Wizz Air eyes expansion into India and Pakistan, with ambitious growth plans
There’s no stopping the Wizz Air train – or more precisely, the Wizz Air plane. After the low-cost airline’s shares rose nicely on the London Stock Exchange, the Hungarian-owned company announced plans to launch in Pakistan as well as India within the next 6 to 12 months. CEO József Váradi stated that the airline aims to break into these South Asian markets, as well as further solidify its presence in Saudi Arabia. These countries are considered popular destinations for travellers from the United Arab Emirates, where Wizz Air already operates through a joint venture. Furthermore, Wizz recently announced its first trip, on which it will use its new narrow-body, long-range Airbus aircraft. The difference compared to most traditional airlines will be that three-course meals and reclining seats will not be available on Wizz flights.
Beginning in March next year, Wizz Air will introduce Airbus’ new narrow-body, long-range aircraft on the route between London and Jeddah, which lasts close to 7 hours, as we wrote HERE. However, the airline will not offer the typical luxuries found on long-haul flights, such as reclining seats, entertainment screens, or in-flight meals. As Váradi put it, passengers flying the overnight route will need to entertain themselves, Portfolio writes. This cost-cutting approach also extends to every other service, from water to carry-on baggage, all of which will come with a fee.
Passengers on these flights will also face some challenges when it comes to facilities. Nearly 240 passengers will share just three onboard toilets, with everyone having to navigate through a single narrow aisle to reach them. Despite the relatively low price of GBP 134.99 for a one-way ticket, the aircraft’s setup on the new A321XLR will be identical to that of Wizz Air’s other short-haul planes in the A320 family.
Wizz Air “lets passengers decide what they want to pay for”
The new A321XLR aircraft, designed for longer routes, will feature the same basic cabin setup as Wizz Air’s short-haul planes. Passengers will be able to bring their own amenities, such as blankets, and purchase additional space, food, and beverages, but at a price. Váradi defended this model by emphasising that Wizz Air’s low-cost flights democratise air travel by letting passengers decide which services they want to pay for, contrasting this with traditional airlines that bundle services into higher ticket prices.
Wizz Air is optimistic about future growth, anticipating a 15-20% increase in passenger numbers over the next year, largely due to the launch of new routes in the Middle East, Portfolio writes in another article. The airline, which transported a record 62 million passengers last financial year, recently announced new flights between London Gatwick and Jeddah, as well as between Milan and Abu Dhabi, slated to begin in March 2025. These expansions, however, depend on regulatory approvals and solutions to ongoing capacity limitations caused by issues with Pratt & Whitney engines. These complications contributed to a 44% drop in the airline’s operating profit in the first quarter of this year.
CEO positive about Wizz’s potential
Despite these setbacks, Váradi remains confident in Wizz Air’s potential. He believes that external factors like geopolitics and engine troubles have disproportionately impacted the company’s stock price, but that the airline’s underlying performance remains strong. Additionally, while some competitors have experienced a sharp decline in ticket prices over the summer, Wizz Air’s pricing has stayed relatively stable.
Looking ahead, Wizz Air is focused on expanding its operations in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia, which it views as a key inbound market. Váradi also expects that the Abu Dhabi base will represent a growing share of the airline’s capacity in the future, offering further opportunities for growth in the region.
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