Wizz Air swallowed its passengers’ money, even failed to inform them

An administrative error has occurred at Wizz Air, with some customers having 400,000 forints (EUR 1,032) stuck in the airline’s system.

According to reports from Népszava, passengers who encountered issues with Wizz Air in January 2024 are yet to receive any resolution. The Hungarian-based low-cost carrier’s ticketing system has been plagued by glitches, causing it to fail in registering ticket transfers while still deducting the corresponding amounts from customers’ bank accounts. Consequently, passengers find themselves out of pocket without the tickets they paid for, as Wizz Air seems to have pocketed their funds.

Népszava reveals that numerous customers have had over 400,000 forints held within the airline’s system for more than a month, exacerbating the frustration and financial strain they face.

In addition, Wizz Air did not provide any information, so passengers did not know what had happened, for how long and what kind of problem existed. Nor did passengers know whether they would get their money back. After waiting for several days, the stranded passenger finally contacted the airline’s premium rate call centre.

Adding insult to injury, Wizz Air has provided scant information, leaving passengers in the dark regarding the nature and duration of the problem, as well as the likelihood of receiving refunds. After enduring days of uncertainty, stranded passengers resorted to contacting the airline’s premium-rate call centre, where they were belatedly informed of the error and assured of refunds. However, this process was marred by delays and ambiguity, with the possibility of some refunds slipping through the cracks due to complications in bank details reconciliation.

Despite reassurances from Wizz Air, the refund process has been far from expedient. Some passengers, having provided their details and waited patiently, are still left empty-handed weeks later. Even after being informed of potential 30-day processing periods, many passengers remain frustrated when refunds fail to materialise within the stipulated timeframe. Repeated calls to the premium-rate number have yielded little clarity or resolution, leaving passengers increasingly disillusioned with the airline’s handling of the situation.

Népszava’s attempts to seek clarification from Wizz Air have been met with promises of forthcoming information, yet substantive updates have been conspicuously absent for over a week. Questions regarding the root cause of the problem, the extent of affected reservations, and the delay in informing passengers remain unanswered. Furthermore, concerns about the reimbursement of premium-rate call charges have yet to be addressed, leaving passengers feeling further aggrieved by the lack of transparency and accountability from Wizz Air.

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