Wizzair

[CCFAIRPORT]

NEW ROUTE

Katowice to Dubai World Central Airport

Starts 31 October 2016

2pw (Mo,Fr)

[TBSC]

The 3rd route from Nis, Serbia:


Nis-Dortmund (3x wekly from August)

[jdcg]

Anyone got any tips for buying cheap tickets with Wizz? They always come out more expensive than EasyJet or Ryanair, especially inward to UK. I'd love to fly with them but they're priced almost like full service

[davidjohnson6]

jdcg - be flexible on dates of travel and route. Peak prices are typically because of high demand. Try to avoid Bulgarian beaches in August, and anywhere around UK bank or school holidays. Consider combining Wizzair with another airline (eg Ryanair outbound, Wizzair return) as this may well reduce the cost - look at Google flights for help on this.

You can find climate data on the web (eg wikipedia) for many cities in Europe; September can have surprisingly pleasant weather and avoids the August peak. If you're thinking of going to a major city (e.g. Prague or Budapest) there will be plenty of things to keep you entertained indoors so travelling in quieter periods such as October may be worth considering.

Wizz's website has a timetable feature showing fares on a particular route for an entire month. Have a play around with it and you may find dates that work for you.

Wizz's discount club can be good if you're doing 2 or more round trips in a year.

Enjoy your trip !

[TBSC]

Bucharest-London Gatwick (daily A-321), replacing the evening OTP-LTN flight from 18JUN.

[jdcg]

davidjohnson6 - thank you! We're wanting to fly to NE Poland in early September and wanted to use the new flights to SZY. Flying there is ok, but returns are already over £100 each. We've used FR to KUN before and just wanted to try something different. Whenever I try to use Wizz as an alternative they always come up as more expensive.

[compton3bravo]

Probably because they are popular!

[Curious Pax]

Interesting that Wizz are diversifying their Greater London(ish) offering by starting Gatwick. I wonder if they will look at the same with MAN/LPL/DSA, although I guess their LPL/DSA network is still developing so that may take the focus in the short/medium term.

[DublinPole]

In relation to the post I made earlier:
http://www.pprune.org/9275281-post988.html

The president of Krakow airport has now resigned as many predicted following the appointment of a new chairman last month who was the previous president. The new chairman was widely believed to be a political appointment. There is now even more talk that Wizz are in negotiations with KRK.

[DublinPole]

Jan Pamuła as expected has reigned as president of Krakow airport just two months after the political appointment of former president Kamil Kaminski as chairman. The two never got on in the past, with Kaminski having connections to LOT and being less favorable to Ryanair whereas Pamuła was more in favour of low cost carriers.

This will fuel speculation from two months ago that Wizz seeing a possible opening in Krakow and certainly it may make Ryanair try and play Krakow and Katowice off one another more because they are going to find negotiations tougher in Krakow now I would say.

There is still ongoing rumors about Modlin Airport with Polish State Airports wanting to take over control of that in addition to the main airport in Warsaw and run them as a duo airport strategy, however Polish State Airports showed much less interests in Modlin until the growth of that airport started to grow at a large rate, and many believe that they would like to take over that airport in a bid to stunt Ryanair's growth to protect LOT at Chopin airport.

With Wizz tending to have a much better relationship with Polish State Airports, this could be good this for them in both Krakow and Warsaw.

[CCFAIRPORT]

New routes

Katowice to Tenerife
Katowice to Lanzarote

Both begins october 2016

[Seljuk22]

BUD-FUE & BUD-ACE each one weekly from November

KTW-DWC will be launched with 3 weekly flights instead of planned 2 weekly

[compton3bravo]

Great video on YouTube of a A321 doing three flybys at Budapest yesterday. The video is 3.45 minutes long. Health and safety Na!!

[TBSC]

Podgorica-Bergamo 2x weekly from August
Podgorica-Memmingen 2x weekly from August

[Bournemouth Air]

There has been lots of talk about flights to return from Bournemouth to Poland. - any possiblity

[Nakata77]

Heard they are exploring returning to Bournemouth for W16 and possibly not just Poland.

[Boeing737-8]

Wizz Air reaches 20 million passengers per annum milestone (http://www.anna.aero/2016/05/18/wizz-air-reaches-20-million-passengers-per-annum-milestone/)

[TBSC]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vyqI8BPRQpc

[TBSC]

New routes announced on the 12th anniversary of the first flight (Katowice-Luton on 19 May 2004) today:

Aircraft #7 to be based in Sofia from December:

Sofia-Doncaster (2x weekly from 23DEC)
Sofia-Basel (2x weekly from 23DEC)
Sofia-Nuremberg (2x weekly from 21DEC)

Aircraft #9 to be based in Bucharest from December:

Bucharest-Tenerife (2x weekly from 02NOV)

The 5th A-321ceo (aircraft #68) will start flying in OTP tomorrow (four are already in use in BUD).

[Boeing737-8]

20 Dec
Luton to Sofia goes from 18 weekly to 3 daily.

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air sole bidder for West-Balkan routes | The Budapest Business Journal on the web | bbj.hu (http://bbj.hu/business/wizz-air-sole-bidder-for-west-balkan-routes_116395?)

[TBSC]

20 million pax (+21%), load factor 88,2% (+1,5 pp), revenue up 16%, underlying net profit EUR 224 million (+53%), profit margin 15,7%.

Final Results - RNS - London Stock Exchange (http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/news/market-news/market-news-detail/WIZZ/12828409.html)

[nguba]

Worth noting that Wizz Air has been cited in the press as a potential acquisition target for International Airlines Group.

[TBSC]

Gdasnk-Kiev (2x weekly from 02AUG)
Vilnius-Nice (2x weekly from 03AUG)

[TBSC]

Budapest-Porto from September.
Cluj-Malaga from August.

[Boeing737-8]

01/07/2016

WIZZ AIR OPENS ITS IASI BASE

SIXTH BASE IN ROMANIA, 1 BASED AIRBUS A320, 8 ROUTES

Wizz Air, the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe, and Romania’s largest airline today celebrates the opening of its newest Romanian base in Iasi. The airline is initially deploying one Airbus A320 aircraft to be based at Iasi International Airport operating five new routes from Iasi to Larnaca, Bologna, Tel Aviv, Catania and Rome Ciampino starting from 1 July.

Already served by WIZZ flights, Iasi is becoming WIZZ’s sixth Romanian airport with base operations. The new aircraft increases the number of routes served from Iasi to eight and will triple the seat capacity to 265,000 in 2016. The airline hopes this will stimulate the local job market in aviation and tourism sectors as consumers will have access to more low cost routes.

[Seljuk22]

01.08. INI-FMM 2/7
03.08. INI-EIN 2/7
03.08. SCV-BGY 2/7
02.08. KTW-BRI 2/7
03.08. WAW-SPU 2/7
03.08. BUD-VAR 2/7
31.10. TZL-BLL 2/7
01.11. WRO-IEV 2/7
01.11. SKP-HAJ 2/7
01.11. IEV-HAJ 2/7
13.12. OTP-HAJ 2/7
16.12. OTP-BLL 2/7
17.12. TZL-SXF 2/7
14.01. GDN-GNB 1/7
14.01. VNO-GNB 1/7

HAJ is a new airport for W6.

[j636]

Wizz claim to cut UK growth by 50% (4 to 2 aircraft) and capacity increase 30 to 15%.

https://skift.com/2016/07/20/wizz-air-is-cutting-back-on-its-uk-growth-plans-following-brexit-vote/

[Seljuk22]

2nd A320 will be based at Tuzla from end of March
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2016/08/31/wizz-air-announces-major-expansion-in-bosnia-and-herzegovina#/

2nd aircraft will be based a Belgrade next May
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2016/08/31/wizz-air-expands-in-serbia#/

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air's passenger numbers rise 17% in August - Sharecast (http://sharecast.com/news/wizz-air-s-passenger-numbers-rise-17-in-august/24908391.html?)

[01475]

Should the existence of a Tuzla - Vaxjo route be less surprising than I find it (which is very)?

[Seljuk22]

6th A320 will be based at KTW next summer
https://book.wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen482

[AirportPlanner1]

Lots of Bosnians and others from that region ended up in Sweden. It's basically the equivalent of Doncaster-Katowice, which might appear equally odd to a Swede.

[Seljuk22]

Just think of Zlatan Ibrahimovic ...

[01475]

@AirportPlanner1: Ah! I see.

Oddly enough the airport the route did indeed initially make me think of was Doncaster, but then thought about just how many routes Doncaster and Tuzla have compared to Vaxjo, and decided that the comparison was more something like a random route springing up from Durham Tees Valley to Chisinau!

[Ametyst1]

Wizz Air will commence a twice weekly Liverpool to Lublin service from 21 May 2017 operating every Wednesday and Sunday.

Also, for next summer, Liverpool to Budapest will increase to 3 weekly and will be flown by Airbus A321s in place of A320s.

[KayPam]

Could anyone from Wizzair, or having worked there, sum up their experience there ?
Rosters, hours per year, work environment, etc..

Are the payscales here accurate ?
Wizzair pilot jobs news for airline pilots and aviation schools (http://www.pilotjobsnetwork.com/jobs/Wizzair)

Thanks

[Buster the Bear]

(ShareCast News) - Central and Eastern Europe-focused low-cost airline Wizz Air reported a rise in passenger numbers and load factor in September.
Passenger numbers were up 17.9% to 2.14m, while the load factor - which gauges how full the flights were - edged up to 91.6% from 90.9%.

On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger numbers increased 19.4% to 21.83m and the load factor rose to 88.6% from 87.8%.

In September, the airline continued to expand its network and strengthen its customer offering, opening its 25th operating base in Kutaisi, Georgia.

It also expanded its network to 129 airports with four new destinations on sale to and from Satu Mare in Romania, Eilat in Israel, Faro in Portugal and Lamezia Terme in Italy.

[Boeing737-8]

https://book.wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen498

[Seljuk22]

New routes:

10th December Warsaw-Eilat 2 weekly
17th December Kiev-Bratislava 2 weekly

26th March
Chisinau-Berlin & Chisinau-Barcelona each 2 weekly
Sofia-Varna daily & Sofia-Catania 2 weekly
Warsaw-Billund 2 weekly
Bucharest-Lamezia Terme 2 weekly
Craiova-Beauvais & Craiova-Treviso each 2 weekly

1st April Budapest-Faro 2 weekly
10th April Budapest-Hanover 4 weekly & Budapest-Bergen 2 weekly
12th April Budapest-Lamezia Terme 2 weekly

A 11th aircraft will be based at W6 biggest base at Budapest next April.

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air announces New Routes from Tuzla - Sarajevo Times (http://www.sarajevotimes.com/?p=109026)

[pabely]

Amazing how Wizzair basing an airplane generates 36 jobs whilst Ryanair creates thousands per airplane ;)

[Seljuk22]

A 7th aircraft will be based at WAW at the end of June and 7 new routes (VNO, IEV, BTS, LYS, NCE, SUF, OTP) will be launched.
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2016/10/25/wizz-air-expands-in-warsaw#/

[Seljuk22]

2nd aircraft for Craiova
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2016/11/28/wizz-air-expands-in-craiova#/

[Seljuk22]

Additional A321 routes published and A321 will be based at VNO and GDN
WizzAir expands A321 routes in S17 :: Routesonline (http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/270204/wizzair-expands-a321-routes-in-s17/)

[Seljuk22]

Cluj will receive a 6th based aircraft from summer 2017
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2016/12/13/wizz-air-announces-massive-expansion-in-cluj-napoca#/

[1sky]

Wizz Air to open a base in Varna, Bulgaria from July 2017:

Milan BGY (2 weekly)
Dortmund (3 weekly)
Eindhoven (2 weekly)
Memmingen (2 weekly)
Larnaca (2 weekly)
London LTN increased from 7 to 10 weekly.

[TBSC]

A second aircraft is to be based in Kyiv, Ukraine (again) with new routes to CPH and NUE (from August).

The following new flights will be started from Hungary:


Debrecen - Tel-Aviv (2x weekly from 26MAR)
Budapest - Podgorica (2x weekly from April)
Budapest - Tirana (2x weekly from April)
Budapest - Sarajevo (2x weekly from April)
Budapest - Skopje (2x weekly from April)
Budapest - Pristina (2x weekly from April)

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air Holdings PLC December 2016 Traffic Statistics - ADVFN (http://uk.advfn.com/stock-market/london/wizz-air-WIZZ/share-news/Wizz-Air-Holdings-PLC-December-2016-Traffic-Statis/73533529)

[1sky]

Wizz Air to follow Ryanair's lead and announce flights from FRA.

[Buster the Bear]

Rumoured first destination will be Sofia from Frankfurt.

[Jorik]

Frankfurt (FRA) - Sofia (SOF) starting May 2017
Frankfurt (FRA) - Budapest (BUD) starting December 2017

Both operated daily by the Airbus A321

[CCFAIRPORT]

3 NEW ROUTES FROM SKOPJE

Malta
Rome-CIA
Smaland-Vaxjo

[CCFAIRPORT]

Budapest to Bordeaux (from September 2017)

[Buster the Bear]

Low-cost Hungarian carrier Wizz Air has announced a bumper rise in passenger numbers for last month.

Passenger numbers rose 21.8 per cent to 1.7m compared to the same month last year, while load factor, gauging how full the planes are, rose from 86.4 per cent in February 2016 to 91.9 per cent.

On a rolling 12 month basis, passenger numbers rose 19 per cent to 23.44m.

[TBSC]

Wizz returns to LWO, adds new destinations from IEV:


Lviv-Berlin SXF, 2x weekly from June
Kiev-Poznan, 2x weekly from August
Kiev-Lublin, 2x weekly from August
Kiev-Frankfurt Hahn, 3x weekly from August

[CCFAIRPORT]

1 NEW ROUTE FROM KATOWICE

Athens (from winter 2017 2pw)

[davidjohnson6]

Wizz really extending its network map now - opening a route between Budapest and Astana in Kazakhstan - flight time is about 5h30 on what appears to be an A320. Presumably this is for people wishing to self-connect in Budapest

As many of the people reading this are based in the UK, I suppose an A320 could fly Luton-Astana non-stop (Gulf Air fly Bahrain to Paris in an A320 but with rather fewer seats) and would be flying over land virtually all the way, but I imagine it probably would take a hefty payload penalty to avoid the risk of having to refuel. The relative absence of potential diversionary runways in large areas of Kazakhstan and need for hotels for crew rest might also be factors prohibiting a Luton-Astana route. No idea what a UK-Kazakhstan bilateral says though

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz really extending its network map now - opening a route between Budapest and Astana in Kazakhstan - flight time is about 5h30 on what appears to be an A320. Presumably this is for people wishing to self-connect in Budapest

As many of the people reading this are based in the UK, I suppose an A320 could fly Luton-Astana non-stop (Gulf Air fly Bahrain to Paris in an A320 but with rather fewer seats) and would be flying over land virtually all the way, but I imagine it probably would take a hefty payload penalty to avoid the risk of having to refuel. The relative absence of potential diversionary runways in large areas of Kazakhstan and need for hotels for crew rest might also be factors prohibiting a Luton-Astana route. No idea what a UK-Kazakhstan bilateral says though

In range of a Neo though.

[Seljuk22]

Current fleet: 80 aircrafts (63 A320 + 17 A321)

Bases and based aircrafts

Budapest 11
Bucharest 9
Sofia 7
Cluj 6
Katowice 6
Warsaw 6 (7 from July)
Gdansk 5
Vilnius 4
Skopje 3 (4 from July)
Craiova 2
Riga 2
Timisoara 2
Tuzla 2
Poznan 2
Belgrade 1 (2 from May)
Wroclaw 1
Chisinau 1
Debrecen 1
Iasi 1
Kiev 1 (2 from August)
Kosice 1
Kutaisi 1
Lublin 1
Prague 1
Sibiu 1
Targu Mures 1
London (Luton) 1 (from June)
Varna 1 (from July)

[01475]

Thanks for that list! You learn something every day!

In my ignorance, and blinded by the length of the list of destinations, I had just assumed Wizz already had aircraft based at Luton!

[mwm991]

Looks like Lublin and Poznan have been chopped from GLA for the winter, following Vilnius last year.

[marko1]

Kosice dropped from Bristol as well.

[GLAEDI]

Looks like Wizz have struggled with FR at Glasgow. They duplicated or flew cities close by like Polanga in LTU.

[mockingjay]

And someone will be along to blame Brexit in 3, 2, 1....

[CabinCrewe]

Perhaps they could try other bigger Euro cities from GLA instead of the smaller secondary city migration markets. Wizz have a huge network with lots of opportunities. Brexit must undoubtedly have an impact for these types of routes. Maybe Blue Air will step up as they have elsewhere.

[ATNotts]

And someone will be along to blame Brexit in 3, 2, 1....
There's anecdotal evidence that several sectors, including the NHS, where application from European candidates for jobs has fallen since the Brexit referendum. There will be various reasons for that, but Wizz relies to a large extent on Eastern European workers traveling between their countries of origin and UK to sustain their UK routes, so it can only be expected that some routes may come under pressure.

Hopefully, with a common sense solution to the Brexit talks, any down turn may be only temporary, but we shall see; but anyway it's out of the hands of the airlines, and their passengers.

[racedo]

Perhaps they could try other bigger Euro cities from GLA instead of the smaller secondary city migration markets. Wizz have a huge network with lots of opportunities. Brexit must undoubtedly have an impact for these types of routes. Maybe Blue Air will step up as they have elsewhere.

On flights to Eastern Europe I would say Wizz Air is 80% Eastern Europeans 20% Brits, Ryanair 50-50 and Easyjet 20 % EE - 80 % Brits.

People will chop and change depending on availability / price but seems to be what I am seeing.

[01475]

Wizz and in particular Blue have a habit of flying to places you would only want to go to if you lived there, at times that very often reflect the same!

[inOban]

It always surprises me that there are no flights to the major cities of the old Yugoslavia - Zagreb, Belgrade, possibly even Sarajevo.

[davidjohnson6]

I believe Wizz have plenty of routes from Belgrade and have 1 route from Sarajevo
Do Ljubljana, Nis, Osijek, Pristina, Split. Skopje and Tuzla count as important ? Wizz flies to all of these cities, although admittedly these seem to be much more centred on routes to central Europe countres (rather than the UK) instead compared to routes from Poland

[darren1]

Yugoslavia finished 25 years ago so the locals hate hearing this reference. Wizz tried Zagreb and the locals preferred OU and BA. Wizz have a base at BEG. Serbs, Bosnians, Kosovans and Macedonians need a visa for the UK so fair play to Wizz for offering theses routes. LTN to SPU and LJU are mainly for UK tourists.

[inOban]

I am well aware of the history! And I was specifically referring to flights from Scotland. After all there are​ flights from GLA and/or EDI to most of the major cities of central Europe, just not to the cities I mentioned.

[SWBKCB]

And I was specifically referring to flights from Scotland

Might help the rest of us if you mention it in your post, then :ok:

[mockingjay]

It's interesting how Scotland is losing flights. Luton, England has gained a WIZZ base, increased frequencies and upguages to A321.

[LTNman]

Even Eastern Europeans draw the line at living in Scotland:E

[VickersVicount]

Have English bases gained the exact same routes that GLA has lost?

[A320.b744]

It's interesting how Scotland is losing flights. Luton, England has gained a WIZZ base, increased frequencies and upguages to A321.

Luton is Wizz Air's London base so you'd expect them to be expanding. Luton only becomes a base in June and will be home to only one A320. The airline will serve 42 destinations, 39 of which are served by non-based aircraft. It makes logistical sense to have a very well served airport become a base for the airline.

Airlines serve routes that have demand and make money. Wizz Air specialise in flights to Eastern Europe, so they will serve UK destinations that have high levels of Eastern Europeans. It doesn't depend on the total population of the area, as a service to say Paris might do. For example, Doncaster/Sheffield handles barely 1 million annual passengers, but the demand is there to operate 12 routes to Eastern Europe. Bristol has a much larger catchment area, but is only able to sustain three Wizz Air routes.

Evidently the demand is not there to sustain a Glasgow-Lublin service, meaning there are probably only small numbers of Eastern Poles living in Glasgow. However, if Wizz do research and find that lots of Lithuanians have moved to Scotland, they'll probably start a Vilnius service. If you look at all UK airports served by Wizz Air, each airport has a completely different combination of destinations based on the demographics of that area.

Regarding Wizz Air upgrading services to the A321, it's a much more efficient and gradual way to increase capacity on a route, and you shouldn't read into it too much. Remember that most of Wizz Air's routes to the UK are served only 2-3 times a week, so it's not as if they're adding thousands of extra seats a week on UK routes. For example, if Wizz serve a route twice weekly with an A320 and want to increase capacity, their options are to add a third weekly flight, or upgrade to the A321.

x2 weekly A320: 38,800 annual seats
x2 weekly A321: 49,690 annual seats
x3 weekly A320: 58,320 annual seats

By upgrading to the A321, it allows Wizz Air to increase capacity slightly so that they don't end up flying three half empty A320s each week.

Have English bases gained the exact same routes that GLA has lost?
Here are the UK routes that will be added/dropped by Wizz Air this year;

Glasgow: Lublin dropped
Bristol: Kosice dropped
Liverpool: Lublin added
Luton: Kutaisi, Pristina, Tel Aviv added

[davidjohnson6]

I'm not sure it makes much sense for Wizzair to make Luton into a large base - labour costs are significantly lower in Eastern Europe than London; Wizzair will not want to let their cost base increase any more than absolutely necessary.

In any case, I doubt this is much of an option for Wizzair until there are lots more overnight stands and early morning departure slots available

[01475]

The guessing game for me is which routes will be operated by the based aircraft and why!

I assume it only makes sense to have a based aircraft for a limited number of routes they want to operate to non-bases that can't easily fit into a w pattern either operationally in a convenient manner or because operating the flights at particular times non-based aircraft can't do is strongly beneficial.

Given that they don't really do business routes (or maybe they want start doing so?) timing isn't an issue (and perhaps giving people till later in the morning to get to Luton is even an advantage, seeing as it's not the easiest airport to get to?).

[eu01]

I'm not sure it makes much sense for Wizzair to make Luton into a large base - labour costs are significantly lower in Eastern Europe than London; Wizzair will not want to let their cost base increase any more than absolutely necessary.
In this regard, the contrast between WizzAir and its bigger UK counterpart U2 always intrigued me a bit. Wizz avoiding Western European bases because of costs, EZY avoiding Central-Eastern European bases... why, actually?

[compton3bravo]

Traffic figures for April: 2,318,770 up 30.5% on April 2016. Load factor 90.7% up from 86.5%. Rolling 12 month figure 24,305,955 up 20.2% impressive figures even if Easter was in March last year.

[22/04]

Wizzair are more comparable with Ryanair than Easy- my guess is they have nothing like the "book late pay a premium" business traffic which EasyJet does. The latter will be reluctant to get into a market which doesn't have that traffic. UK sun routes are a bunfight that everyone goes for but with Jet2, Monarch, Ryanair EasyJet Monarch, TUI, Thomas Cook, etc etc in there that's probably too competitive and costly to set up for Wizz. Ryanair have of course gone for Eastern Europe to some extent.

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air said it carried 2.3 million passengers in April, up 31% from 1.8 million a year earlier, as its load factor rose by 3.6 percentage points to 90.1% from 86.5%.

On a rolling annual basis, passenger numbers grew by 20% to 24.3 million, while load factor increased by 2.2 percentage points to 90.4% from 88.2%.

[gilesdavies]

while load factor increased by 2.2 percentage points to 90.4% from 88.2%.

Flew Luton to Gdansk last Sunday and back again on Tuesday and was operated by the newly upgraded A321 which was only added to the Gdansk base the week before and both flights were 100% full!

It was a similar story when I flew to Katowice in March.

Nothing seems to be stopping Wizzair, even though they are competing directly with Ryanair on many of the London to Poland routes!

[AvGeek1]

Flew Luton to Gdansk last Sunday and back again on Tuesday and was operated by the newly upgraded A321 which was only added to the Gdansk base the week before and both flights were 100% full!

It was a similar story when I flew to Katowice in March.

Nothing seems to be stopping Wizzair, even though they are competing directly with Ryanair on many of the London to Poland routes!

Strange because both Gdansk and Katowice have both been down on passenger numbers this year showing a decrease in every month of 2017, with them both being down 4% in April.

[Boeing737-8]

Less frequencys per week but more seats on offer on each flight. I read on another forum that 3 a320 flights compared to 2 a321 is a big difference in amount of seats over a period of time.

[TBSC]

It was 19*180 seats/week in April, now it's 13*230 + 3*180/week (3420 vs. 3530).
3 less flights but 110 more seats per week. It's hard to beat the economics of the 230 seater A-321.

[rafael21]

Budapest - Saint Petersburg (2x weekly from 27AUG)

[URL="https://book.wizzair.com/en-GB/about_us/news/wizzen577"]

[Seljuk22]

St. Petersburg will join the network starting 27th August
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2017/05/05/a-wizz-air-%C3%BAj-%C3%BAtvonala-budapestr%C5%91l-szentp%C3%A9terv%C3%A1r-oroszorsz%C3%A1g#/

[TBSC]

Financial figures of fiscal year 2016/17 announced today:


- passengers carried 23,8 million (+19%);
- load factor 90,1% (+1,9 pp);
- revenue 1571 mio EUR (+10%);
- profit (IFRS) 246 mio EUR (+28%);
- profit margin 15,7%;
- free cash at hand 774 mio EUR;
- unit revenue down 8,5% to 3,75 cents/ASK;
- unit cost down 7,8% to 3,15 cents/ASK;
- FY18 profit guidance 250 to 270 mio EUR.


Brexit:

"Reiterating that despite the UK's decision to leave the European Union ("Brexit"), there are no signs of demand weakness on routes to/from the UK. The negative translation effect on British pound revenues due to Brexit in FY2017 is estimated at €17 million, which was absorbed by the rest of Wizz Air's large and diversified route network."

[heberzub]

Link to the above info:

London Stock Exchange - Wizz Air (http://www.londonstockexchange.com/exchange/prices-and-markets/stocks/summary/company-summary/JE00BN574F90JEGBXSTMM.html)

[nguba]

Looks ripe for a takeover bid by IAG...

[Buster the Bear]

Jozsef Varadi, Wizz Air's CEO, said it had been “another year of profitable growth” despite a “trading environment of very low fares and increasing fuel prices”.

“We will continue to expand our route network, drive efficiency in our operating model, grow our ancillary revenue streams and enhance our compelling customer proposition,” added Varadi.

“Growth will continue as a top priority for us and we plan to increase capacity by around 23 per cent and carry nearly 30 million passengers in full-year 2018.”

[davidjohnson6]

nguba - why do you think IAG in particular should buy Wizzair rather than a LCC instead ?

[Bengt]

nguba - why do you think IAG in particular should buy Wizzair rather than a LCC instead ?
- Very little overlap in route coverage compared with Vueling
- More or less identical fleet as Vueling

The above would be similar for Easyjet too, although there would be more overlap (I believe)
Ryanair matches none of the above

[nguba]

I think WizzAir pretty much ticks all the boxes for IAG:

- It's a profitable, cash generative airline with a low cost base and no legacy issues

- It would significantly improve IAG coverage of Central & Eastern Europe with little geographic overlap with existing IAG airlines

- Strong brand with a high market share in CEE

- Lots of scope to improve profitability through IAG group synergies

- It would give IAG a much bigger presence at another London airport

Strong brands that "own" a particular market with lots of potential for growth are exactly what IAG is looking for.

[TBSC]

The first 186-seat A-320 (aircraft #82) was delivered today.

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air has improved its May 2017 capacity by 20.9% to 2.6m, with passenger numbers up 22.2% to 2.4m and load factor rising 1.0ppts to 91.1%.

On a 12-month rolling basis, capacity was up 17.4% to 27.4m, with passenger numbers up 20.3% to 24.7m and load factor rising 2.1ppts to 90.5%.

[racedo]

I think WizzAir pretty much ticks all the boxes for IAG:

- It's a profitable, cash generative airline with a low cost base and no legacy issues

- It would significantly improve IAG coverage of Central & Eastern Europe with little geographic overlap with existing IAG airlines

- Strong brand with a high market share in CEE

- Lots of scope to improve profitability through IAG group synergies

- It would give IAG a much bigger presence at another London airport

Strong brands that "own" a particular market with lots of potential for growth are exactly what IAG is looking for.


Wizzair would see it as a step down being part of IAG, afterall Wizzair get flights away on time with bags everyday.

[ajamieson]

Wizzair would see it as a step down being part of IAG, afterall Wizzair get flights away on time with bags everyday.
On the contrary, I have yet to take a single on-time Wizzair flight this year so BA would be a rather good fit :} (Iberia is very punctual, which spoils the IAG joke somewhat...)

[compton3bravo]

So why would you think BA would help with Wizzair flights being on time? as for Iberia being punctual you are having a laugh aren't you! Suggest you look at the departure times out of Madrid, Barcelona, Malaga etc. Not always there fault of course - ATC, weather etc just the same for Wizzair and any other airline for that matter.

[ajamieson]

:rolleyes: Suggest you consider the facts https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/flightstats-2016-airline-on-time-performance-service-432860/

[TBSC]

Where are the facts in your link? Iberia beating Solaseed Air?


Did you ever work with Spanish handling agents? The only thing they excel in is bending the "facts" (ie. adding 5 mins to every arrival time to have the turnaround time start later and lie every departure 5-10 mins ealier to conceal the delays). Not a single movement time released by them is matching with ACARS data. Something tells me Iberia is no different.

[Seljuk22]

BUD will receive aircrafts No 12 and 13 next summer
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2017/06/23/wizz-air-announces-massive-expansion-of-budapest-network#/

SOF will also be expanded next summer with 2 new routes and 22 additional weekly flights
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2017/06/15/wizz-air-expands-sofia-network-two-new-routes-and-22-additional-weekly-flights#/

10 additional A321ceo were ordered with delivery in 2018 and 2019
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/shownews/2017/06/21/wizz-air-orders-10-additional-a321ceo-aircraft#/

[Buster the Bear]

Low-cost airline Wizz Air reported a 23.6% jump in passenger numbers on the year in June to 2.49m, while the load factor - which gauges how full the flights were - nudged up to 92.3% from 91.7%. On a rolling 12-month basis, passenger numbers were up 20.9% to 25.22m and the load factor increased to 90.5% from 88.4%.

Last month, Wizz opened its first UK base at London Luton airport. The company said at the time that it would base one of its new Airbus A320 aircraft at the airport, increasing operations to 42 routes from Luton, including three new services to Tel Aviv in Israel, Pristina in Kosovo and Kutaisi in Georgia.

[nguba]

Wizzair would see it as a step down being part of IAG, afterall Wizzair get flights away on time with bags everyday.

It would be for Wizzair shareholders to decide whether to accept an offer from IAG, not its management.

[racedo]

It would be for Wizzair shareholders to decide whether to accept an offer from IAG, not its management.


Think you will find management are shareholders as well.

Also many takeover target shareholders will rely on what management says into whether to accept or reject an offer.
Simple reason is that if good management had delivered decent steady returns then trust already built up.

In addition if an offer made which undervalues the business then management will act to either to increase the bid or indicated no sale is going to happen................ a hostile takeover without management support is generally a complete disaster.

[davidjohnson6]

I'm with racedo on this - company directors generally have a legal duty on behalf of shareholders to extract the maximum price possible from a bidder

[davidjohnson6]

I've been looking at fares from Kutaisi to a few Wizz destinations including Luton. Fares in July and August look distinctly lower than I expected given the distances involved

Is Kutaisi perhaps proving to be a little disappointing to Wizz ?

[01475]

People here haven't heard of Georgia, and if they have they've only heard of Tblisi. People in Georgia can now get to most other places in the EU without a visa...

[compton3bravo]

Two new routes from April 2018 -
Kiev to Lisbon
Kiev to TALLINN the first route to Estonia.
Wonder how long a service to Luton from Tallinn?

[Seljuk22]

I love this one:
WIZZ AIR LAUNCHES RESCUE FARES FOR STRANDED RYANAIR PASSENGERS

https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/07/11/wizz-air-launches-rescue-fares-for-stranded-ryanair-passengers#/


8th aircraft for Warsaw
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/07/11/wizz-air-expands-in-warsaw#/

[compton3bravo]

Playing at their own game!

[Seljuk22]

Back in late June Wizz Air announced on their facebook page two new routes (NCE and GOT) and a 10th aircraft for Bucharest starting mid April 2018. Nothing mentioned so far on their website in the News section. Those new routes seems to be bookable though.

Strange that Sofia don't get any more aircraft but additional 22 weekly flights.

Never the less W6 keeps expanding at their main bases despite more competition from FR. Just Prague remains a small base compared to BUD, WAW, OTP, BRU

[Buster the Bear]

Wizz Air Reports 50 Percent Net Profit Increase | Airwise News (http://news.airwise.com/story/wizz-air-reports-50-percent-net-profit-increase)

Looking to open an Israeli base.

[tws123]

Rumours Wizz Air are to launch new route(s) to SEN.

[southside bobby]

You can`t keep "a good SEN boy" down!!...:)))

[Planespeaking]

You can`t keep "a good SEN boy" down!!...:)))

No and nor should you. The South East needs all the airport capacity it can get. If SEN can attract new carriers that is good for jobs, the local economy and the country. It would be good if you cheered it's efforts instead of poking fun.

[southside bobby]

Planespeaking.....Re airport capacity in the SE...mmmmm,refer to the LTN/STN threads perhaps,both airports planning/providing whole lots of extra capacity where the demand is being generated...ie no demand for SEN,which is an opportune development only, in my view...& YES I am an Essex geezer actually so no need to attempt to play every card you can find/think of....Good luck. Apologies to the Wizz thread for the slight drift...

[LTNman]

Capacity is slowing being increased at Luton with regards to slots, stands and the terminal. It is debatable why Wizz would want to operate any services through Southend but we will have to wait and see.

While Southend is clearly unrestricted with regard to slots, the airport can only be described as marginal with is short, narrow CAT 1 runway. While Wizz operate most of their departures from the intersections of Luton's runway, which is similar to Southend's total length, when the weather conditions are not ideal Wizz will backtrack.

[Expressflight]

LTNman

While what you say is true of SEN you can be sure that Wizzair have fully appraised SEN's facilities. As far as the backtrack at LTN is concerned it may be that they prefer to continue using Flex thrust settings rather than TOGA whereas TOGA is the norm for the A320 at SEN.

[TBSC]

Any operators using SEN with 180 seater A-320s with 90% load factor on 2+ hrs routes? The loads on current flights are nowhere close to the needs of Wizz.

[Expressflight]

TBSC

How about easyJet on SEN-PMI with up to 186 pax 5 x weekly this summer?

[southside bobby]

Expressflight...OMG that PMI old chestnut yet again....Anyone can fill a plane down to PMI from any departure `drome especially at present with some popular sunny destinations being out of bounds or "doubtful" with political tensions & if any destination at all is a "classic" from SEN for the older generations in the Southend area it is yer PMI...I think TBSC is referring to the normal Wizz city destinations.He also monitors Wizz closely....

[LTNman]

PMI is the 13th most popular route from Luton. Three Eastern European routes are in the top five so there is an argument that SEN could support the odd route or two.

[tophat27dt]

PMI is the 13th most popular route from Luton. Three Eastern European routes are in the top five so there is an argument that SEN could support the odd route or two.
I quite agree. Both SEN and the airline would have been doing research into the catchment areas and as an alternative to "north of London", so I am sure two or three carefully selected destinations could succeed.

[Expressflight]

southside bobby

It might help if you actually read the post from TBSC before having your customary blast at me.

He specifically asked whether are there "Any operators using SEN with 180-seater A320s with 90% load factor on 2+ hours routes?" I answered his question quoting one example which exceeds his parameters.

I know you would be overjoyed if the A320 could be shown not to be able to operate effectively to many of Wizzair's potential destinations from SEN but that is not the case. Bad luck...

[southside bobby]

LTNman....I still feel as I stated PMI is classic & easy territory (pun intended) from SEN for the town of Southend & the vicinity itself...(some will also remember Tom Hill still as does STN)..LTN is perhaps a different kettle of fish for PMI with far more choice/variety & it always has been the case....Without the analysis (tho you have mentioned public transport) LTN`s appeal to WZZ customers is not so readily transferrable for SEN certainly as TBSC queries to the 90`s+ load factor on any worthwhile frequency & anything else shouldn't be doing it for WZZ...Are you conflating 2 sets of stats for PMI..I am talking load factor & perhaps you are stating the total pax numbers from LTN ranks it as it`s 13th busiest destination..two different things..I would wager the load factor tho is high...hence my point anyone from anywhere can fill a PMI certainly this Summer..

[TBSC]

It was a genuine question as a quick look on SEN traffic today did not show any aircraft bigger than an A319 including the EZY Palma flight. Tomorrow it will be a 320 but there are 30+ free seats to chose from (no clue if there is a lid on it or they try to sell all seats).


SEN-PMI is 1346 km as the crow flies which means that it's closer than the majority of the Wizz bases (except PRG, POZ, WRO and KTW) let alone the other potential destinations further east/south currently operated from LTN.

[Expressflight]

TBSC

I'm sure I've seen loads of 186 pax on the PMI route and I'm pretty sure they do sell all seats. The A320 is actually generally less payload/range restricted than the A319 out of SEN. I did read your original question as relating to possible payload restrictions on the Wizzair routes, rather than the potential demand as other posters seem to have thought you meant.

[southside bobby]

Expressflight....TBSC was asking the question but also went on to state that the loads on current flights from SEN with similar equipment to WZZ "are nowhere close to the needs of WZZ"...he informs of the load factor required for their stage lengths... my posting relates to PMI always being put forward as the bell weather here with my conclusion that PMI is not so valid for the reasons stated..Anyways..tongue in cheek...you write.. "to many of Wizzair`s potential destinations from SEN".....blimey how many are you expecting?..The future of the industry throughout the SE will certainly be "interesting"...So no;good luck..

[southside bobby]

Oooops,sorry,Not trying to speak for TBSC of course & only saw his recent after my last @ 20.11

[Expressflight]

As you say, "Oooops", but not to worry as you weren't alone in thinking he meant market demand.

Let's all wait now to see if anything (or nothing) comes of this Wizzair story shall we?

[TBSC]

I wouldn't worry about market demand, those people need to fly, period. The millions travelling to LTN to fly with Wizz might as well venture to Southend. LTN in its actual state is not a seamless operation to put it mildly hence the odd flights out of STN and BOH earlier and from LGW (and to lesser extent from BHX and BRS) recently. IMHO the short runway and the low category ILS of SEN (vs. the UK weather) are bigger risks than having enough passengers.

[LTNman]

Wizz does seem to have a love love relationship with Luton. One can speculate why but it does give them the flexibility to move crews and aircraft around. They never seem to have a problem in filling their aircraft at Luton and more flights per day to a single destination gives passengers more flexibility to pick a time to suit their requirements thus increasing demand.

They now have bit the bullet and showed their commitment by basing 3 aircraft at Luton flying new routes including to non Eastern European countries. There is a valid question why they would need Southend when Southend falls within Luton's 2 hour catchment area unless Luton ran out of slots but with more capacity for next summer it will help Wizz if required.

The key questions are would flights from Southend give Wizz access to new passengers that would not trek to Bedfordshire. Does Wizz operate from any short field runways at the moment? I would have thought not as most of the airports they fly from that nobody has heard of are ex military bases with long runways.

[Planespeaking]

Wizz does seem to have a love love relationship with Luton. One can speculate why but it does give them the flexibility to move crews and aircraft around. They never seem to have a problem in filling their aircraft at Luton and more flights per day to a single destination gives passengers more flexibility to pick a time to suit their requirements thus increasing demand.

They now have bit the bullet and showed their commitment by basing 3 aircraft at Luton flying new routes including to non Eastern European countries. There is a valid question why they would need Southend when Southend falls within Luton's 2 hour catchment area unless Luton ran out of slots but with more capacity for next summer it will help Wizz if required.

The key questions are would flights from Southend give Wizz access to new passengers that would not trek to Bedfordshire. Does Wizz operate from any short field runways at the moment? I would have thought not as most of the airports they fly from that nobody has heard of are ex military bases with long runways.
It is being reported on another forum today that Wizz have been emailed in response to the rumoured SEN operation. It seems their reply was ' Watch this space ' So we shall see what we shall see!

[DC3 Dave]

I would be surprised if the management at SEN had not invited Wizz for a day out at the seaside. I would be even more surprised if that invitation had been declined. And at such a meeting both sides would have explored the possibility of doing business together and got to understand each other's position. This may well have led to Wizz carrying out a formal assessment of the airport. Why not? If they are not ready now, It could become a useful option a couple of years down the line.

[planedrive]

@LTNman, Dortmund is probably one of the shorter/shortest runways they operate from. 1700m which is only 76m shorter than 08 at Luton from the current intersection. No-where as near as Southend and with them moving to A321's I personally can't see it. They haven't even expanded from their single solitary service at Gatwick which everyone was making a song and dance about a couple of years ago.

[Expressflight]

planedrive

I'm puzzled by your comment "No-where as near as SEN ...." when comparing SEN's runway length to that at Dortmund which you say is 1700m. The context of your comment seemed to suggest that SEN was less than that which is incorrect, but perhaps I mistook your meaning. Maybe I should clarify its physical characteristics:

SEN is limited to declaring ASDA or TODA to below 1800m because its runway width limits it to being a Code 3 classification airfield; thus the TODA on both runways is declared as 1799m. In fact the paved runway is 1856m in length plus a Starter Extension of 135m on 05. LDA is declared as 1604m on both runways but the pavement continues beyond this in both cases. Runway 05 has 240m of paved runway beyond that (declared as a RESA) while 23 has 135m of Starter Extension which is part of the total 227m RESA. In reality this additional pavement is used by all landing A320s because the aircraft rolls out along it to clear 05 via taxiway Alpha or to use the turning circle on the Starter Extension to backtrack to Charlie or Bravo to clear the runway after landing on 23.

Obviously aircraft weights are limited by the declared TODAs of 1799m (or ASDAs of 1739m) and the declared LDAs of 1604m but not many airfields offer the assuring sight of extra pavement beyond these distances. Any operator considering operations from a new airfield will send a technical team to assess the facilities and I'm sure they would be quite pleased to see extra lengths of pavement.

So while SEN's runway is certainly on the short side in comparison to most major airfields, in reality it is not quite as short as the TODA and LDA figures would suggest at first glance.

[tophat27dt]

Expressflight

You totally correctwith the figures as always. The runway taxiways and apron were well inspected twice by Wizzair people, and included a tour of the control tower (best place for the view too!). I realise they plan to re-equip with the A321. Is there a date for the phasing out of the A320s?

[DC3 Dave]

I stand to be corrected, but believe the A320's will start to be replaced in 2019 and that the process to replace them all will take 5 years or so. A lot can change in that period of course.

Can I just add that I've copied the superb summary of the runway provided by Expressflight. It's too good not to. Will try not to infringe his copyright if I refer to it elsewhere!

[brian_dromey]

The NEO versions are supposed to have better short field and take off performance characteristics. I don't know if that would make any appreciable difference.

[southside bobby]

Somehow tho I do get slightly nervous when TODA`s....ASDA`s....& LDA`s are constantly mentioned on this thread...if it is meant as assurance or reassurance be careful it might not help to serve an opposite effect,certainly to parties uneducated in the parlance.No other Aerodrome thread appears to have or need these operational runway length discussions apart from SOU,which is more accepted as marginal for certain ops & a/c...

[Expressflight]

southside bobby

Could I respectfully suggest that you're not obliged to read any discussion that you don't consider appropriate or necessary. The information I gave wasn't intended as "assurance or reassurance" but simply to put the full picture out there and to dispel any possible misconceptions. One thing is for sure and that is that it won't come as news to Wizzair. As tophat27dt informed us they will be fully aware of the numbers.

As for the acronyms I'm happy to write Take-Off Distance Available, Accelerate-Stop Distance Available (what used to be called Emergency Distance), Landing Distance Available and Runway End Safety Area if you feel it would help some readers to better understand my post.

[Seljuk22]

New routes from Eilat this winter
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/08/09/wizz-air-continues-its-massive-expansion-in-israel#/

6th aircraft for Gdansk this December
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/08/10/wizz-air-expands-in-gdansk#/

[southside bobby]

EssexMan61....The weight or NOT of your post says it all really with your reframing of my user name....

[Planespeaking]

EssexMan61....The weight or NOT of your post says it all really with your reframing of my user name....

It would appear that you are receiving some incoming at the moment. It was only a few weeks ago that you were pleading for lesser known airports to be named in full rather than by their three letter codes. Now you are thrown by airport runway details being posted in acronyms rather than plain language. May I suggest that rather than down grade this forum to meet your requirements you take the time and trouble to study your hobby, after all if you were in the industry you wouldn't need to ask such questions . If you Google airport codes and runway details all the information is at your fingertips. Good luck!!

[southside bobby]

Planespeaking....Firstly apologies to the WZZ thread & readers but I just require to briefly & quickly reply to the above.....Right Sir.....You really need to read posts in the forum correctly...so the "pleading" for lesser airports to be named in full on the SEN thread rather than 3 letter codes is NOT attributable to me..you really really need to check again..FYI I am not "thrown" by operational acronyms really,I was merely suggesting above that other more general readers-(yes I know it is a professional forum but I think we all realise...)-perhaps may be & wondering too why declared R/W operational lengths constantly feature on the SEN thread,where they do not on any other....BTW,to refer to your other comment I will not trade with you any personal details which you feel very free to attempt to allude & guess at :))...so enough already...I am very happy to "discuss"(with my limited knowledge as you say) any commercial or operational view or knowledge you may have concerning SEN but on the SEN thread.. & not just personal attacks....So Sir...yes Good Luck..

[AirportPlanner1]

southside had got prolific and most of it is pointless drivel...what is it, bored on school holidays? Perhaps just stick to telling us about new routes at STN, something useful.

[Southenduser]

Ask yourself, would wizz visit SEN twice if they were not seriously considering future ops.They will be only too aware of the numbers, the thames gateway area homes
many many thousands of easten europeans. personally, i believe there is an argument for a lcc to give easten europe routes a serious go.

[Tagron]

brian dromey

Although there was talk two or three years ago that the A320neo would offer improved airfield performance it would appear this may not have been achieved in practice. The issue for Airbus was that the basic weight of the A320neo airframe engine combination was 1.8 tonnes heavier than for the A320ceo and this would have impacted on short runway operations. To rectify this situation Airbus developed a package of aerodynamic improvements with the aim of restoring identical or improved take off performance compared with the A320ceo. This article from Flight Global two months ago explains: -
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/analysis-how-airbus-managed-a-six-variant-a320neo-t-437479/

Whether an improvement was achieved is not clear - one would have thought Airbus would be publicising it more widely if that were the case. What is more certain is that the improved fuel burn of the neo (claimed and apparently corroborated as c.15%) will translate into a useful range increase at full payload from a performance limited runway.

To translate this into real terms, a more useful calibration of A320 performance from SEN (than the examples quoted earlier in this thread) would be to compare the EZY A320 operation from SEN to Tenerife. SEN-TFS is 1611 nautical miles great circle distance and EZY were reported to cap sales to 170 - this was for the 180-seat A320 without sharklets). SEN-ACE was capped at -5. This is for the six month winter period. Now a recent post from a credible poster on the SEN thread indicates that EZY expect to be able operate the A320neo SEN-TFS in winter without restriction , and also during summer though sometimes restricted.

The above figures of course are not absolutes. They represent the commercial and operational assessments of one airline for route planning purposes. A different airline with different routes might adopt a more (or less) conservative approach.

[LTNman]

It would appear that you are receiving some incoming at the moment. It was only a few weeks ago that you were pleading for lesser known airports to be named in full rather than by their three letter codes.

Actually that was me:}

[Seljuk22]

2nd A320 for Iasi with 6 new routes starting end of April 2018
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/08/11/wizz-air-announces-massive-expansion-in-iasi#/

[Expressflight]

Tagron

I have just read that Flightglobal report to which you provided a link. It looks to me as if there will be improved airfield performance because it says:

"A320neo V speeds are actually lower than those on the A320ceo ..... This enables us to offer very good take-off performance."

No doubt at some stage the performance graphs will appear in the public domain and it will be interesting to the actual differences between the two aircraft.

[ATNotts]

2nd A320 for Iasi with 6 new routes starting end of April 2018
https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/08/11/wizz-air-announces-massive-expansion-in-iasi#/

Thank heavens, something to distract from the "Southend Warriors" stuff that has appeared on this thread since the say someone foolishly mentioned the word "Southend" in association with Wizz about a gazillion pages ago. :rolleyes:

[brian_dromey]

brian dromey

Although there was talk two or three years ago that the A320neo would offer improved airfield performance it would appear this may not have been achieved in practice.

Ah, I hadn't taken the extra weight of the NEO engines into account. Overall, though, payload/range across the board is improved by using less fuel, but as you say if you are weight restricted anyway, this will be of less relative benefit on shorter flights.

[Seljuk22]

Routes from Tuzla will be reduced starting September; LTN and NUE will disappear from winter schedule
WizzAir Tuzla seasonal changes from Sep 2017 :: Routesonline (http://www.routesonline.com/news/38/airlineroute/274269/wizzair-tuzla-seasonal-changes-from-sep-2017/)

[Mallorcaguy]

Wizzair are cancelling some flights on their Liverpool - Katowice route, namely the Thursday morning flights. There will be no Thursday flights after 5 October, I was booked on the 26 October, only choice for me is to Warsaw instead on the same day just as long as that doesn't get cancelled too.

[A320.b744]

Wizzair are cancelling some flights on their Liverpool - Katowice route, namely the Thursday morning flights. There will be no Thursday flights after 5 October, I was booked on the 26 October, only choice for me is to Warsaw instead on the same day just as long as that doesn't get cancelled too.

Wizz did a similar thing on their Belfast-Katowice route earlier this year, before scrapping it altogether from this October. Could be a sign of things to come, especially since load factors in 2016 for both routes were almost identical...

[AndrewH52]

Really? Loads on Liverpool - Katowice haven't dropped below 85% all year...besides, the route dropped from 3 to 2 pwk last winter apart from mid December to mid January when it went back up to three pwk.

[racedo]

On some routes starting to see Brexit affect..........

When first come people back and forward quite a bit, then it slows down as they get settled and have familys etc but others come so can justify the services.............. however others are not coming hence there will be a dropping of pax, maybe not huge just 10-15 a flight.

[LTNman]

Seeing that more people from Eastern Europe are still settling here than leaving I don't see where you are coming from.

Might be the case that there are no relations left in Eastern Europe to visit.

[inOban]

Data last week suggested that new arrivals from Europe have dropped drastically. Hardly surprising. The £ has lost nearly 25% of its value, and economic growth in the 27 is much higher than here. So they either don't need to leave to get a decent job, or if they do, they can earn more elsewhere. Explains the continuing fall in UK unemployment - employers are being forced to hire locals.
Poland is keen for its diaspora to return.

[Planespeaking]

But we are a cheap holiday destination now. It's all checks and balances.!

[racedo]

Seeing that more people from Eastern Europe are still settling here than leaving I don't see where you are coming from.

Might be the case that there are no relations left in Eastern Europe to visit.

Not according to Govenment data and the data within the communities themselves.

The outgoers are out numbering the incomers.

[racedo]

But we are a cheap holiday destination now. It's all checks and balances.!

Polish people not interested in holidaying in UK in October.

[Callum Paterson]

But we are a cheap holiday destination now. It's all checks and balances.!

Compare the price of hotels (like for like) in the UK with those in Spain, Greece etc. We are anything but a cheap holiday destination.

[01475]

And it may apply to London, but it probably applies less to Belfast, Liverpool, Doncaster, ...

[TimmyW]

Wizz have also reduced their winter frequencies from DSA to Katwoice and Gdnask. From 4 weekly to 3 weekly.

[Barnstable]

Is there anywhere to view the Wizz Winter schedule, with flight times?

[Barnstable]

Wizz have also reduced their winter frequencies from DSA to Katwoice and Gdnask. From 4 weekly to 3 weekly.

Unsurprising given demand is greater in the Summer

[TimmyW]

I think you're missing the point. They've reduced their schedule from what was originally announced for winter, and if you compare to winter a couple of years ago, some routes are operating at half the frequency.

The demand is drying up.

[LTNman]

Well that is not a bad thing.

[SWBKCB]

This thread is about Wizz, and they probably wouldn't agree. :=

Sure your political views will be welcomed in JetBlast :ok:

[darren1]

Can't LTNman post on the Daily Fail website instead. This forum is not for racist bigots.

[Rupert369]

I completely agree. His comment - 'Might be the case that there are no relations left in Eastern Europe to visit' wouldn't be out of place at a Britain First rally and deluded drivel like that has no place here.

[harbour cotter]

LTNman - Please catch the next flight from Luton to any foreign destination. And stay there.

[compton3bravo]

I doubt he would do that because he does not like those awful foreigners. Back to Wizz they are just adjusting to demand or lack of it which is good housekeeping.

[kcockayne]

What, exactly, has LTNman said that has got you so excited ?

[ATNotts]

I would imagine it's connected to his (LTNman's) views on the subject that begins with "B" and ends in "it" discussion of which ought really to be limited to Jet Blast :D

[LGS6753]

Wizzair has profited massively from the avalanche of immigrants from Eastern Europe since 2004. That avalanche is not universally popular.
Certain posters on this thread have taken exception to LTNman's widely-shared views by posting insults aimed at him. I guess they haven't heard of democracy and freedom of speech.

[Planespeaking]

LGS6753,

I don't always agree with LTNman's posts, especially when he seems to gain a certain satisfaction at the difficulties
sometimes experienced by other airports, however his recent posts regarding Wizzair were measured and honest.

It says so much about our country these days that a good and honest man cannot express an opinion without being vilified by the sad thought police. If freedom of expression is being strangled by the professionally offended, then what does our country stand for?

Anyway about Wizzair......!

[EssexMan61]

Wow - some deeply unpleasant left-wing anti-free speech posts on the previous page. Shocking. And - darren1 - the "Daily Fail" - how unoriginal and stupid. Perhaps you should review how many copies the Daily Mail sells compared to your favoured publication. Please tell us what that is? Or preferably - perhaps those- like you -and others on the previous page - who make extremist left-wing anti free-speech comments should be banned by the mods? LTNman is stating a perfectly valid opinion - GET OVER IT!

[SWBKCB]

Hang on, anti free speech posts? Where are they? Seems that recent posts are doing exactly what you are accusing others of doing.

Surely if you value free speech you agree that one mans "good and honest man" can be another mans "racist bigot".

As for "posts regarding Wizzair were measured and honest", just curious as to what you understand the comment "Might be the case that there are no relations left in Eastern Europe to visit" to mean?

Now - back to Wizzair...

[AerRyan]

To be fair, it's a genuine point. Having polish family on the other side it wouldn't be wrong to say that many of the people who they go to Poland to visit Infact move over to the UK and Ireland, removing the need for as many trips.

[darren1]

Wow - some deeply unpleasant left-wing anti-free speech posts on the previous page. Shocking. And - darren1 - the "Daily Fail" - how unoriginal and stupid. Perhaps you should review how many copies the Daily Mail sells compared to your favoured publication. Please tell us what that is? Or preferably - perhaps those- like you -and others on the previous page - who make extremist left-wing anti free-speech comments should be banned by the mods? LTNman is stating a perfectly valid opinion - GET OVER IT!!!

I glance through the i. LTNman is entitled to say what he wants just as everyone else, why should people who do not follow a jingoistic, xenophobic ideal be banned. You had a raw nerve touched? The readership of the daily malicious speaks volumes....
Anyway back onto Wizz, good business orientation showed they would make money flying where profitable. They could quite easily ditch Luton and operate elsewhere in Europe.

[AirportPlanner1]

And - darren1 - the "Daily Fail" - how unoriginal and stupid. Perhaps you should review how many copies the Daily Mail sells compared to your favoured publication.

No, what this tells us is that the Daily Mail is the biggest seller in a terminally declining medium, in which the main customer base consists of retirees. In other words, the Mail's core audience.

[darren1]

Yep, spot on.

[kcockayne]

Some of you get really worked up about a few "tongue in cheek" remarks by LTN man. If what he said in the last day or two is what has got you so annoyed, I can't imagine why. He hasn't used offensive language or professed extreme views. Rather, he has taken the p*ss & you have reacted in a very much over the top manner. He must be laughing his cogs off. I would lighten up if I were you; before you do yourself some damage.

[LTNman]

Spot on my friend. A fuss over nothing that has put a smile on my face. Some folk really need to lighten up a little before they bust a blood vessel.

I have eyes and see daily the people that come and go from Eastern Europe flying Wizz over the years. It started off with mainly young males. Then wives and girlfriends arrived who then started families or whole families arrived with their children. Many of them then brought their parents and other relations here to settle as well. I only have to pass the many Eastern European shops in Luton or visit my local ASDA to see the ages of these shoppers. Some of them are quite elderly and are clearly grandparents pushing pushchairs.

It seems a reasonable comment to make that if no immediate family are left in Eastern Europe then travel back to their homeland will be reduced. If that fact has upset a few nasty people here I won't be making any apologies so if you don't like my comment then it is tough.

As for my other comment:E no sense of humour comes to mind but then spiteful people are not noted for their sense of humour and just want to silence those who see the world differently:oh:

If anyone else would like to insult me then send me a pm, as I quite like a giggle from those that like to huff and puff with indignation

[Expressflight]

Well said LTNman.

[Buster the Bear]

Wizzair going from strength to strength.

EXTRA: Wizz Air Increases Passengers, Offers New Product In August - Finance News - London South East (http://www.lse.co.uk/AllNews.asp?code=jb25e1dg&headline=EXTRA_Wizz_Air_Increases_Passengers_Offers_New_Prod uct_In_August)

[Planespeaking]

No niezłe te wyniki. Wzrost przewozów pasażerskich o 24%, wypełnienie samolotów imponujące 95,4%
Źródło: WizzAir (https://wizzair.com/en-gb/information-and-services/about-us/news/2017/09/04/august-2017-traffic-statistics#/)

Well that's interesting....!

[CCFAIRPORT]

Debrecen to Moscow (2pw starts december 2017)
Berlin to Budapest (daily starts March 2018)