Travel time on Wizz Air flights increases
The Hungarian low-cost airline, Wizz Air, has decided to alter the route of some popular flights to the Middle East to avoid Iraqi airspace. This adjustment will lengthen the journey, necessitating an intermediate stop for refuelling and crew changes.
Refuelling and new crew for Wizz Air planes
According to Forbes, Wizz Air will continue its flights to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. However, due to the current safety situation in the Middle East, the airline will now fly on a modified route. The distinctive violet-purple aircraft will now fly over Saudi Arabia and Egypt, bypassing Iraqi airspace, as detailed in a letter sent to Forbes by the airline.
With the new flight plan, aircraft returning to Budapest will make a technical stop in Larnaca, Cyprus. Wizz Air established a base on the island in 2020. During this stop, planes will be refuelled, and some members of the original crew will be replaced.
Wizz Air modifies routes due to Middle Eastern tensions
The airline has assured that the new technical stop will not significantly impact travel time, though passengers should expect some delays. Those purchasing tickets via the Wizz Air website or app will receive automatic notifications regarding the extended journey time.
The change is in response to recent escalations in the Middle East. Lebanese Hezbollah’s recent attack on Israel was a retaliation for the assassination of Fuad Shukr in Beirut. Additionally, Iran has threatened Israel following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on 31 July. As the situation in the region continues to escalate, the Hungarian low-cost airline’s precautionary measures are expected to be well-received by passengers.
New flights and new fines
In July, Wizz Air announced several new routes from Budapest, including destinations such as Girona (Spain), Genoa (Italy), Marrakech (Morocco), Memmingen (Germany), and Salerno (Southern Italy). Further details can be found in our previous articles HERE and HERE.
However, the airline has faced some setbacks. In early August, the company was fined €772,000 by the Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) for unfair commercial practices. Additionally, GVH has launched another investigation into the airline’s booking system and pricing practices for alleged unfair practices.
Read also:
- Wizz Air launches “All You Can Fly” pass: Unlimited flights with some fine print – read more HERE
- The Hungarian Olympic team arrives home with a special golden Wizz Air plane
Featured image: depositphotos.com
Wizz Air launches “All You Can Fly” pass: Unlimited flights with some fine print
Wizz Air has introduced a new “All You Can Fly” pass, offering travellers the opportunity to book unlimited flights for just EUR 9.99 per segment after purchasing a yearly membership. The pass, priced at EUR 599 annually, allows members to select from last-minute flights across Wizz Air’s entire network, but there are a few conditions that potential buyers should be aware of.
All You Can Fly by Wizz Air
For EUR 599 per year, members can book flights 72 hours before departure, choosing from the available routes at the time, AIRportal.hu reports. However, the availability of these discounted seats depends on how full the flight is, meaning not all routes will have seats eligible for the special rate.
While the low fare is appealing, it’s important to note that the base fare only includes a small cabin bag (maximum size 40 x 30 x 20 cm). Additional services such as checked baggage, seat selection, or priority boarding are not included and can be added for an extra fee. If members need to change their plans, tickets booked under the pass cannot be modified; instead, they would need to purchase a new ticket at the standard rate.
Moreover, if a member fails to show up for three flights, Wizz Air reserves the right to cancel the membership without a refund, along with imposing a penalty fee.
Although the program offers significant savings for frequent flyers, it’s designed with certain limitations. Members can only book flights within a 72-hour window before departure, which means that trips can’t be planned far in advance. Additionally, the availability of return flights may pose a challenge, especially if return seats sell out within that 72-hour booking window. This could force members to purchase a return flight at the regular price, potentially diminishing the overall savings, Telex writes.
Who could benefit from the pass?
For those who are flexible with their travel dates and destinations, the pass offers a unique opportunity to explore up to 50 countries and 200 cities within Wizz Air’s network. The airline is currently offering a limited-time pre-sale, selling 10,000 passes for a reduced price of EUR 499 between 13 and 15 August.
According to Silvia Mosquera, Wizz Air’s Chief Commercial Officer, this new membership aims to provide travellers with more spontaneous and affordable travel options across Europe. The pass is particularly appealing to adventurous travellers and digital nomads who can adapt their travel plans to take advantage of last-minute deals.
Starting 25 September 2024, members can begin booking flights under this program. With 800 routes to choose from, most Hungarian travellers are expected to select flights departing from Budapest or Debrecen, where around 60 destinations are available.
Despite its limitations, the WIZZ All You Can Fly pass is the first of its kind in Europe, offering a potentially cost-effective solution for frequent and flexible travellers.
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PHOTOS: Hungarian Olympic team arrives home with a special golden Wizz Air plane
After bringing honour and pride to the nation, the Hungarian Olympic team returned home from the 2024 Paris Olympics. Wizz Air’s special plane is decorated with a special golden colouring to celebrate the nation’s athletes.
Hungarian Olympic team arrives home
As Szeretlek Magyarország writes, the Hungarian Olympic team arrived at Budapest Airport yesterday afternoon, around 4 PM. The team of 180 people were flown home from Paris on a particularly special plane, adorned in a distinctive golden coating to honour the nation’s athletes who delivered exceptional performances at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Upon landing, the celebration began immediately, with the Hungarian flag proudly waved from the cockpit.
MOB-Média/Szalmás Péter
While on the plane, the team could not resist indulging in Túró Rudi’s special edition sweets that match the Hungarian flag:
You have to place all metal items, a rule is a rule:
Wizz Air’s golden plane
Since May, Wizz Air passengers have had the unique opportunity to see and travel with the golden aircraft transporting Olympic athletes, as the uniquely painted plane has been operating on numerous routes across Europe and beyond. Throughout the Olympics, fans enjoyed uninterrupted travel on scheduled flights between Budapest and Paris. The golden-coloured plane will continue to grace the skies as Wizz Air, the official partner of the Hungarian Paralympic Committee, is set to transport the Hungarian Paralympic team to the XVII Paralympic Games at the end of August.
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VIDEO: Australian comedian Pam Ann creates viral Wizz Air parody
Australian comedian Pam Ann has stirred up a storm with a viral video parody of the Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air, critiquing the airline’s frequent delays and inadequate assistance for passengers.
Pam Ann parody of Wizz Air
Pam Ann, the air hostess alter ego of Australian comedian, writer, producer, and DJ Caroline Reid, is well-known for her humorous takes on air travel. Her performances delve into the peculiarities of major international airlines and their media portrayals, often contrasting them with the so-called ‘Golden Age of Aviation’—the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s—drawing on her extensive travel experience.
Pam Ann’s latest parody features Wizz Air with a quirky Hungarian narration and English subtitles, highlighting the airline’s recurrent delays and the perceived lack of support from its crew.
You may watch the video HERE.
Underlying causes of delays and cancellations
As we have covered multiple times, this summer, Europe’s air travel system has been plagued by chaos, with some Hungarian flights experiencing delays of several days, leaving passengers stranded at airports for significant periods.
In response to widespread passenger discontent, criticism mounted, prompting even the Hungarian Prime Minister to address the issue. Consequently, the Budapest municipal government office launched investigations into several airlines, with 15 procedures currently underway. In three cases, airlines have accepted responsibility and begun compensating affected passengers.
Furthermore, on 1 August, HungaroControl, Hungary’s air traffic control authority, was placed under ministry supervision, leading to the dismissal of its CEO. Experts attribute the summer’s turmoil to factors such as the airlines’ short turnaround times, a shortage of staff at HungaroControl, and the geopolitical conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East.
In light of these challenges, Márton Nagy, Hungary’s National Economy Minister, has proposed doubling the airspace fee and increasing wages for Hungarian air traffic controllers to help address the issues.
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Wizz Air under fire again: New investigation launched against Hungarian low-cost airline
The Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) has initiated a competition supervision procedure against one of Hungary’s most popular low-cost airlines, Wizz Air, for alleged unfair commercial practices. The GVH suspects that Wizz Air’s booking system violates the requirement of professional diligence and that essential information related to service fees is being withheld from consumers. Now, another investigation has been launched against the low-cost carrier.
Wizz Air fined HUF millions
As Daily News Hungary reported before, the GVH claims that Wizz Air failed to inform customers that certain “additional services” included in some of their packages could be purchased separately. Moreover, the airline is accused of engaging in misleading commercial communication regarding the key features of its automatic check-in service.
On Saturday, August 3rd, the GVH concluded its latest investigation into Wizz Air, resulting in the company being fined over HUF 307 million (EUR 772 thousand) for the aforementioned violations.
New investigation launched
Additionally, another investigation is currently underway, as Wizz Air is suspected of withholding important information from passengers, Világgazdaság reports.
The newly launched investigation focuses on two main allegations:
- Wizz Air’s booking system likely fails to meet professional diligence standards, as it does not ensure predictability and reliability in the communication of service fees. There are instances where the prices for the same services vary depending on the device used (e.g., two different mobiles or a mobile and a desktop computer).
- The airline is also suspected of concealing from consumers that the prices displayed on its website and app may not be valid throughout the entire booking process.
The initiation of the competition supervision procedure does not imply that the company has committed the alleged violations. The investigation aims to clarify the facts and prove the suspected infringement.
The standard duration for conducting such an investigation is three months, which can be extended twice, each time by up to two months if necessary. The GVH emphasises that, according to competition law, the period between requesting necessary data from the client and receiving the response does not count towards the investigation’s timeframe.
Competition authority continues to monitor the aviation market
In recent years, the GVH has closely monitored the domestic aviation market. In October 2022, the national competition authority conducted a comprehensive sweep analysis to examine whether the websites of airlines operating in Hungary, including low-cost carriers, and popular ticket comparison sites were using so-called dark patterns in their sales and advertising practices, Világgazdaság explains.
There has been a growing number of complaints and reports to the GVH regarding airline practices. In response to these increasing consumer alerts and market anomalies related to the operation of the aviation market, Csaba Balázs Rigó, the President of the GVH, has issued notices to the leaders of several airlines operating in the Hungarian market.
Fair competition and consumer protection
This ongoing vigilance by the GVH reflects its commitment to ensuring fair competition and protecting consumers from deceptive practices in the aviation sector. For tourists and locals alike, being aware of these developments can help in making informed decisions when choosing to fly with low-cost carriers like Wizz Air.
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BREAKING: Flights suspended at Budapest Airport due to the escalating conflict in the Middle East!
Due to the escalating situation in the region, Wizz Air will be temporarily suspending flights to and from Israel and Jordan until 4 August, the Hungarian low-cost airlines wrote in an official statement. Other airlines continue to carry passengers between those countries and Budapest Airport.
Wizz Air leaves, Ryanair remains
According to airportal.hu, a Hungarian outlet focusing on air travel news, Wizz Air promised compensation for their passengers. They regret the inconvenience and offer affected customers a 120% refund in Wizz credits, a full refund in the original form of payment or free rebooking options.
“If passengers booked through an online travel agency or another third party, they should reach out to them to receive the refund or rebook to a different flight”, Wizz Air added.
The decision concerns their Saturday and Sunday Tel-Aviv flights from Budapest Airport under the registry number W6 2325/6.
Ryanair, El Al and other Israeli airlines did not make similar decisions and continue to fly between Budapest and the region.
Other airlines also decided to suspend flights
The Lufthansa Group cancelled all their passenger and cargo flights to Tehran and Tel-Aviv until 8 August and extended the suspension of their Beirut flights until 12 August.
KLM said on Friday that they would suspend their Tel-Aviv flights, and American Delta and United decided similarly before.
Several other airlines suspended flights to Lebanon’s capital, Beirut, including Aegean, Condor, Egyptair, Emirates, Etihad, Royal Jordanian, Iran Air, Pegasus and Qatar Airways.
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Wizz Air receives serious fine in Hungary for unfair commercial practice
This is not the Hungarian low-cost airline’s best week. We wrote earlier that their shares began to drop on the London stock market after its management cut back its profit expectations. Now, the Hungarian Hungarian Competition Authority (GVH) fined Wizz Air for conducting unfair commercial practices while trying to sell their passengers expensive services.
Serious fine for Wizz Air – GVH could not be convinced
According to portfolio.hu, GVH fined Wizz Air because they provided misleading information to their passengers concerning automatic check-in. Furthermore, they hid that some extra services—like Wizz Priority or checked-in baggage—could be bought separately. That means the company intentionally directed its passengers to more expensive packages.
The GVH began the relevant process against the airline in 2023 and monitored the interval between November 2018 and May 2024. The GVH fine reaches HUF 307.8 million (EUR 771 thousand).
During the process, Wizz committed to carrying out IT developments and passenger compensation. However, the GVH did not accept that and imposed the fine.
The reaction of Wizz Air
Csaba Balázs Rigó, President of the GVH, said that transparent and available communication is crucial in air traffic, especially when delays and cancellations happen frequently. He also highlighted the importance of protecting passengers.
Index.hu shared the reaction of the Hungarian airline. Wizz wrote about an unfounded GVH resolution which doesn’t serve the passengers’ interests. They highlighted that they cooperated with the GVH during the process. Wizz claimed their booking process was transparent and understandable, serving passengers’ interests.
The Hungarian airline carried out modifications even during the process, so they questioned the rightfulness of the fine, refused to agree with its explanation and promised to take legal action. They said they would have compensated the passengers affected, but GVH did not accept that.
Wizz Air also said they prepared for the summer season with developments for EUR 100 million, suggesting they were not responsible for the many delays and cancellations disturbing the holidays. In their statement, they blamed the Hungarian and the European air traffic control companies for the problems.
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Wizz Air launches new direct flight from Budapest to Mediterranean paradise
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air is to launch a new direct flight from Budapest to a Mediterranean gem in Italy. Meanwhile, the first direct flight from a Chinese metropolis has arrived in Budapest.
Wizz Air connects Budapest with Mediterranean gem
According to airportal.hu, a Hungarian outlet specialising in air travel news, the first Wizz Air flight to Salerno in southern Italy will take off on 28th October from Budapest Airport. The planes will transport passengers between October and December three times a week, operating on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. They will land at the Salerno Costa d’Amalfi Airport, close to Naples.
From January until the end of March, there will be two flights each week on Thursday and Sunday. Additionally, there will be two weekly flights to Naples on Thursday and Sunday in November and December. From January until the end of the winter schedule, three flights will depart from Budapest to Naples on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
Numerous new destinations and frequency increases announced
Wizz Air announced last week that they would open four new destinations from Budapest: Girona (Spain), Genoa (Italy), Marrakech (Morocco), and Memmingen in Germany. We covered that in THIS article.
Thanks to the expansion of Wizz Air at Budapest Airport, the airline has become the leading carrier based here with 17 jets. The airline’s capacity will grow by 30% in the winter schedule compared to the same period last year.
Wizz Air’s market share in Hungary will grow to 41%, strengthening its leadership. According to the company, they will transport 7 million passengers to and from Budapest. We wrote in THIS article that Wizz Air might outperform Ryanair, its biggest regional competitor, this winter in Budapest.
Another piece of good news is that Budapest Airport plans to expand its border control capacities at Pier B soon. According to Budflyer, new control desks will be installed at the departure level.
First direct flight from Shenzhen arrives in Budapest
The first scheduled direct flight from Shenzhen arrived in Budapest on Friday. Hainan Airlines will operate the route between Budapest and Shenzhen twice a week, as reported by MTI.
Addressing a press conference after the Boeing 787 aircraft landed at Budapest’s Liszt Ferenc International Airport, Péter Sztáray, state secretary at the foreign ministry, said every event like the launch of the Shenzhen-Budapest flight vindicated Hungary’s eastern opening policy.
Ferenc Antal, deputy state secretary at the national economy ministry and member of the board of directors of Liszt Ferenc International operator Budapest Airport, hailed the developing relations between Hungary and China, stating that China was Hungary’s most important partner outside Europe. He said the new flight was “another milestone in the quality development of bilateral relations” which gave new impetus to the deepening of economic and cultural ties.
Gong Tao, China’s ambassador to Hungary, said the new flight brought the number of weekly flights between the two countries to 21, noting that this was the third new route launch in two months.
“August 2nd is a lucky date for Hainan Airlines. On this day back in 2004, they landed in Hungary for the first time, and today, 20 years later, we celebrate the inaugural flight between Budapest and Shenzhen,” the airport’s official Facebook page wrote.
Read also:
- Hungarian air traffic control company HungaroControl under ministry oversight: CEO dismissed
- Wizz Air may conquer subcontinent with new Airbus jet – Read more HERE
Wizz Air may beat Ryanair in Budapest this winter
The new routes announced by the Hungarian low-cost airline mean it would beat Ryanair in Budapest this winter. However, the Irish competitor may announce new flights in August and September. Ryanair and Wizz Air regularly communicate that they are market leaders in Hungary, and Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary becomes outraged if somebody questions their leadership.
Wizz Air can beat Ryanair in Budapest in October
In February, Ryanair head Michael O’Leary said it was a lie that Wizz Air was market-leader in Hungary and added the Hungarian airline had no chance to compete with them even in their home country. But it seems Wizz Air can finally beat their challenger in 2024. And that is good news for the passengers.
According to okosutas.hu, we can only see passenger data later, but concerning the number of destinations from Hungary, Ryanair and Wizz Air were neck and neck.
Wizz Air is to offer 61 flights in their winter schedule from Budapest and two from Debrecen. Meanwhile, Ryanair still stands at 52.
However, the Irish low-cost carrier regularly announces new flights months before the start of the winter schedule. They promised multiple times that if the government abolished the departure tax, they would expand in Hungary. Even though the Orbán cabinet announced the end of the departure tax this June, nothing has happened yet. Thus, Wizz Air can become the market leader in Hungary.
Based on the latest Ryanair stock exchange report, they could only fill their planes by introducing lower ticket prices. And that is what they expect in the rest of this year, so we may buy cheap tickets.
Wizz Air is scarcely profitable
Wizz Air remained scarcely profitable in Q2 2024. According to portfolio.hu, the passenger numbers were almost the same as in Q2 2023. However, the problem with the Pratt & Whitney engines caused extra costs for the company. Moreover, the changes in the currency exchange rates did not favour the company. Because of that, the management cut back their profit expectations for 2024 (from EUR 500-600M to EUR 350-450M), so shares fell on the London stock market by 16%.
At the end of June, 46 planes were grounded due to engine problems, but the company received compensation. The load factor was 91%, which is a 0.2% decrease. The income of Wizz Air was EUR 1.26 billion, a 1.8% rise. The net profit was only 1 million euros in Q2 2024.
China Southern Airlines opens Budapest office
China Southern Airlines will open an office in Budapest, the company’s board of directors decided on 29 July. There will be five new offices worldwide: in Doha, Riyadh, Budapest, Vladivostok and Yerevan. Currently, the Hungarian market belongs to their Frankfurt office, Budflyer wrote.
Read also:
- Wizz Air adds 4 new destinations from Budapest – read more HERE
- Bad news for tourists: Budapest district may ban Airbnb in September!
Featured image: depositphotos.com
Wizz Air adds 4 new destinations from Budapest! – UPDATED
The Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air added four new destinations from the Hungarian capital to their winter schedule.
According to airportal.hu, Wizz Air will launch new flights to Girona in Spain, Genoa in Italy, Marrakesh in Morocco and Memmingen in Germany this October and December.
4 new Wizz Air flights
The first Girona flight will take off on 28 October and will carry passengers thrice a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday). The planes will commute to Genoa on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 29 October. The first plane to Marrakesh will leave Budapest on 29 October, and Wizz will operate two flights a week (Tuesdays, and Saturdays) to the Moroccan city.
Memmingem is close to Munich, and the first flight to the city will depart on 17 December to carry passengers four times a week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday).
All four flights are bookable until the end of the winter schedule, so it is a question whether they would remain or not in the long run.
UPDATE: Wizz Air increases number of flights to other directions
Meanwhile, Wizz Air will also increase the number of flights between Budapest and Tel Aviv, Istanbul, Milan, Berlin, Madrid, Athens and Glasgow, the company said.
The expansion will increase Wizz Air’s market share to 41 percent in Hungary, and increase its Budapest-based fleet to 17 aircraft, the statement said.
Read also:
- Wizz may conquer subcontinent with new Airbus jet – Read more HERE
- New Wizz Air flight announced to an exotic destination
Wizz Air enhances its passenger support system with AI
Wizz Air has announced that its virtual assistant chatbot Amelia will be able to provide voice support to passengers from now on, who will receive an automated phone call with real-time information in the event of a flight cancellation.
In recent weeks, air traffic in Europe has been significantly impacted by weather conditions and limited capacity at air traffic control companies. Despite Wizz Air’s thorough preparation for the season and their efforts to ensure a smooth summer period, delays have become unavoidable. However, the airline is working hard to minimise the inconvenience for passengers.
To enhance the travel experience and provide passengers with real-time information about cancellations and flight delays exceeding five hours, Wizz Air is introducing a new automated voice robot. Passengers will still have the option to chat with Amelia, the online chatbot, for written assistance, Turizmus reports. Amelia, the airline’s voice robot, will automatically call passengers on affected flights to provide them with essential information and guidance on further options.
Wizz Air’s new system provides several options for passengers
During the call, passengers will have several options available to them. The voice robot will provide personalised information, addressing passengers by name and flight details. It will then offer three main options: free rebooking on the earliest flight, a 120% refund of the ticket price in WIZZ points, or a 100% refund of the fare paid in the original form of payment.
It can also provide non-locals with information on nearby accommodation and details on where to find the nearest person for assistance based on the passenger’s current location at the airport.
It also ensures that passengers receive all the information about their booking by reminding them that important updates are sent to the email address and phone number they provided at the time of booking. Other new features include directing passengers to airport information desks or Wizz Air’s dedicated helpline.
To ensure the assistance is effective, Amelia will initiate a follow-up call within 30 minutes of the initial contact, allowing passengers to indicate whether their issue has been resolved. While calls are generally free of charge, there may be roaming fees depending on the passenger’s subscription package.
Wizz Air advises passengers to prioritise providing a current and accurate phone number and email address when checking in to ensure they can be informed immediately in case of any disruption.
Currently, the voice robot is available in Hungary, as well as in Austria, the United Kingdom, Poland, Italy, and Romania, but only in English. However, Amelia will soon be available in other languages, including Arabic, Bulgarian, French, German, Italian, Russian, Romanian, Spanish, Ukrainian, Hungarian and more.
Read also:
Wizz Air may conquer subcontinent with new Airbus jet
Hungary-based low-cost airline Wizz Air has already ordered many of Airbus’ possible new best-selling jet type, the A321XLR. The range of the new aircraft grew to 11 hours, which opens up American, African and Asian destinations even from Budapest. Where will Wizz Air go?
New Airbus aircraft capable of 11-hour-long journeys
According to Bloomberg, the new jet type will win certification as soon as this month, and Airbus already has several orders for hundreds of new A321XLR aircraft. Carriers plan to serve new destinations with the aircraft in America, Africa and Asia.
Airbus’s A321 became a bestseller since the company could eke out more range. The French could “pair the economic benefits of a narrowbody airliner with the reach and capacity approaching a widebody jet,” the news outlet wrote. Putting the XLRs into service was delayed one year due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the flammability problems with its extra fuel tank.
The A321XLR “will effectively double the range from the original model that entered service at the start of 1994. Airbus plans to showcase the plane, for which it has more than 550 orders, at the Farnborough Air Show starting next week”, Bloomberg added. The rest of the article is hidden behind a paywall, but portfolio.hu summed up what we should know about the new jet type and Wizz Air.
California and Texas open up, and Wizz Air may conquer India
The new aircraft will be capable of making 11-hour-long routes because it consumes 30% less fuel than its predecessors. That is 4,700 nautical miles, which opens many destinations for the airlines.
For Icelandair, it makes it possible to fly to California, Texas, Dubai and European destinations.
For Wizz Air – with 47 new XLR jets -, it opens up Asia and the Middle East. Therefore, they conduct negotiations with the Indian authorities to launch new flights there. The new aircraft’s capacity will be 244.
IndiGo, United Airlines Holdings, and American Airlines also ordered new planes to expand their range in Europe and America.
Bloomberg wrote that there will be more limited space for showers and board bars on XLR than we got used to on A380s. However, Airbus designed and built a more economical type, expected to be another best-seller in the coming years.
Read also:
- Hungary’s second-largest international airport reopens after runway damage – Read more HERE
- Surprising Flightright results: HERE is how reliable Wizz Air is
Featured image: depositphotos.com
Wizz Air marks 20th anniversary with festive aircraft paint scheme: photo gallery
Wizz Air unveiled the 132nd member of its fleet at an event at the Airbus factory in Hamburg. The Airbus A321neo, registration number 9H-WNM, has been given a unique livery to mark the airline’s 20th anniversary and will be operated as part of the Wizz Air Malta fleet, flying to nearly 200 destinations.
Unique graphics on the Wizz Air aircraft
The new livery features the company’s iconic colors while also symbolizing the airline’s commitment to sustainability. The intertwining leaves in the graphic are painted in the classic WIZZ pink and blue, with a more vibrant green hue, creating a dynamic visual that embodies the airline’s spirit. This integration of imagery and color reinforces the airline’s brand identity and highlights its environmental consciousness so that the company’s commitment is visible above the clouds.
Éva Kerényi, who won the airline’s competition last year, designed the unique graphics on the aircraft.
“I was inspired by Wizz Air‘s sustainability logo, which depicts the aircraft as the veins of a leaf. Keeping with the leaf motif, my idea was to combine the ever-growing leaves with more subdued lines and the airline’s signature pink and blue colors. I think I have envisioned a subtle and elegant motif with leaves and vines wrapping around the fuselage. It all reflects my beloved contemporary style, Art Nouveau,” said Éva Kerényi, the winning graphic designer.
20 years of Wizz Air
Since its first flight on 19 May 2004 between Katowice in Poland and London in the UK, it has experienced significant growth. The airline has an extensive international network of 800 routes to nearly 200 destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia and Africa and has carried nearly 400 million passengers globally.
“Wizz Air’s success over the past 20 years has been built on an exceptional fleet strategy. From day one, we have been operating aircraft from the state-of-the-art Airbus A320 family. The arrival of Airbus A321neo aircraft since 2019 has ensured that we are the fastest growing European airline, as well as the pioneer of the post-global recovery and the market player flying the highest proportion of new technology. We are delighted to continue our fruitful, lifelong partnership with Airbus. Thanks to their contribution, we will operate a fleet of 500 aircraft by the end of the decade, ” said Owain Jones, Wizz Air’s Director of Corporate Relations.
Key to the airline’s long-term development and sustainability strategy is the renewal of the fleet with Airbus A321neo aircraft. The model brings the most advanced aviation technologies currently available, while also offering significant environmental benefits. Compared to the previous model, noise and nitrogen oxide emissions are reduced by almost 50 percent and fuel consumption by 20 percent. The ultra-low-cost airline’s fleet now comprises 220 aircraft, the vast majority of which, more than 60 per cent, are ‘neo’.
“We are delighted to welcome this unique symbol of our 20-year history and sustainability achievements. In addition to the continuous renewal of our technology, we are implementing several initiatives to improve our operational efficiency, including a major investment in sustainable jet fuel. We recently invested £ 5 million in the green fuel company Firefly as part of our medium-term strategy to reduce carbon emissions further. We aim to operate 10 percent of our flights on sustainable fuel by 2030. However, the key to achieving net zero emissions is industry collaboration and strategic investment in low-carbon technologies, backed by the necessary legislation and incentives from governments and policy makers. We are focused on joining forces with all partners in the industry on the path to net zero, ” said Yvonne Moynihan, Wizz Air’s Director of Sustainability.
read also:
- Great news: Hungary’s second largest international airport reopening soon, details HERE
- Wizz Air closes its base in Hungarian city
Lots of Hungarians stuck in Dubai due to delayed Wizz Air flight
A reader of Utazómajom, Magdolna, shared the horror delay of a Wizz Air plane. She said they had been waiting at the airport for 15 hours.
The original departure time to Budapest was 9.20 PM on 10 July, but soon after the check-in started, the display wrote that the aircraft would only leave the airport the next day. The gate was closed, and the airport crew sent away the people, Utazómajom wrote.
At 10-11 PM, the airline’s local partner housed the passengers in different accommodations. They got dinner and breakfast and were brought back to the airport the next morning. The new check-in time was 9 AM, but nothing happened until 11 AM. Finally, the departure time was modified to 2.30 PM.
Wizz Air passengers got lunch, but their flight was cancelled
They received a McChicken menu from McDonald’s for lunch, but the departure time disappeared from the display while they were consuming their fast food. Unfortunately, nobody at the airport could provide them with additional information.
“We are waiting for a miracle”, the Utazómajom reader said. Interestingly, the flight from Budapest landed 40 minutes later than it was due yesterday. The reason why the plane could not return to the Hungarian capital remains a mistery.
At least the passengers received accommodation, food and drinks during their wait, which is good news considering similar stories we wrote about in the previous weeks.
Read also:
- Surprising Flightright results: HERE is how reliable Wizz Air is
- Wizz Air closes its base in Hungarian city
Surprising Flightright results: here’s how reliable Wizz Air is
Horror stories emerged in the last few weeks about holidaymakers stuck at different airports because their planes could not take off or did not even show up. Some groups even had to wait days, even with small children or sick people, and did not receive proper help. Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air was mentioned too many times in such news, and that has consequences.
Significant delays in European airspace
We wrote about the last delayed Wizz Air plane on 3 July. The flight from Catania (Sicily) to Budapest was due to leave at 6.25 PM on 1 July but took off only on 3 July at 3.27 AM.
An Austrian air traffic controller head said Europe struggled with delays and named the Hungarian HungaroControl as a main contributor. The Hungarian company struggles with a labour shortage, so colleagues are overworked. Since Hungary is a main air traffic route, that has dire consequences for the entire continent.
Telex managed to talk to some insiders at HungaroControl, who cleared that the situation was not that simple. For example, they accused the budget airlines of leaving too little time for turnarounds. Therefore, sometimes the behaviour of a single passenger can cause serious delays and lead to a snowball effect. We wrote about the other side of the coin in THIS article.
Hungarian Wizz Air is not among the top worst European airlines
Flightright, the leading European portal for passenger rights, measured the performance of the twenty biggest European airlines. They brought surprising news for Wizz Air.
Experts at the portal measured three categories: reliability (delays and cancellations), payment policy and customer opinion.
The overall results showed that Hungarian Wizz Air was the seventh worst airline in Europe, preceded by British Airways and Lufthansa, which was surprising for many Western European portals. Out of the five stars they could have collected, Wizz got 2.60. Ryanair is 10th on that list with 2.65. The best one was Transavia France (3.49).
Wizz Air is a reliable airline, but passengers are dissatisfied
Concerning reliability, the delays and cancellations of the individual airlines were assessed. Interestingly, Wizz Air is not on the negative end of the list, the first four places went to Air Dolomiti, Lufthansa, British Airways and KLM. That means they are the most unreliable airlines in Europe. Wizz Air got four stars in that category, which means it is in one league with Vueling, Ryanair, easyJet and Condor.
Given customer satisfaction, Wizz Air performed the worst. The Hungarian airline collected only 1.79 stars, which means they are at the top of the negative list. The category includes how satisfied passengers are with customer service, information sharing policies, and help they get from the airlines, turizmus.com wrote. There is much space for development for the Hungarian airline in that regard.
Considering payment policy, Wizz Air did not perform well. They got two stars, only Turkish Airlines being behind them with 1.
HERE is the full report in German.
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- Wizz Air closes its base in Hungarian city – Read more HERE
- Wizz Air CEO: 80 planes will be grounded for engine problems, more delays expected
BREAKING – Wizz Air closes its base in Hungarian city
Wizz Air decided to close its base in Debrecen. As a result, they will move their last remaining plane stationed in Debrecen to Budapest. Thankfully, that does not mean Wizz Air leaves Hungary’s second-biggest city. The airline will continue to operate flights from and to Debrecen.
Wizz Air closes Debrecen base, but flights remain
According to airportal.hu, a Hungarian air travel-focused news outlet, Wizz Air will relocate the only remaining plane from Debrecen to Budapest on 27 October. That means Debrecen will remain without Wizz Air planes, so the airline’s base there closes when the winter timetable starts.
The airline highlighted that the change would not affect their summer timetable, Burgas (Bulgaria), Lárnaka (Cyprus), London and Rome will remain accessible from Debrecen despite the relocation.
Wizz Air remains committed to serving passengers’ needs in the Hungarian market and developing service here. Relocating its aircraft will enable it to increase its traffic and the number of flights in the long run, the company added.
An Airbus A321neo is now in Debrecen, which has the latest technologies built-in. To keep their colleagues, they offered all their employees alternative jobs in Hungary, Europe and countries beyond Europe.
CEO Váradi did not talk about the base closure
Wizz Air said they would inform their passengers about the change via email. They also recommended all their passengers who booked their tickets via online travel agencies turn to their customer service, which will provide all the necessary and up-to-date information.
Iho.hu wrote that Wizz Air opened its 22nd base in Debrecen in 2015, and they doubled the number of aircraft stationed in the city in 2018. In 2022, Debrecen’s mayor, László Papp, said that more than 1.1 million passengers left and arrived at Debrecen on Wizz Air flights between 2012 and 2022.
Interestingly, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi had an interview about future plans with Reuters, but he did not mention the closure of their Debrecen base.
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Wizz Air CEO: 80 planes will be grounded for engine problems, more delays expected
The Wizz Air fleet contains only Airbus planes, and the problems with their Pratt and Whitney engines caused many headaches for the airline in the last few months. CEO József Váradi touched on multiple issues in an interview with Reuters but remained confident about the company’s prospects.
Wizz Air head calculates with significant capacity increase
According to Reuters, Wizz Air expects 45 planes to remain grounded this summer because of inspections following the errors discovered in the Pratt and Whitney engines Airbus aircraft operate with. Next summer, there will be 35 planes on the ground.
However, there is good news, too. Várad said they would receive three more planes each month from Airbus. That will result in a significant growth expansion in 2025 and 2026. Next year, they will have a 20% rise in capacity, while the following year will see an additional 20-25% capacity hike.
However, their supplier, Airbus, also struggles with delivery delays. Nevertheless, Váradi remained optimistic about the future and said delays would not have a “substantial negative impact” on their capacity. Airbus cut its delivery targets last month after acknowledging supply disruptions.
Plane makers struggle with difficulties
“We are making assumptions that Airbus will have delivery delays, but they already have six-month delivery delays,” he told Reuters in an interview in London. “The real impact (…) will be fairly limited,” he added.
Boeing and Airbus have been struggling with keeping deadlines concerning their new planes after the COVID-19 pandemic. After losing a door in the air, there are concerns about the quality of the Boeing aircraft. As a result, Wizz Air’s biggest competitor, the Ireland-based Ryanair, had to cut some routes this summer.
“For everyone, the regulatory environment is going to be more difficult with more scrutiny, which will slow down the process,” Váradi said.
Reuters said that after the engine problems, it is still unclear whether Wizz Air would opt for RTX engines or CFM. Váradi said they would decide in the next year or so.
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Is Hungarian air traffic control behind the chaos and delayed flights in Europe?
Recently, there have been numerous delayed and cancelled flights across Europe. Is Hungarian air traffic control responsible for these persistent issues? During the summer, it is normal for increased travel to cause some disruption. Additionally, Euro 2024 has attracted many football fans, further straining the system. Air transport requires coordination among airports, airlines, ground handlers and air traffic controllers (ATC) to ensure passenger safety. Therefore, if problems arise, it is worth scrutinising all four participants.
Hungarian air traffic control
As Telex writes, discussions with experts have revealed that European air traffic control is facing significant challenges, with Budapest emerging as a key contributor to delays in European airspace. The primary issue lies in handling through traffic rather than take-offs and landings. Since the beginning of the year, Budapest has frequently topped the list for delays per flight, largely due to a severe staff shortage at HungaroControl, the Hungarian air traffic control company.
Staff shortage
Despite a slight increase in controllers from 179 to 185 since 2019, the number of aircraft managed has surged by 25-30% due to airspace closures from the war in Ukraine and airline capacity expansions. This spike in traffic has led to unsolvable situations, especially overflights, making HungaroControl a significant source of delays in May and June.
HungaroControl faces a significant challenge as increased tasks outpace staff growth. Despite reinforced services to maintain aviation safety amid extreme weather, labour disputes and a COVID-19 strike ban have led to a shortage of skilled workers. The Austrian transport union has appealed to Hungary, due to the EU Council presidency, to address the issue.
Increased sector divisions
Air traffic control faces challenges during peak periods like summer, necessitating increased sector divisions to manage high traffic volumes effectively. Staffing shortages often lead to operational delays as Hungarian air traffic controllers manage immense responsibility. HungaroControl struggles with wage competitiveness despite profitability, raising governance concerns. Hungarian air traffic controllers, who face strict training requirements, are overburdened, further complicating recruitment and retention efforts.
Low-cost carriers like Ryanair and Wizz Air criticise ongoing disruptions and flight cancellations due to staffing and equipment shortages at Eurocontrol’s Maastricht centre, despite flight levels remaining below pre-pandemic norms.
Is Budapest to blame?
Index asked air travel expert Gábor Varga G. on the issue. He says, “If it were up to Budapest alone whether a flight could leave on time, there would not be so many delays”. He also notes that several factors contribute to aircraft delays, with Wizz Air highlighting that the issue extends well beyond the airlines’ control.
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