Doncaster Sheffield-3

[OzzyOzBorn]

Wizz is a ULCC by definition (Ultra Low Cost Carrier). And the portfolio of airports served by a carrier of this sort is substantial. Now it is entirely understandable that you may consider the airport closest to you to be a special case deserving of bespoke attention. But from the perspective of a major airline, that notion is a nonsense. Do you really suppose that they would be minded to throw money (ULCC, remember) at local awareness campaigns in around 100 different cities (each of which thinks they are the deserving one). No, these days the big spend goes on generic brand awareness across all markets via the usual familiar channels. If your area is getting afew radio ads then you're very fortunate ... though perhaps you may be entitled to wonder whether it is the airline or airport / local government interests who is actually footing the bill for this? If the airline has agreed a marketing support package with the host airport as part of the terms to establish the operation, I can make an educated guess as to who it won't be!

[TimmyW]

Some significant increase on frequencies for TUI from summer 2022.
Faro added and and Hurghada year round rather than just winter.

62 departures per week, looks like 4, maybe even 5 based aircraft.

[G-FORZ]

Wizz to Jersey

Don't know if I missed this but DSA-Jersey Now bookable Fri/Mon starting 09/07/21

[YorkshirePud]

JER ought to work, it was always popular when BE operated the route. The Wizz offering does seem to be at the expense of PMI though and only for a couple of months..?

[egcntristar]

Formal announcement made by airport ref Tui summer 2022, stating another based aircraft which would make 5.

Free Press Link

[egcntristar]

Its not an exhaustive list but what is currently on sale includes.

Alicante 2 x weekly
Antalya 3 x weekly
Bourgas 2 x weekly
Corfu 3 x weekly
Crete 2 x weekly
Dalaman 4 x weekly
Dubrovnik 1 x weekly
Enfidha 1 x weekly
Faro 2 x weekly
Gran Canaria 1 x weekly
Girona 1 x weekly
Hurghada 2 x weekly
Ibiza 2 x weekly
Kefalonia 2 x weekly
Kos 2 x weekly
Lanzarote 3 x weekly
Malaga 3 x weekly
Menorca 2 x weekly
Palma 6 x weekly
Paphos 2 x weekly
Pula 2 x weekly
Reus 2 x weekly
Rhodes 3 x weekly
Tenerife 3 x weekly
Zante 3 x weekly

[TimmyW]

Wizz flights to the Canaries pushed back to September.
Alicante starts in August now.

More chopping and changing from Wizz - and with the Cardiff news today, you have to expect more changes to come.

How can anyone book a Wizz flight with any confidence at the moment? It's ridiculous.

[BA318]

Its the same for most carriers. BA is constantly chopping and changing schedules. EasyJet cancelled loads then rescheduled some. Not really fair to lay the plane at a single airline when Governments are also constantly chopping and changing rules and requirements.

[ATNotts]

Trying to run a passenger airline, and keeping your financial head above water whilst fending off irritated customers must be an almost impossible juggling act at the moment. I really don't envy anyone involved, they have my admiration for keeping their sanity intact!

[TimmyW]

A lot is the poor communication. Wizz play up a load of media fan fare, then quietly cancel routes and bases, with stock answers to customers on Twitter, rather than the UK MD coming out and saying whats happening and the reasons behind what is happening.

I wonder if the DSA push back to September has been done to coincide with furlough ending, which would make sense if their UK crew is on furlough.

[ATNotts]

The whole business model of the low cost industry is minimal staffing, overwhelmingly web based customer service and no time for proper "human" communication. It makes for cr@p customer service at the best of times. The MD probably feels he has better things to do with his time than, say, going on the breakfast TV and getting a handbagging from some consumer journalist or another. And, in these times, he's probably right.

[BA318]

All airlines, even most companies do that. You don’t want media attention for negatives. BA doesn’t send out the CEO to justify why they have dropped LHR-HEL or GOT. It’s just quietly dropped. What airline does issue press releases and makes a song and dance about cutting routes?

Most companies are not going to give all the reasons behind business decisions to the general public. Wizz Air are not behaving differently to any other carrier.

[TimmyW]

Most of the the new Wizz based flights now pushed back again to October.

Guessing the demand isn't there yet to operate the flights.

[TimmyW]

Wizz have taken a number of routes off sale until next summer.

You have to wonder whether this base will ever get fully operational.

[SKOJB]

same could also be said with Cardiff

[TimmyW]

I know someone who's had their flight to Faro cancelled five times with Wizz from DSA. Wouldn't it be better just to cancel them all together, rather than messing around.
How many potential customers have been lost as a result I wonder?

[ATNotts]

That looks like sound common sense to me, write this year off and start afresh in 2022.

[G-FORZ]

TimmyW looks like Faro is gone until end of March 22, it’s a light route between Oct -Mar with the exception of Christmas but even then look at the frequency at Man with EZY this year. Some steady routes look to be reinstated in next couple of weeks ALC, LCA, ACE, TFS, FUE so all doesn’t look lost.

[MDS]

Regarding Wizz, it's disappointing.

I was hopeful to try them out of DSA on a few routes this winter but the constant delays, strange fare structure, and employment practices (other threads) makes them look like an inept poundshop Ryanair.

I think they've damaged their presence with the local market as they could be deemed seriously unreliable whilst every other airline in similar markets (FR, EZY, LS) is operating a sustained schedule.

I could book with Wizz out of DSA and risk having my flights pushed back ad nauseum (which would cost me substantially more money having to rebook with other airlines) or book initially with a reliable competitor out of LBA/MAN/EMA.

[TimmyW]

Speaking to someone who used the Alicante route a week or two ago, he said there were about 30 people on the flight. Clearly, they will cut routes if they perform like this. Again - you have to question whether the demand at DSA is there. Other than TUI, it has never been able to keep other carriers. Personally, I don't see the Wizz base being a success, they wouldn't be constantly messing with the schedule, alienating customers if they were serious about it, especially now when restrictions are easing and people are looking to travel again.