Wizz Air plans to grow by 35% as travel demand holds up

cde.news desk 2 November 2022, 12:20 · 1 min read

epa06625043 Wizz Air Airbus A 320 - 232 is landing at Riga International Airport, Latvia, 23 March 2018. EPA-EFE/TOMS KALNINS

LONDON, Nov 2 (Reuters) – Budget airline Wizz Air said it planned to grow its capacity by 35% in the six months to the end of March as demand for travel remained strong despite the pressure on household budgets from inflation.

“So far we are seeing no indication of a drop in demand so we remain confident,” chief executive Jozsef Varadi said on Wednesday.

The planned 35% growth in capacity is compared to pre-pandemic levels, meaning Wizz will join larger low-cost rival Ryanair RYA.I as one of the few European airlines to exceed their pre-COVID size.

Hungary-based Wizz posted core earnings for its seasonally strong June-September quarter of 374 million euros ($369 million).

That represented a recovery from the previous period when staff shortages at airports dragged the airline to a loss. Overall the airline posted an operating loss of 63.8 million euros for the March to September half.

($1 = 1.0129 euros)

(Reporting by Sarah Young, Editing by Paul Sandle)