurghada is one of the best options for expert divers and beginners. The surrounding breathtaking islands are reachable for tourists by boat.

The last time a Hurghada flight was operated from Debrecen was in 2019. Since Egypt is a popular travel destination, Wizz Air would like to reopen the route. The company now offers almost 190,000 seats to different destinations in Egypt. Furthermore, all of the tickets are for a reasonable price, Zsuzsa Trubek, the company’s communications director, highlighted. For the new Hurghada flight, prices will start from HUF 15,190 (EUR 40.5).

Wizz Air warns about flight delays, cancellations this weekend

Runway Wizz Air

Hungary’s low-cost airline, Wizz Air, warned about possible flight delays and cancellations during the weekend because of the planned strike of the Italian ground handling staff. The work stoppage will begin on Saturday.

According to a statement by the budget airline, Wizz Air draws its passengers’ attention to the strike of the Italian ground handling staff on 15 July. As a result, all travellers should expect disruptions and, in some cases, even flight cancellations and delays. The strike may affect your journey to the Italian airports, the check-in process and the security check.

Therefore, Wizz Air recommends its passengers plan accordingly and have enough time to get to the airports and carry out the required procedures before boarding the plane. The airline added it would do everything it can to minimise disruptions. They highlighted that they would forward any information they get on the issue to their passengers and provide all necessary help.

However, several passengers did not buy their plane tickets via Wizz Air, but with the help of third-party service providers. They recommend all passengers to maintain contact with the company concerned to get information on their flight. Furthermore, they suggest all travellers check the status of their plane before jumping into a cab or taking a train or bus to the airport. They can do so in the app or on the website. They also reminded everyone that members of the WIZZ Flex community can rebook their plane tickets without additional charge, evading disruptions caused by the strike.

Italy struggles with Cerberus heatwave

Meanwhile, BBC wrote that the Cerberus heatwave drastically changes Italy’s hot summer weather. It will cause record-breaking temperatures all over Europe in the following days. In Italy, experts calculate with maximums reaching 48.8 degrees. Therefore, authorities issued red alerts in ten cities, including Hungarian tourists’ favourites, Rome, Bologna and Florence. The heatwave already has its victims. On Tuesday, a man in his forties collapsed in a northern Italian city while painting pedestrian crossing lines.

The heatwave makes the weather in Spain, Greece and the Balkans unbearably hot.

UPDATE – Ukrainian soldier with amputated leg taken off a Wizz Air plane: Wizz’s response

A Ukrainian veteran with an amputated leg has been forced off a Wizz Air plane in Tel Aviv. The Hungarian airline has indicated that it is aware of the incident and is launching an investigation.

Wizz Air has launched an investigation into why a Ukrainian soldier with an amputated leg was taken off the airline’s plane at Tel Aviv airport, Telex reports. Video footage of the incident was also recorded and started circulating on social media.

Nexta wrote on its Twitter page that the soldier was unable to sit down because of his prosthesis and was told after an hour and a half that he had to get off the plane. The soldier was reportedly in tears asking “how am I going to get home?”

In response to a comment, Wizz Air said that they were aware of the incident and indicated that it was under investigation.

UPDATE – 7.10 PM

“The passenger concerned was not in a fit state to fly and, in accordance with safety regulations, the crew was unfortunately forced to deny boarding,” Wizz Air wrote to Telex after it was reported that a man with a prosthetic limb had to leave the aircraft on the airline’s flight from Tel Aviv to Warsaw.

Wizz Air wrote to the news portal that the passenger was distraught when boarding the aircraft and that “as much as they wanted to help the passenger to get home to his family”, the flight crew “acted with the safety of the other passengers on board in mind and in accordance with the required protocol, in consultation with the airport medical staff and the captain of the aircraft”.

According to the airline’s response, the passenger’s leg prosthesis was not a barrier to travel, “Wizz Air always strives to ensure that passengers with special needs can fly in comfort and safety, in accordance with the rules of the air transport industry.”

UPDATE – Wizz Air’s statement to Daily News Hungary

“We apologise for the upset caused regarding a passenger on our Tel Aviv flight to Warsaw recently.

Safety is our number one priority and it is our crew’s responsibility to ensure that all passengers are fit to fly or are accompanied by someone to support them. If there is any indication that a passenger has a medical condition that might put them at risk while flying, we are obligated to deny boarding. In this instance, it was a difficult but necessary decision taken with the passenger’s safety in mind. He was provided with water and somewhere to sit while waiting for assistance from airport staff.

Thank you for your understanding.”

Ryanair vs Wizz Air war begins for Europe?

Wizz Air Hungary

Alicja Wojcik-Golebiowska, the CEE & Baltics country manager of Ryanair, said in an interview that they would like at least 50 percent growth in East and Central Europe. Is that the start of a Ryanair vs Wizz Air war? Or did the two airlines agree to distribute the market by Ryanair moving to CE Europe and Wizz Air gaining good positions in the Middle East and Asia?

According to Reuters, Ryanair would dominate “in a less-developed market also targeted by Wizz Air”. “We want to focus very much on this region,” Alicja Wojcik-Golebiowska, the CEE and Baltics country manager for Ryanair, highlighted. Poland has been a hub for the Irish low-cost airline, but they would like to double focus on other countries in the region. She mentioned especially Spain, Italy and Poland.

The main competitor in that region is the Hungarian low-cost airline, Wizz Air. For example, they announced new flights connecting Tirana (Albania) with Greek, Spanish, Italian and British cities in June.

Ryanair would like to beat Wizz Air by being punctual, offering tickets for a better price, more routes, and doing their best when it comes to delays and cancellations. They want to gain a dominant position in Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania.

Okosutas.hu, a Hungarian travel news outlet, recalled that Ryanair’s puchase of 300 new Boeing jets is less ambitious than Wizz’s 355. Michael O’Leary, the CEO of Ryanair, said in an interview that Wizz Air moved to the Middle East because it cannot compete with Ryanair face-to-face. Wizz Air has established multiple routes to and from Middle Eastern cities recently. Moreover, the company made Abu Dhabi one of its most important hubs. Wizz CEO József Váradi said in June that they want to expand in the region and would double their local fleet. He did not mention such plans concerning Europe.

Because of the Hungarian government’s departure tax, Ryanair has not expanded in Hungary since 2022. Meanwhile, Wizz launched new flights and has not cancelled any for a year. In Budapest, Ryanair was the market leader in 2022. However, this year, Wizz preceded it concerning the number of flights. As a result, Okosutas wrote that Ryanair will expand in the neighbouring countries, while Wizz will retain its leading position in Hungary. We wrote HERE about a new direct flight connecting Budapest with a Middle Eastern capital. You can find our article about Qatari investors buying Budapest Airport HERE.

New Wizz Air promotion: here are the details

wizz air

Finally, there is a promotion again at Wizz Air. The last promotion was in May, on the occasion of the airline’s birthday. With high prices, a 10 percent discount sounds good: but can we really save that much? Here are the details.

The Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air has announced lowered prices in the case of some of their destinations. According to Okosutas, however, it is telling that instead of the usual 15-20 percent discount, the carrier is now offering only 10 percent off.

As the aviation news portal writes, there is a limit on the value of tickets that can be discounted. Where this limit is varies from route to route. It is clear that below EUR 50, it works for almost all tickets. In these cases, of course, it is barely a EUR 4 saving: the administration fee within the ticket price is not covered by the discount.

Some routes that cost EUR 70-80 are discounted as well. However, most of the Hungarian holiday routes are not, Okosutas warns.

In some cases, we cannot book a return ticket cheaply. The reason is that most routes are priced asymmetrically. It costs EUR 15 outwards, but EUR 100 back for July and August, even to London. Among the holiday resorts, Castellon, for example, is cheap outwards and very expensive back. Meanwhile, return tickets to Burgas are under EUR 50.

As Okosutas concludes, this promotion helps very little, with minimal savings. However, it’s possible that the airline will be happy in the end, as many people don’t realise this and like to book on special offers. Wizz Air will probably get a lot of bookings and this push up the prices.

Wizz Air launches new loyalty programme with unique discounts

Wizz Air

The Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air is launching a new loyalty programme called Wizz Discount Club Light. This scheme will offer unique discounts to encourage in-flight purchases.

The Discount Club Light will be available on the airline’s mobile app and website. Passengers will be able to join without paying a fee, AIRportal.hu reports.

Members will receive coupons redeemable for individual discounts on in-flight food and beverage purchases. What is more, members will be able to participate in promotions on other WIZZ Café and Boutique products (e.g. perfumes), with different offers per flight.

Discount Club Standard or Group members will automatically receive these offers as part of their existing membership, the aviation news site adds.

“WIZZ Discount Club Light is another way for our passengers to save money when they fly with WIZZ. Exclusive discounts mean significant savings on in-flight meals and products for everyone travelling with us. We are delighted to be able to offer such a new programme to Wizz Air customers as part of our ultra-discount model,” said Zsuzsa Trubek, Communications Manager at Wizz Air, as reported by Budflyer, an aviation news blog, on Facebook.