Wizz Air

Here are Hungarian Wizz Air’s new routes from this summer/autumn

wizz air hungarian airline plane

Hungarian Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest-growing low-cost airliner, announced several new routes in the last few weeks as almost all restrictions connected to the coronavirus epidemic have been erased in Europe. Here are the latest directions they announced.

From July, those wishing to reach the island of Skiathos will also be able to do so from Milan Malpensa International Airport. For those wishing to travel to Kos, the Dodecanese island famous for its fine sandy beaches, a new route between Rome Fiumicino and Kos will be available from June. Both routes will be served by twice-weekly flights.

From September and throughout the year, those travelling to Germany will be able to do so on the new route that will connect Rome Fiumicino airport and Dortmund, the historic city in the Ruhr area. This new route will be operated three times a week.

NEW WIZZ AIR ROUTES FROM ITALY

DESTINATION FREQUENCY FARES FROM** STARTS
Rome Fiumicino – Kos Monday, Friday 19,99 EUR 6 June 2022
Milan Malpensa – Skiathos Tuesday, Saturday 19,99 EUR 5 July 2022
Rome Fiumicino – Dortmund Monday, Wednesday, Friday 19,99 EUR 5 September 2022

Furthermore, they announced the launch of one new route

from Bucharest to Aarhus,

the second largest city in Denmark. The new service will be operated twice/week on Thursday and Sunday starting September 29. Wizz Air continues to expand its operations throughout the network, as the industry returns to its pre-pandemic capacity, they said.

Moreover,

they will introduce a new route from Vilnius to Split in Croatia.

First flights will be taking off starting June 13, tickets can be purchased today on the company’s website www.wizzair.com or using the Wizz Air mobile app. Tickets prices start at 19.99 EUR.

According to their website, the company has recently updated and expanded its route map. The passengers from Vilnius can now travel to sunny Barcelona (Spain) and Athens (Greece), rich with historical treasures, and also from Kaunas to Eindhoven in the south of the Netherlands. For leisure or business travel, it will once again be possible to choose previously popular travel destinations to Belfast, the capital of Northern Ireland, the southern Danish city of Billund, Doncaster in the north of England and Nice on the Mediterranean coast.

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122 destinations accessible from Budapest this summer – MAP

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Budapest Airport’s summer timetable awaits you with 122 direct destinations and 34 airlines. The routes include, among others, South Korea’s capital, Seoul, Iceland’s Reykjavík, and New York. Moreover, 6 out of the 122 flights from Budapest are brand new. Check out all of them on the map below.

A lot of travel options from Budapest Airport

Budapest Airport’s Facebook page reported that thanks to SunExpress, you can now travel to Turkey’s Izmir. Wizz Air will go to Moldova’s capital, Chișinău. From June, you can travel to New York with the Polish LOT airline. There will be direct flights between Stockholm, Alghero (Sardine), Bourgas, Warsaw, and Budapest.

Here is a map on which you can find all the possible routes from Budapest this summer:

 

Budapest’s only marsh to be saved with the help of Budapest Airport

The Merzse marsh, the only wetland habitat in Budapest, located in Rákosmente, has been threatened by a shortage of water for years, in spite of rehabilitation efforts by the Municipality of Rákosmente. Budapest Airport has therefore joined the leadership of the municipality, which has long been committed to protecting the environment. The most important task is to ensure water replenishment, which is a multi-stage process. As a first step, a rehabilitation plan is now being prepared for nearly HUF 20 million, financed jointly by the Municipality of District XVII and the airport operator.

The Merzse marsh, the last remaining marshy area, once so characteristic of the Pest side of the capital, is now facing a serious water shortage, which threatens its unique biodiversity. The Municipality of Rákosmente, together with Budapest Airport, is therefore preparing a rehabilitation plan that, with the involvement of experts and, if necessary, coordinated with the Municipality of Budapest, will define precisely what actions are needed to save the valuable flora and fauna. 

The Municipality of Rákosmente has been monitoring the situation for years and has taken preventive measures (replenishing water, supporting a habitat reconstruction program) to try and revive the area. Budapest Airport is now joining this initiative, providing HUF 10 million to support the development of a rehabilitation plan that could effectively help to preserve Budapest’s most undisturbed wetlands in the long term, by boring ditches, to provide artificial water replenishment.

(Photo: Péter Horváth/Municipality of Rákosmente)

The nature reserve adjacent to the airport, protected by the capital, is a hidden treasure trove of rare plant and animal species. In recent years, however, the area has been shrinking due to climate change and the growth of the agglomeration area and is unable to maintain the water levels needed to continue providing a suitable home for the marshland wildlife. Its survival is vital, however, as it is home to special species, such as the smooth newt, the northern crested newt, the European pond turtle, and several frog species. It is a popular breeding ground for the western marsh harrier and is favoured by many other bird species, such as the European bee-eater, the common nightingale, the Eurasian bitter, and the Eurasian sparrowhawk. Mammals such as deer, foxes, badgers, and weasels also feel at home in the marshy area. 

The flora is also very rich, with tall sedges, reed, almond willows, willow-poplar gallery forests, and drying Molinia meadows. Numerous protected plants are present in the area, including the Pannonian knapweed, the common cottongrass, the fragrant orchid, and other orchid species. In the spring, the marsh is at its most beautiful, when the yellow iris and the common grape hyacinth are in bloom. This is why, similarly to the Municipality of Rákosmente, the operator of Ferenc Liszt International Airport believes it is important to preserve the marsh and ensure that this rare habitat remains one of the capital’s hidden gems.

Chris Dinsdale, the CEO of Budapest Airport, said that “Budapest Airport is committed to corporate social responsibility and especially to supporting the municipalities and residents in the vicinity of the airport. In recent years, we have provided continuous support to the Municipality of Rákosmente and to several institutions in the district, kindergartens and schools. The preservation of the Merzse marsh is another project involving close cooperation, which is not only in the interest of the district but also Budapest as a whole. The only marsh in the capital is located near the airport but, unfortunately, it has been threatened by a shortage of water for years. It is very important for us to revive and preserve this treasure.”

Tamás Horváth, the mayor of Rákosmente, emphasised: “I believe that protecting our environment, protecting and developing the nature around us is essential for creating spiritual balance in human beings. As mayor, I am working to place even greater emphasis on environmental protection than previously. And we are counting on everyone to help save the Merzse marsh because protecting our environment is a common cause. The leadership of the district, which has long been committed to protecting the environment and preserving biodiversity, is happy to see Budapest Airport joining the program to save this special nature reserve.”

Wizz Air launches three new flights from Hungary – here are the destinations

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Hungarian-owned low-fare airline Wizz Air is launching three new services from June, the company said on Saturday.

Planes will fly from Debrecen in eastern Hungary to Burgas in Bulgaria and Corfu, Greece, it said. The Hévíz airport will have a connection with Dortmund, Germany, it said. Further flights are in the pipeline to Greece and Germany, Wizz Air said.

The low-cost company said that tourists could already buy tickets. The lowest price to Corfu and Dortmund is around HUF 7,690 (EUR 20), while Bulgaria’s Burgas costs HUF 5,690 (EUR 15). Based on their statement, there will be flights between Lake Balaton and the German metropolis twice a week, on Thursday and Sunday, from the first week of June onward. Between Corfu and Debrecen, Wizz Air will fly on Wednesdays, travelo.hu reported.

Before, Wizz Air announced that they would relaunch nine former routes between Budapest and London-Gatwick, Edinburgh, Oslo, Podgorica, Warsaw, Bologna, and Skopje. Moreover, they will reopen the Debrecen-Tel Aviv and Debrecen-Larnaca routes.

Hévíz, a small city near Lake Balaton, was very popular among Russian tourists. Since they cannot come because of the bans implemented after Putin attacked Ukraine, Wizz Air’s new flight to Dortmund might be a desperate attempt to bring German tourists to the famous Hungarian spa town.

As we reported before, it is almost certain that many spies, mainly Russian intelligence agents, have been guests of the world-famous Hévíz spa. Over the past decades, hundreds of Russian citizens have settled and become influential in and around Hévíz. The spa town has most likely become a major point of intelligence operations between the East and West. 

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Wizz Air is in trouble amidst the Russian-Ukrainian conflict

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The stock value of various airlines is dropping due to the Russian-Ukrainian conflict. One Hungarian airline suffers the biggest loss.

Airlines are losing value due to the current situation. Wizz Air lost 10-11 per cent of its stock value. Other airlines have suffered serious damages as well. Lufthansa’s value dropped by 6 per cent, Air France–KLM by 7.6, IAG that runs British Airways lost 6 per cent. Easyjet lost 4 per cent, and Ryanair lost only 3 per cent of the stock value. – writes vg.hu. This means that the farther the base of the company is from the Ukrainian capital, the less severe their stock market value decrease gets.

The issue is more complex, however. One of the biggest setbacks for airlines is that they have to avoid flying above Ukraine.

KLM canceled all flights to Kyiv on Saturday. Even a Ukrainian company, SkyUp decided that one of their flights would land in Moldova rather than Ukraine. Insurance companies said that they would not cover the costs of the risks, and demanded that the flight be taken to the European Union’s territory. The passengers were transported to Kyiv by bus. Wizz Air is following the changes as well. Air France will not suspend flights, but the staff will not spend the night in the Ukrainian capital city.


Airlines have usually avoided flying above Ukraine since 2014, when a plane of Malaysia Airlines was shot in the Eastern side of the country. It is forbidden to do commercial flights above Eastern Ukraine and Crimea.


Index wrote that other airlines, such as Lufthansa, a Swiss, and Austrian Airlines reorganised their flights as well. The British reinsurance company, Lloyds, has also announced that it will temporarily suspend insurance coverage for aircraft flying in Ukraine’s airspace due to the increased potential of an outbreak of war.

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Hungarian Wizz Air to increase ticket prices

Wizz Air

The Hungarian low-cost airline always highlights that they are Europe’s fastest-growing company in the sector. Of course, the epidemic affected them, but the Hungarian government tried to help them out. Thus, they received a lot of transport assignments, during which they carried healthcare equipment and vaccines to Hungary. However, it seems that their Q4 numbers from 2021 will be so bad that increasing the ticket prices seems inevitable. 

According to reuters.com, Wizz Air’s fourth-quarter loss will be more than in Q3 when it reached 213.6 million euros ($241.2 million). That is because of the Omicron variant, which affected their sales significantly in the second half of 2021. Furthermore, it will have an impact until March, causing travel uncertainties. Of course, other airlines suffer from the same factors. They had been on a rollercoaster ride in the last two years because the governments regularly changed travel rules in their efforts to contain the spread of the virus.

CEO József Váradi told the news website that Wizz Air “cut costs and acquired new landing slots”. Therefore, they are waiting for the recovery in a better position than their main competitors, Ryanair and EasyJet. They expect to exceed the 2019 capacity levels by 50 pc in August-September.

“We are expecting a very strong recovery path of demand in the next few months,”

he said.

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However, he also highlighted that costs are increasing. That means fuel, the increasing wages, and the financial demand of regulatory changes. As a result, he said that fare prices would go up in the short term. He added that he expects “overcapacity in the next three to six months as rivals return to the market.”

Mr Váradi said that all airlines would have to juggle with higher input costs while offering competitive fare prices. That will be the most important challenge of 2022. 

He also said that, thanks to the recent decision of the British government, they experienced a significant rise in demand.

Iho.hu reported that Wizz Air has a 10-year-plan, during which it would like to expand its fleet to 500 aircraft and employ 4,600 pilots. To do so, they need new pilots, and that is why they inaugurated their new, full-flight simulator in Budapest. It enables the company to train 1,700 pilots per year.

Wizz Air simulator
The new simulator. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/wizzair/

Reuters reported that despite the losses, Wizz Air had liquidity of 1.4 billion euros at the end of December, making it one of the leaders in the market. Iho.hu says that one of the main factors contributing to the losses is that Wizz Air expanded its fleet and employee numbers even during the epidemic. That is because its CEO believes that recovery will be quick. Thus, they can conquer the market then.

Wizz Air announces expansion of Budapest network with exotic destinations

wizz air summer

From December, Wizz Air will expand its capacity in its Budapest network with two new routes from Budapest to Hurghada, one of Egypt’s most popular resorts, as well as two beautiful cities in Jordan, Amman and Aqaba.

Pursuant to the agreement with Jordan, Hungary’s hometown airline will launch a new direct flight into and from Jordan, which will provide an excellent opportunity for Hungarian tourists to plan a cost-effective holiday to the capital of Jordan or Jordan’s only coastal city, sitting on the north-eastern tip of the Red Sea.

According to Portfolio,

Wizz Air will operate one weekly flight directly from Budapest to Hurghada on Saturdays from 18 December 18. From 17 December, the airline will operate two flights a week to Amman, on Mondays and Fridays and two flights a week to Aqaba, on Wednesdays and Sundays from 16 December.

Wizz Air-flights-Budapest-tavel
Photo: www.facebook.com/wizzair

According to the Budapest Airport route planner, there are currently no direct flights from the Hungarian capital to Aqaba, Ryanair operates direct flights to Amman, and currently, you cannot book a direct flight from Budapest to Hurghada. You have to connect to another flight in Frankfurt, Munich, Istanbul or Cairo.

Wizz Air, the Hungarian low-cost airline, attempted to take over rival EasyJet

You can fly to these new destinations from October!

With this expansion, one of the most popular destinations in the Middle East will be available from Budapest with two fascinating cities that offer different attractions and experiences, writes Travelo. Amman is the capital and the largest city of Jordan. Located in a hilly area between the desert and the Jordan Valley, the city offers a unique blend of old and new. Aqaba is the only coastal city in Jordan, offering an ideal combination of city life, beaches and ancient ruins.

Pursuant to the current travel regulations, if you arrive in Jordan by air,

you have to register on the country’s official website, do a PCR test within a maximum of 72 hours before departure and present the applicable documents upon arrival.

This includes the QR code, a negative PCR test result from the country of departure, and the vaccination certificate (for vaccinated passengers). Fully vaccinated travellers arriving from Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Liechtenstein, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Malta, Morocco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Oman, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tunisia, Turkey, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the United States are no longer required to do a PCR test upon arrival. Jordan approves all types of COVID-19 vaccines.

Wizz Air, the Hungarian low-cost airline, attempted to take over rival EasyJet

wizz air new aircraft

It was rumoured that EasyJet got an offer from a company that wanted to buy the airline suffering from the consequences of the pandemic. EasyJet unanimously rejected the offer that would have created a low-cost airline to rival Ryanair.

Instead, the airline company decided to try to raise $1.7 billion from shareholders. At first, the buyer was not named, but later, it was rumoured that it was the Hungarian low-cost airline, Wizz Air. However, the company did not comment on the attempt at buying, Reuters reported.

Mandiner wrote that it was the Hungarian Wizz Air Holdings that made an offer to EasyJet. An agreement of this magnitude would have reshaped Europe’s aviation. The Budapest-based airline started out focusing primarily on Eastern Europe but expanded rapidly in recent years thanks to a low-cost management that rivals even that of Ryanair, and it even launched a new subsidiary in Abu Dhabi in 2019, the news portal elaborated.

The comment of Bernstein analyst Daniel Roeska can be read on BNN Bloomberg stating that:

“EasyJet’s network and customer reach combined with Wizz’s low-cost management style would be a winning combination. It would definitely be a major shake-up of the European space.”

BNN Bloomberg also wrote about the case, mentioning that “Luton-based EasyJet has been held back by changing U.K. travel rules, and Budapest-based Wizz is back above 100% of its pre-pandemic capacity, and Ryanair Holdings Plc, the Dublin-based low-cost giant, plans to expand over the winter.” Regarding the plan to take over EasyJet, the site also writes that

“the preliminary offer was conditional, all-stock, and had a low premium”.

24.hu wrote that a €400 million loan was taken up by EasyJet in addition to shareholder’s help, to help survive through the low-yield winter months and to help bounce back from the major hit the airline has taken during the pandemic. Due to the situation caused by the virus, 4,500 jobs ceased at EasyJet.

Ryanair and Wizz Air improved their situation faster than EasyJet, but despite this information, EasyJet thinks that the bidder underestimated the company’s business activity and offered a very low price, wrote Index.