Hungary’s budget airline Wizz Air has said that it is ready to promptly re-launch air service to Ukraine as soon as a ceasefire with Russia is reached.
During yesterday’s Logistics as a Driver of Economic Growth conference, Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi announced that the airline has a solid strategy in place for resuming flights to Ukraine and is eager to implement it as soon as a ceasefire is declared.
Varandi added that the airline intends to resume its operations in Kiev and Lviv, with the goal of providing an annual capacity of approximately 5 million seats to the Ukrainian market across 60 different routes.
In 2021, Wizz Air reportedly held the third position in the Ukrainian market, capturing a 10% market share. Following the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022, the country closed its airspace to civilian flights, citing significant safety risks due to Russian onslaught.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) projects that the reopening of Ukrainian airspace may require six to eight weeks following the announcement of a ceasefire. Wizz Air chief executive confirmed that the airline is making preparations to synchronize its operations with this timeframe to facilitate a swift resumption of services.
Wizz Air’s hopeful outlook regarding a possible ceasefire coincides with a wider diplomatic effort by the United States aimed at bringing an end to Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine.
Wizz Air Holdings Plc. is a Hungarian ultra-low-cost airline group based in Budapest, Hungary. Its subsidiaries include Wizz Air Hungary, Wizz Air Malta, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and Wizz Air UK.
The airline network covers a wide range of cities throughout Europe, along with select locations in North Africa, the Middle East, and South and Central Asia.
As of 2023, the group operates its largest hubs at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport, and London Luton Airport, servicing a total of 194 airports.