Wizz Air announces massive expansion of Budapest network
Press release – Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe and Hungary’s hometown airline, last week announced a significant expansion of capacity in its Budapest network with two new aircraft, two new routes, and frequency increases on 13 popular services. Next summer WIZZ is adding a total of 32 additional weekly flights to its Budapest schedule growing its seat capacity from the Hungarian capital to over 5.3 million for 2018, an increase of 20% year-on-year.
The first new Airbus A321 will be joining Wizz Air’s Budapest fleet in March 2018, with the second aircraft arriving in May 2018. Together, the two aircraft represent an investment of USD 232 million* by WIZZ in Hungary, and will create 84 additional direct local jobs with the airline. With the two 230-seater aircraft, Wizz Air’s Hungarian fleet will grow to 14 aircraft, with 13 based in Budapest and 1 at Debrecen Airport. The fleet growth will increase Wizz Air’s capacity in Hungary by 20%, manifesting in both new routes and more frequent flights on existing popular routes.
Starting in March 2018, the newest Wizz Air route will connect Budapest to Stavanger, the second Norwegian destination from Budapest after Bergen, commenced in 2017. In May 2018, Wizz Air launches another new route to Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg (EuroAirport), located in the heart of Western Europe at the crossroads of three countries: France, Germany and Switzerland. In addition to exciting new routes, WIZZ is increasing frequencies on 13 Budapest routes to satisfy the strong demand for its low fares. Frequencies on Budapest services to Rome Fiumicino, Milan Malpensa, Moscow, Barcelona, Madrid, Bucharest, St. Petersburg, Keflavik, Kutaisi, Porto as well as the three out of five Western Balkan services to Tirana, Podgorica and Skopje will increase by up to 4 additional flights a week.
Being the hometown airline of Hungary, Wizz Air currently operates flights from two Hungarian bases in Budapest and Debrecen with a total of 12 aircraft in the country. In 2016, 3.7 million passengers flew with WIZZ to and from Hungary, which is more than any airline has ever carried on its Hungarian routes, and represents 23% growth year over year. Based on the 2016 figures the airline’s operations support over 2,800 indirect local jobs**.
WIZZ now offers 71 routes from Hungary connecting Budapest and Debrecen with 30 countries. Together with today’s announcement Wizz Air also releases its 2018 summer schedule. For the next two weeks the fares will be exclusively available to WIZZ Discount Club members only, while from 6 July 2017, they will become available to everyone. Tickets for summer 2018 as well as for the new routes are already on sale and can be booked from only HUF 8,990*** on wizzair.com
WIZZ AIR’S NEWEST ROUTES FROM BUDAPEST
| Destination | Days | Starts | Fares from |
| Stavanger | Thu, Sun | 15 March 2018 | HUF 8,990 |
| Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg | Mon, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sun | 3 May 2018 | HUF 8,990 |
WIZZ AIR’S FREQUENCY INCREASES ON BUDAPEST ROUTES
| Destination | Weekly Flights | From Month |
| Milan Malpensa | 14 from 11 | May 2018 |
| Rome Fiumicino | 11 from 7 | May 2018 |
| Moscow | 11 from 7 | May 2018 |
| Barcelona | 10 from 7 | May 2018 |
| Madrid | 7 from 5 | May 2018 |
| Bucharest | 5 from 4 | April 2018 |
| St. Petersburg | 4 from 2 | May 2018 |
| Keflavik | 3 from 2 | May 2018 |
| Kutaisi | 3 from 2 | May 2018 |
| Porto | 3 from 2 | May 2018 |
| Podgorica | 3 from 2 | November 2017 |
| Tirana | 3 from 2 | August 2017 |
| Skopje | 3 from 2 | November 2017 |
Speaking at the press conference in Budapest announcing the developments, József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air said:
“We are delighted to be announcing a significant expansion of our Budapest network, further strengthening Wizz Air’s leadership in Hungary. Adding two new, state-of-the-art aircraft to our Budapest fleet means not only exciting new destinations and increased frequencies on popular routes but also creating more local jobs with the airline and our business partners, as well as stimulating the local tourism and hospitality industries. As the country’s hometown airline, Wizz Air remains strongly committed to Hungary, continuing to bring a growing variety of opportunities of affordable travel to more and more Hungarian customers.”
*http://www.airbus.com/newsroom/press-releases/en/2017/01/2017-price-adjustment-for-airbus-modern-fuel-efficient-aircraft.html
** ACI suggests creation of 750 on-site jobs for every 1 million carried passengers per year
***one-way, including taxes and non-optional charges
Source: Press release – Wizz Air
