Reconnecting Ukraine with the world: Wizz Air sets sights on leading the country’s aviation market post-war

Wizz Air, the Hungarian low-cost airline, is positioning itself to become the market leader in Ukraine once the country’s airspace reopens following the ongoing war. The company’s CEO, József Váradi, has outlined an ambitious three-phase plan for re-entering the Ukrainian market, demonstrating the airline’s commitment to the region.

Phased approach to market re-entry

Váradi’s strategy involves a gradual increase in operations. In the initial phase, Wizz Air plans to reintroduce 30 routes to Ukraine. The second phase aims to expand this to 60 routes within six months, with an annual capacity of 5 million passengers. In the final phase, projected over three years, the airline intends to establish connections to 150 cities, potentially reaching 15 million passengers annually. The CEO emphasised that Wizz Air never fully left Ukraine, maintaining a presence with two grounded aircraft (engines relocated to Poland for safety) and over 300 local employees, HVG reported based on The Times.

Wizz Air is not alone in its plans to return to Ukraine. Ryanair, a major competitor, is also preparing for post-war operations. Both airlines are actively recruiting pilots, cabin crew, and ground staff in anticipation of resuming services.

Negotiations with Boryspil International Airport

In February 2025, Wizz Air held official talks with Boryspil International Airport management in Budapest, Visit Ukraine reports. The discussions focused on various aspects of resuming operations. These included the airport’s operational readiness, current infrastructure status, technical support capabilities, compliance with certification requirements, and necessary security measures. Oleksiy Dubrevskyi, Boryspil Airport CEO, stated that these negotiations were a crucial step towards restarting flights and reconnecting Ukraine with the world.

Financial challenges and market response

Despite its ambitious plans for Ukraine, Wizz Air faces significant financial hurdles. As we reported before, the company has reduced its profit forecast for the fiscal year ending 31 March, now expecting EUR 250-300 million in after-tax profit, down from an earlier projection of EUR 350-450 million.

This adjustment is largely due to ongoing technical reviews of Pratt & Whitney engines, which may extend from an initial 18-month period to 4-5 years. The market reacted negatively to this news, with Wizz Air’s shares dropping by up to 13% at the end of January.

The Hungarian low-cost airline’s determination to lead Ukraine’s aviation market post-war demonstrates the company’s long-term strategic vision and belief in the region’s potential. Despite current financial challenges and operational disruptions, the airline remains committed to its ambitious plans for re-entering and expanding in the Ukrainian market.

Read also:

• Ambitious plans: Wizz Air aims to be the first airline to return to this war-torn country
• Unexpectedly, Wizz Air closes another Budapest flight, but plans to expand in Central Asian country

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