Wizz Air announces major leadership changes and Hungarian expansion!

Wizz Air, the Hungarian-rooted low-cost airline, has announced significant changes to its senior management team, effective from 1 February 2026. The moves are designed to strengthen the airline’s commercial functions and support its continued growth.

Ian Malin, currently Chief Financial Officer (CFO), will take over as Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), overseeing all commercial operations and revenue generation from the Budapest headquarters. Malin will report directly to CEO József Váradi, AIRportal.hu reports.

The CFO position vacated by Malin will be filled by Veronika Špaňárová, a Czech banking executive with three decades of international experience at Citi. Špaňárová has held senior positions across Europe and South America, including country manager in Hungary, and has longstanding experience as a banking partner to Wizz Air. She will also report directly to Váradi from the Budapest office.

Additionally, Michael Delehant, previously Senior Chief Commercial and Operations Officer, will have his title updated to Group Managing Director. His responsibilities remain unchanged.

József Váradi commented that these changes enhance Wizz Air’s leadership capacity and commercial operations in line with the company’s expanding size, providing a foundation for its ambition to become one of the world’s top-performing airlines in the coming years.

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Wizz Air has seen a period of remarkable growth recently

The leadership overhaul comes amid a period of remarkable growth for Wizz. In its most recent financial year, the airline carried 63.4 million passengers across its 249-strong Airbus A320 and A321 fleet, Investing.com writes. The company recently announced plans to expand its Hungarian operations further, adding an 18th Airbus aircraft to its Budapest fleet in May 2026, increasing annual seat capacity by over 900,000, according to VG.hu. Passenger numbers on Hungarian routes are projected to rise from 8.17 million in 2025 to 9.1 million in 2026, surpassing the pre-pandemic 2019 figure of 6.33 million by 44%.

New routes from Budapest

New routes from Budapest will include direct flights to Bergen, Lamezia Terme, and Rimini, in addition to previously announced destinations such as Tallinn and Billund. The airline also plans to increase flight frequencies on existing routes, cementing Wizz as Hungary’s largest carrier with a market share of 38%.

These developments signal Wizz Air’s continued commitment to strengthening its European network while consolidating leadership to support sustainable and profitable growth.

• Did you know that Wizz Air was hit with a massive fine in a European country over its “All You Can Fly” subscription?