Wizz Air widens EX-YU winter suspensions to 27 routes


Low cost carrier Wizz Air has expanded the number of destinations it will temporarily suspend for part or the entire duration of the 2021/2022 winter season, which runs until March 26 of next year, as reduced demand and a surge in coronavirus cases across the continent continues to impact the airline’s operations. The suspensions will affect all cities served by the budget carrier in the former Yugoslavia, with exception to Ljubljana. A total of 27 routes will be either temporarily suspended for part or the entire winter season including those operated out of Skopje, Tuzla, Sarajevo, Belgrade, Ohrid, Podgorica, Pristina, Niš and Banja Luka. Further changes remain possible.

The budget airline will pause operations from Skopje to Bremen, Hanover, Malta and Larnaca for the entire winter season, while services to Turku, Beauvais and Nuremberg will be temporarily suspended between mid-November and mid-December. Frequencies on some routes will also be reduced during this period. On the other hand, Wizz will go ahead with the addition of three new destinations from the Macedonian capital in mid-December, including Turin, Bologna and Billund, as well as the stationing of a fifth jet in the city. From Ohrid, the airline will halt operations to Malmo until mid-December, Milan until late January and London Luton until mid-February. It will go ahead with the introduction of its new service to Friedrichshafen on December 18.

Operations from Wizz Air’s newest base in the region, in Sarajevo, will also be impacted in the coming months. The airline will temporarily suspend flights from Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital to Charleroi and Beauvais from mid-November until mid-December, while from Tuzla flights to Friedrichshafen, Baden Baden and Gothenburg will also be affected during this period, while services to Skavsta and Vaxjo have been suspended until the 2022 summer season. Over in Banja Luka, flights to Basel will not operate until mid-December. The airline still plans to significantly expand its offering from Bosnia and Herzegovina starting mid next month by launching flights from Sarajevo to Treviso, Malmo, Hahn, Cologne, Sandefjord and Billund, as well as from Tuzla to Milan and Nuremberg, and from Banja Luka to Hamburg.

The airline’s network from its Belgrade base will also see changes with services to Sandefjord and Hanover suspended until the start of the summer season next March, while flights to Malta will see a temporary one-month suspension until mid-December. The carrier will add new routes to Hahn, Billund, Barcelona and Vaxjo next month, as well as strengthen frequencies on several existing routes. From Niš, services to Malmo will be suspended until the middle of next month.

Despite not being Wizz Air bases, flights to Pristina and Podgorica will also be disrupted. The airline is temporarily suspending operations from Rome and Milan to Pristina from mid-November for one month, while operations from Vienna to the Montenegrin capital will not operate until mid-December. Furthermore, flights from Podgorica to Milan and Budapest have been suspended until next summer.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:02

    Crazy to think that AUH has the most seats on offer from BEG in November. Only Dortmund is ahead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:36

      AUH flights are performing really well.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:13

      Peak season is beginning now.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:02

    I'm starting to doubt more and more those new routes will launch in December

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:04

      I think BEG-BCN and BEG-HHN are safe, fares not that low.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:04

      Me too. I think a lot of the current flight schedule is just wishful thinking.

      Delete
    3. Nemjee09:06

      Well they need to grow fast so that Varadi can get his £100 million bonus.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:33

      Situation will stay this way until EU starts permanently opens its borders.

      Delete
    5. Nemjee09:36

      I read somewhere that there is an idea to allow vaccinated passengers into the EU starting from 01.01.2022. That would be the best solution in my opinion.
      It's becoming obvious that covid related restrictions are not really an adequate solution. We need to learn how to live with the infection.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous09:40

      Let's hope so and let's hope they accept all vaccines otherwise it won't work. Australia for example has now accepted all developed vaccines except Sputnik and they said they will approve that one too in a few weeks.

      Delete
    7. Nemjee09:45

      I think it's the same with Canada though they don't accept Sinopharm. The EU already gave the green light for Sinopharm and seems like EMA will do the same soon.
      I think the EU needs to follow US' example where they accepted all vaccines approved by the FDA as well as WHO (including those for emergency use like Sputinik).

      Delete
    8. Anonymous10:55

      So is Australia open for foreign visitors now?

      Delete
    9. Anonymous11:05

      No, it is open for Australian citizens and residents, as well as their families (two states in which Sydney and Melbourne are located). They wanted to open for everyone from today but the government said that first Australians who have been stranded for 600 days can return home. But Australians can finally travel now and 2 week quarantine has been abolished. This applies only for vaccinated people.

      Delete
    10. Anonymous12:28

      Good so vaccinated diaspora can finally travel home. I expect demand to ex-YU to explode now.

      Delete
    11. Demand won’t explode just yet. The flights coming back to Australia are currently booked out for a couple of months for the prices that diaspora likes to pay. Unless they are ready pay $2500+ they are going to wait for Euro summer next year. Or possibly as early as Easter.

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    Winter is coming!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:05

      Wait really? I didn't know that!

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:16

      Winter season has already begun

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:19

      He's referring to the quote from The Game of Thrones. Duh.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:14

    They seem to be introducing and suspending routes near constantly.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:28

      Ah yes, if it only was that simple. This has been going on for a long time now, yet they never learned. Adding new flights and frequencies like there's no tomorrow and screwing with people's plans and money. They just don't care.

      Delete
    2. quite predictable, yesterday they announce new routes, tomorrow they already suspend them :D its just like recruitment in bamboo airways - we need pilots, but actually not, but please apply :D

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:15

    Same old same old from Wizz

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous09:17

    Well, it's normal. Why should they generate losses on routes if there is not enough demand? They are not responsible for Covid.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Anonymous09:17

    What is the point of them adding extra planes to SKP and BEG when with these suspensions they can just use existing fleet to cover the new routes?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:20

      Well in Belgrade they announced several new routes from December so that's where the extra plane is needed. They are also adding an A320 which should be easier to fill.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:17

    Seems like Skopje has the most suspensions.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:22

      It makes sense since they have the biggest network from Skopje too.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:26

      Should be a wake up call not to rely on a single airline for 80% of your traffic.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:44

      We need another serious LCC in SKP.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:52

      Well easyJet starts flying to SKP today :)

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:06

      Remember what happened when Tuzla decided to wake up. Wizz Air threatened they would leave and requested for them to block Ryanair.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:16

      Same happened in Skopje some 7 years ago.

      Delete
    7. JATBEGMEL13:04

      They did this in BEG when JU rebranded and there was issues with Wizz having unfair subsidies in BEG that resulted in the former BEG CEO being arrested. An aircraft was pulled out of BEG and sent to RIX, only for them to bring it back and now increase capacity.

      Sometimes just giving in is not a solution either. Short term might not be good, but if it's profitable they will want to stay and fight for their place. SKP after all isn't some random secondary airport.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous21:42

      When the government changed in Macedonia a few years ago and they had to repeat the tender for subsidies 3 times, Wizz was getting angry and they pulled 3 routes over the winter and turned them seasonal for just that single year. They were sending a warning to the government. Crazy what bullies they are.

      Delete
  9. Anonymous09:21

    Well it's better than last winter when they suspended over 50 routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:41

      There is still time... Just 2 week ago they had only 7 routes cancelled. Now its 27.

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:26

    Let's hope they actually launch those new routes and not cancel them.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:16

      They will probably delay a few.

      Delete
  11. Anonymous09:27

    Those new Swedish routes are looking unlikely because of entry restrictions.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Anonymous09:27

    Taking in consideration all circumstances it could have been worse.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:32

      I think it will get worse. These suspensions will end in December because of Christmas and probably all be reintroduced in the middle of January.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:34

      It all really depends on how the travel restrictions pan out over the rest winter.

      Delete
  13. Anonymous09:32

    In the end even PRN succumbed to the cancellations.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:41

      They held up quite well up until now

      Delete
  14. Anonymous09:32

    It will be another difficult winter for airlines. That's for sure.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Anonymous09:34

    Unfortunate :(

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hopefully Sarajevo - London Luton will start now

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:35

      How did you come to that conclusion?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:40

      London-Tuzla didn't work out. Maybe they would have more luck with Sarajevo.

      Delete
  17. Anonymous09:35

    LCCs have to have a very high LF to make a profit on a flight. Simple as that.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:38

      While state-owned airlines in exyu don't have to make profit at all.

      Delete
    2. Nemjee09:47

      You mean like Adria didn't have to which is why the Slovenian government perpetually pumped cash into them and didn't look for a private investor to offload them? Hmm...

      There is big pressure on ex-YU legacies to make a profit. That is why some like JU had to adapt their business model and to reduce costs. As long as losses are at a manageable level it should be fine.

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:39

    I also don't think they will resume Skopje - Larnaca and Skopje - Malta in December as scheduled. They keep pushing the resumption dates further and further and it has been that way for months now.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:40

      It probably won't start until March 2022.

      Delete
  19. Anonymous09:39

    I think this is coming due to lack of crew members. They have issues since months and that's why they are hiring all over south-eastern europe.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:40

      I was just about to ask that. Wondering why they are hiring so much if they a cutting routes/frequencies.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:36

      The recruitment drive is for Varadi to deliver growth because the owners have said he will get 100 million euro bonus if he achieves a certain growth target. And that involves launching many many new routes.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:40

      When he gets those 100 million he will leave the company guaranteed. A few years later they will probably go bust for opening a whole lot of unsustainable routes.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:59

    Hope all the routes are restored as planned.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Anonymous10:00

    Quite surprised about TZL and Skavsta. This route performed well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:01

      Many of their routes from Tuzla are being impacted by their growth in Sarajevo and Banja Luka.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:05

      No surprise. They launched Skavsta from Sarajevo. This is the result.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:15

      Starting Stockholm from other cities in Bosnia definitely had an impact. They started from Banja Luka too.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:36

      They seem to have given up on Tuzla.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous11:57

      How have they given up when they are launching two new routes from TZL next month?

      Delete
    6. Anonymous12:00

      These are token routes announced in return for blocking Ryanair.

      Delete
    7. Banja Luka Has now two airlines to fly to Stockholm, Ryanair to Arlanda and Wizzair to Skavsta.

      Delete
  22. Anonymous10:34

    Are other bases affected or just the one in ex-Yu?

    ReplyDelete
  23. Anonymous10:35

    "The suspensions will affect all cities served by the budget carrier in the former Yugoslavia, with exception to Ljubljana. "

    This is a first for Ljubljana! :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:46

      They have just one route to LJU.

      Delete
    2. shortly they will have 2

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:39

      Which is a return to what they had a few years ago. But their proposal to launch new routes from LJU was rejected by the Slovenian government unfortunately.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous21:51

      Ofcourse it was rejected when the minister is mr. Počivalšek. He is the one who doesn't give a sh*t about aviation in Slovenia and keeps on destroying everything about it.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous10:36

    I don't think this is a big loss. These cancellations will be made up for with the launch of new routes in December.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:41

      They have scheduled many routes in the past year only to cancel or delay them.

      Delete
  25. Anonymous10:42

    They need better internal planning.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous10:51

    Sad :(

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:06

      It's really unfortunate for ex-Yu. Quite a lot of routes.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:27

      Does this apply only for Europe destinations from these ex YU countries?

      Delete
  27. Anonymous10:52

    I'm sure most of these routes won't be back before summer 2022

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous18:07

      they will all be back within a few weeks.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:14

      Not if there are 15-20 pax per flight.

      Delete
  28. Anonymous11:09

    I'm surprised their flights to Germany are mostly unaffected even though they have placed most of ex-Yu on red list.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:12

      These flights are used by gastos. Those restrictions do not apply to them.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous21:38

      True, forgot about that

      Delete
  29. Anonymous11:45

    They will likely offer a reduced network for a while.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous11:46

    Ryanair should use this opportunity to expand more in the region.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:54

      Wizz is suspending flights because of low demand. So I don't see how suddenly Ryanair could generate more demand.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:55

      Actually FR is expanding. They started flights from Stockholm to Nis and Banja Luka over the weekend, as well as from Vienna to Banja Luka. They will launch 9 new routes to Zagreb in December too.

      Delete
  31. Anonymous11:59

    They just didn't expect so many irrational, knee-jerk decisions to be made by governments around the EU.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:09

      Sure. They also didn't expect that they will need pilots to fly this much aircraft. It's always good to blame it on the virus. Instead of focusing what they should do now to survive they blah-blah about the bright future of having 500 aircraft.

      Delete
  32. Anonymous12:01

    It's really unfortunate for SKP. Quite a lot of routes.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous21:38

      I really wouldn't worry about. They will get new routes next month and these will eb resumed as soon as the covid situation improves.

      Delete
  33. Anonymous18:04

    Well I guess now we can see which routes depend mostly purely on gasto traffic, since these are all being kept.

    ReplyDelete
  34. Anonymous18:04

    They will resume sooner or later.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous18:05

    So no flights from BEG to Malta right? Until Wizz resumes it. JU gave up on this route since Covid.

    ReplyDelete
  36. Anonymous18:06

    Pity, just as aviation and airports were slowly starting to recover.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Anonymous10:23

    So this is applicable for Europe destinations only, right?

    ReplyDelete

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