Wizzair-2
Added to which many countries are probably going to insist that visitors have the covid-19 app on their phones. Problem......the UK app apparently won't be compatible with the rest of Europe (perhaps the world) so guess what.....we'll need an adapter, or in reality have to download another app. One day we'll do things in step with other nations (and that's not an EU jibe). Why make things easy for Brits travelling, when you can make it difficult?
Wizz Air Holdings Plc is plotting a major expansion at London Gatwick airport as rival carriers pull back, paving the way for the Hungarian low-cost carrier to emerge from the travel downturn with a bigger presence in the world’s busiest city for passenger traffic.
Wizz, Europe’s third-biggest discounter, is keen to expand its U.K. business beyond a base at Luton, north of London, if it can get hold of the operating slots, Chief Executive Officer Jozsef Varadi said Wednesday in a phone interview. He said he’d like to turn Gatwick, located south of the capital city, into its second British hub.
The coronavirus crisis, while devastating to travel worldwide, is still providing opportunities for the handful of airlines that have the means and boldness to take risks. Wizz, which has signaled it will press its growth plans during the slump, has risen quickly in Eastern Europe but lags far behind Ryanair Holdings Plc and EasyJet Plc in the U.K. and much of western Europe.
An opening has emerged at Gatwick, where Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. said this week it will pull out and focus on London Heathrow to help ride out the Covid-19 pandemic. British Airways is reportedly looking to do the same, and with Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, Gatwick’s No. 3 tenant, retrenching to survive the winter, the once full airport could soon have space for new entrants.
“We’ve been looking at Gatwick for a long time and we absolutely have an ambition to build a base there,” Varadi said.
Varadi said any expansion at Gatwick is contingent on being able to secure ownership of operating slots, as he wants to avoid taking over capacity temporarily only to hand it back later.
“We wouldn’t want to lease slots,” Varadi said. “You don’t make an investment in building up a business and the other guy then changes his mind.”
Budapest-based Wizz currently has only a handful of flights into Gatwick, whereas it bases 10 planes at Luton with a further 25 flying in from locations in mainland Europe. Since Gatwick is a bigger airport with a more developed infrastructure, an operation there could be at least that size, the CEO said.
Gatwick’s higher charges might be an obstacle to expansion for a carrier that boasts Europe’s lowest cost base, though those might come down as other airlines depart.
Varadi said he’s also unsure that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will actually surrender takeoff and landing positions. Virgin CEO Shai Weiss said Tuesday the intention is to lease out the slots until the market revives and a return to Gatwick becomes viable.
Wizz sought to establish itself as a force at Gatwick last year, when it was a contender for slots from failed Thomas Cook Group Plc. Those were bought by EasyJet, Gatwick’s biggest operator, while positions vacated by Monarch Airlines in 2017 went to British Airways owner IAG SA after Wizz had bid.
Business at Gatwick was booming before the coronavirus crisis crushed demand and prompted groundings of entire airline fleets. The airport, traditionally a leisure hub, had aspired to snag some of Heathrow’s full-service passengers, with French owner Vinci SA seeking to convert an emergency runway for regular use.
Credit Bloomberg
Wizz, Europe’s third-biggest discounter, is keen to expand its U.K. business beyond a base at Luton, north of London, if it can get hold of the operating slots, Chief Executive Officer Jozsef Varadi said Wednesday in a phone interview. He said he’d like to turn Gatwick, located south of the capital city, into its second British hub.
The coronavirus crisis, while devastating to travel worldwide, is still providing opportunities for the handful of airlines that have the means and boldness to take risks. Wizz, which has signaled it will press its growth plans during the slump, has risen quickly in Eastern Europe but lags far behind Ryanair Holdings Plc and EasyJet Plc in the U.K. and much of western Europe.
An opening has emerged at Gatwick, where Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd. said this week it will pull out and focus on London Heathrow to help ride out the Covid-19 pandemic. British Airways is reportedly looking to do the same, and with Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, Gatwick’s No. 3 tenant, retrenching to survive the winter, the once full airport could soon have space for new entrants.
“We’ve been looking at Gatwick for a long time and we absolutely have an ambition to build a base there,” Varadi said.
Varadi said any expansion at Gatwick is contingent on being able to secure ownership of operating slots, as he wants to avoid taking over capacity temporarily only to hand it back later.
“We wouldn’t want to lease slots,” Varadi said. “You don’t make an investment in building up a business and the other guy then changes his mind.”
Budapest-based Wizz currently has only a handful of flights into Gatwick, whereas it bases 10 planes at Luton with a further 25 flying in from locations in mainland Europe. Since Gatwick is a bigger airport with a more developed infrastructure, an operation there could be at least that size, the CEO said.
Gatwick’s higher charges might be an obstacle to expansion for a carrier that boasts Europe’s lowest cost base, though those might come down as other airlines depart.
Varadi said he’s also unsure that British Airways and Virgin Atlantic will actually surrender takeoff and landing positions. Virgin CEO Shai Weiss said Tuesday the intention is to lease out the slots until the market revives and a return to Gatwick becomes viable.
Wizz sought to establish itself as a force at Gatwick last year, when it was a contender for slots from failed Thomas Cook Group Plc. Those were bought by EasyJet, Gatwick’s biggest operator, while positions vacated by Monarch Airlines in 2017 went to British Airways owner IAG SA after Wizz had bid.
Business at Gatwick was booming before the coronavirus crisis crushed demand and prompted groundings of entire airline fleets. The airport, traditionally a leisure hub, had aspired to snag some of Heathrow’s full-service passengers, with French owner Vinci SA seeking to convert an emergency runway for regular use.
Credit Bloomberg
The A321XLRs won't even begin to be delivered until 2023... I imagine Wizz will want to see a couple of summers with strong and profitable demand from LGW before even contemplating anything to do with long haul at Gatwick - and even then for the first year, it'll likely be just to the east coast of N. America or the UAE
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Not so many places currently
Age: 60
Posts: 3,786
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
I think the question will be if Norwegian & Virgin survive, how long can they hold onto slots without using them. I doubt Wizzair will be interested in leases or buy them if they can pick them up later from an Adminstrators cheaper.
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Doncaster
Age: 41
Posts: 556
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Wonder if the rumoured doncaster base will still happen.
The terminal work which recently secured funding was to provide more gates for a new based airline, which was rumoured to be Wizz in 2021.
The terminal work which recently secured funding was to provide more gates for a new based airline, which was rumoured to be Wizz in 2021.
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Northern Ireland
Posts: 2,781
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If Wizz makes a move at scale at Gatwick, so much so to deter Ryanair, easyJet has a real challenge on it's hands, given Wizz cost position as Ultra Low Cost. If such an event took place you could see easyJet needing to fundamentally transform its own cost base. Alternatively, given the other opportunities that may arise around Europe, would Ryanair make a serious investment at Gatwick?
The big question is what airlines will migrate from LTN and STN?
The big question is what airlines will migrate from LTN and STN?
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: In the sticks
Posts: 9,843
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
If it follows what happened at easyjet, they expanded rapidly at Luton. Eventually opening a base at Gatwick. Luton lost ground with easyjet contracting their Luton operation then eventually doing a deal and expanding Luton again, which might have more to do with running out of Gatwick slots.
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: UK
Posts: 127
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
cocked for some UK expansion. So a base at their fairly busy UK destination of Doncaster was mentioned. Luton crew were asked if they would be willing to move bases to Doncaster. But then the decision was made not to expand or recruit for the UK until the effects of Brexit were more clear.
A month later, Coronavirus hit. To my knowledge, Luton’s size has been reduced by 35%, with 50 pilots made redundant. This is where we are now. So sadly, UK expansion is anyone’s guess.
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Not so many places currently
Age: 60
Posts: 3,786
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: Planet no. 3
Posts: 108
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
To be fair, if you own an airline like that, you kind of have to appear bullish in public to stimulate demand. Personally, I can’t see it happening in the UK, with the way the government is mishandling the whole thing.
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Switzerland ... oh wait: Swaziland
Posts: 797
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No, they are just living in different countries to the one you do where the virus business was not scr&@d up royally like in yours. I know a Hungarian doctor working in the UK who was trying to wear a mask but she was told to remove it "not to cause panic amongst the patients". In the first week of April. Ta-daaa, she and all her colleagues catched it but they were not even tested officially ever since (she had to arrange a test through private channels). You don't give a d. for too long (because for some reason you believe your politicians even the ones looking like someone just escaped The Muppet Show) then you overreact. Life will go on.
Join Date: May 2011
Location: IOM
Posts: 967
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
No, they are just living in different countries to the one you do where the virus business was not scr&@d up royally like in yours. I know a Hungarian doctor working in the UK who was trying to wear a mask but she was told to remove it "not to cause panic amongst the patients". In the first week of April. Ta-daaa, she and all her colleagues catched it but they were not even tested officially ever since (she had to arrange a test through private channels). You don't give a d. for too long (because for some reason you believe your politicians even the ones looking like someone just escaped The Muppet Show) then you overreact. Life will go on.
Secondly, Wizz may well have the first move advantage. But if a transmission takes place on one of their aircraft, they’ll forever be the airline that chose pocket over common sense.
Any whiff of an EU-wide aviation directive on social distancing will impact on all these grand Wizz plans. I get he wants to talk to talk, but he’s setting himself up for one almighty fall here.