Low cost carrier Wizz Air will be suspending the majority of its new routes from the former Yugoslavia, set to launch in mid-December, after just several flights, with plans to restore operations at the start of the 2022 summer season in late March. On the other hand, some routes have been pushed back and will not be starting as planned. Services that will commence in mid-December but will only operate until mid-January, after which they will be suspended until summer 2022, include those from Sarajevo to Billund (operational from December 17 until January 7), Cologne (December 16 - January 8), Hahn (December 16 - January 8), Sandefjord (December 19 - January 9) and Malmo (December 16 - January 8), from Belgrade to Billund (December 17 - January 12), Barcelona (December 19 - January 12) and Vaxjo (December 17 - January 10), from Skopje to Billund (December 19 - January 9) and Bologna (December 19 - January 9), from Tuzla to Nuremberg (December 17 - January 7), as well as from Ohrid to Friedrichshafen (operational from December 18 until January 8). All are then set to be restored in late March or early April.
Several of the abovementioned routes will also be reduced from the initially planned three weekly rotations to two or from two to one per week. In addition, flight launches which have been postponed include those from Sarajevo to Treviso, which will now begin on March 29 instead of December 14, as well as those previously reported from Skopje to Turin and from Tuzla to Milan, which will commence during March of next year. New route launches that have been unaffected include those from London Luton to Ljubljana, set to begin on December 13, as well as from Belgrade to Hahn, launching on December 16.
Wizz Air has delayed, terminated or cut planned new routes from the region on several occasions since the start of the coronavirus pandemic last March but has also launched more than twenty new destinations, primarily from its new base in Sarajevo, as well as from Belgrade. The airline’s shares on the London Stock Exchange were hit yesterday with the discovery of the new Omicron strain of the coronavirus, with their value tumbling 15%. This was coupled with growing restrictions and lockdowns across much of Europe caused by a new wave of the virus. However, in a more positive development for both Wizz Air and other operators, the EU Commission has proposed for European Union member states to open their borders for non-EU travellers who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with one of the vaccines approved by the World Health Organisation starting January 10, 2022. These include vaccines manufactured in China, with which a number of people from Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have been vaccinated with.
They are becoming such a joke
ReplyDeleteNothing funny about the new variant of Covid.
DeleteTheir suspensions have nothing to do with new variants. They suspended these a few days ago.
DeleteEuropean countries followed by the rest of the world are bringing back travel restrictions again.
DeleteIt has everything to do with the Covid situation. And the new string made it even worse.
Yes, I am sure they are all laughing at a company that is consistently profitable, has a massive amount of money in its bank account and is expanding.
DeleteIf only it was more like obsolete state owned national carriers....
Consistently profitable? Lost a lot of money in the first 6-8 years of its existence and loss making in the last two years as well (125 mil euro loss was reported in the last 6 months). More than half of its fleet (of 145 aircraft) is still grounded because of lack of crew and demand, their share price is down from 55 to 37 GBP since April. Having money in the bank only extend its agony for some time.
DeleteStock exchange investors currently value Wizz Air shares at 3,85 bln pounds (4,54 bln euro). You may laugh as much as you only want. You may cite the past, but this is where we are currently.
DeleteImagine thinking that these suspensions have anything to do with the "new variant".... lol. There are a lot of companies with massive amounts of money, does that mean they treat their workers and customers good? What kind of logic is this? Are they actions justified becuase they have money? This has been going on since day 1 of corona. When you think, ok, they have learnt the way now, they will surely be cautious and not launch routes like there's no tomorrow, right? Boom, next expansion! They don't care.
DeleteAgree with last anon. And they do it because it provides cash flow. Then they just issue you a voucher and don't care.
DeleteRandom opening of routes and quick cancelation of routes that do not perform, is part of DNA of low cost carriers, covid or not. So I do not understand the source of your disappointment.
DeleteAs to giving vouchers instead of money refunds: airlines go as far as the local legislation allows. In the UE it is not allowed. If it is legal in your jurisdiction, petition your government/parliament to change it. No airline will give up on this possibility at their own initiative.
It is indeed part of DNA of low cost carriers. However, that does not involve never actually launching these routes at all and suspending them for months and months while still selling tickets. It does not also involve selling flights with promo prices and cancelling them afterwards only to resell them with double the price.
Deletere: Anon 14:57 Wizz is not only opening and closing routes randomly but complete bases. Leaving a whole country (like Norway) when they are pushed to play by the laws. Closing dozens of routes BEFORE even starting them, without having a clue about actual performance. Headless chicken effect.
Deleteanon 15:19
DeleteI assume that what you describe is legal in your jurisdiction and Wizz Air simply takes full advantage of that. So stop complaining. If you do not like it, petition your government/parliament, so that they enhance consummer protection laws. Most probably they understand it very well, but any change would also be a hit to local legacies, so you have what you have.
I have never seen any local legacy put promo tickets on sale, cancel flights and reschedule them 24 hours later at double the price.
DeleteThe fact that there are people justifying these acts... just sad
Deleteanon 16:17
DeleteYou think that they are closing RANDOMLY, but this is your guess. In turn I think they see or anticipate trends in bookings and make upfront decisions based on this in market conditions which are very volatile. Maybe these decisions are here and there wrong, but overall Wizz Air shares are worth 4,54 bln euro, so they cannot be that stupid as you try to picture them. Remember, private investors pay with their own money.
17:39 Local legacy? Not even Ryanair does that
Deleteanon 17:39
DeleteI am not talking about any particular jurisdiction. But if in your country, airlines would be under an obligation to reroute a passenger in case of flight cancelation (and all airlines hate this), in the situation you describe you could just call Wizz Air and ask them to reroute you at no cost to you, so that in lieu of a cancelled flight with Wizz Air, you fly to a given destination with a different airline. That would solve the problem and make Wizz Air behaviour, which you describe, absolutely pointless. If under your legislation you do have this right, why do you complain?
''In turn I think they see or anticipate trends in bookings and make upfront decisions based on this in market conditions which are very volatile.''
DeleteWhen it comes to delaying and cancelling flights they make decisions based on volatile market conditions for sure. When it comes to opening bases and endless routes for the past 2 years, don't they take the very volatile market conditions in consideration?
anon 17:42
DeleteIt is not about being sad or happy. Wizz Air will not stop exploiting possibilities that legislations open to it. If your legislation has loopholes, stop blaiming Wizz Air for that. People will continue to fly with Wizz Air, whatever they do, just because of price. The standards for airlines need to be set up by policymakers.
Bravo Wizz Air for exploiting legislation loopholes! An example for everyone! Yeah, people won't stop flying Wizz whatever they do, just like in Norway.
Deleteanon 18:25
DeleteSo we agree that Wizz Air exploits loopholes in legislation, but we differ as to ways that can be stopped. In theory there are three ways: option 1 - Wizz Air will have remorses and will stop such behaviour at its own initiative; option 2 - public pressure will stop Wizz Air, because public will stop or limit using them, option 3- legislation will change, so that consumer rights are enhanced.
You seem to believe in options 1 and 2 and I believe, if at all, only in option 3.
Norway is not a good example. Thanks to oil and gas people in Norway are wealthy and for wealthy people price has less importance and non-price considerations are very important. I do not think people in the ex-Yu region will follow that example.
What is more, Wizz Air was not creating any new connectivity in Norway, but rather fighing existing carriers, where customers could rightly be afraid, that if these existing carriers collapse under pressure, the overall connectivity will be reduced/they will be at the mercy of Wizz Air. In ex-Yu Wizz Air is creating connectivity.
As to option 3 - this is far from probable, because enhancing passenger protection would hit not only Wizz Air, but all carriers on flights other than to/from the EU.
I get what you're saying but just because some things are considered ''legal'' doesn't mean they are ok or normal to do. You don't have other airlines selling tickets for non existant flights left and right. When i complain next time i will make sure to include the policymakers in the sentence if that makes you happy.
DeleteWhat a surprise...
ReplyDeleteWell it's not a surprise considering the situation in Europe.
ReplyDeleteSeems like SJJ bears the brunt this time.
ReplyDeleteIt had the most new routes announced.
DeleteWell Skopje and Tuzla are most affected since all of their planned new routes have been modified.
DeleteBelgrade-Hahn must be performing really well in bookings if they decided to keep it all the way until March. Although flights from January are down from three weekly to two. Returning to three weekly from March.
ReplyDeleteI would not rely on the current schedule, especially to Germany. They usually cancel the very last moment, similar to what JU does.
DeleteThey will also suspend CRL-LJU from early January and will be restored on March.
ReplyDeleteWith the South African virus case reported, it seems that we are yet again witnessing a harsh winter in Europe. Take a look at Germany and UK, the situation is getting worse.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that virus variant has been present for months. It's just that they started isolating it in Europe yesterday and can now make way for new wave of mass hysteria, business depletion and bankruptcies, as well as great excuse by politicians to cover their incompetence.
DeleteThe situation is normal in the UK and we don't have any restrictions!
DeleteWell quite expected. Is this mean they will not base an A320 in Belgrade, or ?
ReplyDeleteits not only about the new routes also old routes are affected so you might be right. none of the announced new aircrafts will happen and not only in BEG
DeleteWinter is coming!
ReplyDeleteI paid 100e for 2 return tickets, so imho they are much cheaper than YU.
DeleteApparently winter is coming for some, for others discounts.
DeleteThe prices on their new Belgrade-Barcelona flights are quite expensive. I'm going to spend New Year there and I was looking at both options. Air Serbia with luggage is 25,000 RSD while Wizz Air with luggage is 45,000 RSD on almost the same dates.
ReplyDeleteThere are tour groups that are going to Barcelona for New Year celebration through tour operators this year. It is possible that they are flying with Wizz Air, meaning the plane is close to full.
DeletePossibly, there were no fares without luggage on sale on W6, so I guess they were sold out.
DeleteWere there fares available on JU without luggage?
DeleteYes, there were. And they were even cheaper. Without luggage they were selling tickets return at 20,000 RSD so 170 euros.
DeleteBut I should note that on sates one day before (I was looking at Monday to Monday flights but they also have Sunday flights) tickets were significantly more expensive. At around 45,000 RSD.
DeleteThere are almost zero tour groups by Tour operators on Wizz Air....tour operators here rarely cooperate with Wizz and other LCCs most of business is with lagacy carriers as they need to have strong support, stability etc...for example when JU ccld flights to LCA years ago Wizz operated but all tour groups were transfered to Aegean via ATH
DeleteI've lost all respect for Wizz Air. They constantly schedule and then cancel flights. The worst of the worst for me was when they scheduled flights between Belgrade and Abu Dhabi and put promo fares on sale. Tickets were really cheap. A month later they cancel all flights for two days and send vouchers to anyone who bought tickets and then they put tickets back on sale (with even more frequencies) but double the price of what they were before, basically forcing you to pay more. Crazy tricks and tactics.
ReplyDeleteHaha omg are they even allowed to do that?? :D
DeleteProbably not in EU but in case of two non EU states it seems they can.
DeleteYep, I was one of those hit by this scam, and I've had more cancellations than actual flights with them this year. As soon as I spend my remaining credit, I'm never flying them again.
DeleteI had similar experience with wizz. Initially they rescheduled the flight 2 times and than cancelled it. As a result I booked another double-priced flight ticket from another airport.
DeleteBad news for all these airports.
ReplyDeleteSituation is generally bad because of many countries in Western Europe in lockdown. This is not surprising.
ReplyDeleteAgree. For example today I see JU does not have a single flight in their afternoon wave.
DeleteGood to see the EU has come to it senses and will follow WHO vaccine list.
ReplyDeleteExpected. It's Wizz after all.
ReplyDeleteLow price means low service level.... do u ppl understand that.
ReplyDeleteIt means low service not no service
DeleteFor a one hour 30 minute flight, you really don't need more.
Deleteno demand, the market is not mature enough yet
ReplyDeleteThat's what you get for allowing for profit organization to essentially take over critical component of transportation. Would not be surprised if in 10 years Wizz starts to offer other so called affordable private services undercutting government services: Wizz private water supply, Wizz private education, Wizz private heathcare, Wizz private jails, Wizz private army etc.
ReplyDeleteWizz private army would not last longer than two days due to the continuous blue on blue fire.
Delete