Wizz Air suspends more routes from the former Yugoslavia


Wizz Air CEO, Jozsef Varadi, has warned there is no quick fix to the aviation industry’s problems as the budget carrier suspends more routes out of the former Yugoslavia in response to staff shortages. Earlier this month, the airline announced the temporary halt to operations from Pristina to Dortmund and Rome, from Tuzla to Milan, from Ljubljana to Charleroi, from Ohrid to Dortmund and from Belgrade to Billund. The low cost airline will now also suspend flights from the Serbian capital to Vaxjo from October 2 until October 30.  It will also end flights between Tuzla and Vaxjo. The last service is scheduled to take place on August 26. No date has been specified for the route’s resumption. 

The additional suspensions come on top of a number of services being reduced from the former Yugoslavia over the peak summer travel period. From its base in Skopje, the airline has reduced operations to Basel, Cologne, Gothenburg and Friedrichshafen, from Belgrade, frequencies to Dortmund and Malmo have been cut, while from its Sarajevo base, Wizz Air has lowered operations to Cologne and Copenhagen. From Ljubljana, frequencies have been cut to London Luton, Banja Luka has seen Basel and Malmo reduced, Pristina and Niš have witnessed cuts on operations to Vienna, while services between Podgorica and Rome have also been reduced. The Croatian coast has been impacted with frequency cuts from Rome to Dubrovnik, as well as from Poznan to Split.

Mr Varadi has warned consumers not to expect a swift fix, adding that the airline is making changes to its flying patterns to try and avoid disruption. “I don’t think anyone should be expecting a sudden improvement. It’s not going to be perfect, so I don’t think we’re going to be having a great summer. But we’re doing everything we can to make sure we have more safety nets in the system”, Mr Varadi said. He pointed to shortages in air traffic management as the long-term problem. “It’s a very difficult area to train people up. It’s two to three years so there’s no quick fix. Air traffic management is a state-run organisation, so governments should have done a lot better in terms of anticipating what’s coming, and making sure that their systems are up to speed to satisfy demand”, the CEO noted.



Comments

  1. Anonymous09:01

    Like Emirates said... There were indicators of rapid demand changes, but their actions weren't swift and long term enough... And now we the costumes are paying the price...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:03

      costumes?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:12

      Costumes?!

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:16

      They obviously meant customers. Move on.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:21

      Swipe keyboard had its own ideas 🤦... Sorry

      Delete
    5. Anonymous22:19

      Many people even post pandemic run away from this company.. It is sinking ship.. More and more people are resigning because of extremely low working condition and toxic environment

      Delete
  2. Anonymous09:01

    Wizz Air is paying the price for getting rid of 20% of their loyal staff at the beginning of the pandemic, after reassuring them this won't happen even days earlier.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous07:00

      👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

      Delete
  3. Anonymous09:03

    First, bravo JU! Showed them who’s the boss again. Second, shifting the blame to the ATC/govt because you fired people who now (surprisingly) don’t want to woro for you again?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:11

      True, but also ATC from EU cut some jobs and also lower salaries so people went to UAE, Qatar... And do you really that JU didn't fired staff? Come on, stop dreaming

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:17

      Well JU didn't cancel 5% of its entire network this summer.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:21

      They actually introduced many new routes.
      It can't be done if you have staff shortage.

      Delete
  4. Anonymous09:06

    How the tables have turned. I remember in 2015 when Air Serbia suspended Larnaca after Wizz started flights. Then they made it seasonal and then eventually returned it to year round and now it's 10 weekly!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nemjee09:11

      Helps that JU finally introduced daytime flights to LCA. Tour operators are filling these flights like crazy.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:13

      Do we know how many flights JU will have in LCA in winter?

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:22

      www.airserbia.com knows

      Delete
    4. Nemjee09:39

      I guess it's still early to know since the timetable for winter has not been finalized. Many people still book last minute.

      Delete
  5. Anonymous09:07

    They have become a completely unreliable airline

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:09

      This summer has been a disaster for them in terms of reliability and punctuality.

      Delete
  6. Anonymous09:09

    Good thing Tuzla has started working with Ryanair and is ending reliance on Wizz.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Nemjee09:09

    Truth be told winter flights for BEG-LCA were never loaded into the system. They also struggled there in winter before covid.

    In summer they are making a killing. I wouldn't be surprised if they add a third weekly next summer.

    Another thing that JU has as an advantageis that their LCA flights are rarely late. Wizz on the other hand is constantly late.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:14

      It's not a good sign that they have no flights on sale for next summer. The rest are all loaded in the system.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:24

      JU has no single flight in the system for next Easter so it has nothing to do with any sign for summer.
      Simply it is too early.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:26

      But Wizz does

      Delete
    4. Nemjee09:51

      It could be that they are reshuffling things. LCA might be operated by a plane based in Cyprus. Who knows. I would be surprised if this flight will be suspended.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous17:12

      Even easyJet has tickets in the system no longer than beginning of May 2023.
      Nothing strange.

      Delete
  8. Anonymous09:10

    They are also cancelling a lot of flights last minute.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes it happeend to me twice within months. I am not flying wizz aor ever again

      Delete
  9. This is exactly why countries need government owned flag carriers!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:18

      Wizz is still a godsend for many ex-Yu airports without which they would be nothing.

      Delete
    2. Countries do need flag carriers,that part I fully agree. I could even agree those flag carriers to be government owned, and tax payers financed, if they take their market opportunities, create demand, grow, and at least try to be competitive, like Air Serbia, for example. Unfortunatelly, Uhljeb Airlines controlled by Kradeze is one very sad story of theft, corruption, nepotism and incompetence and Croatia, tourist power with millions of diaspora on all continents deserves much better

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:17

      Today's topic is Wizz air. you don't have anything to say about that, just about croatia as always? And before you attack my comment, as always, I'm not saying you're wrong. I would just not like to read the same thing a thousand times [obsession?], but rather your opinion on the other topic, such as wizz air today.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:42

      So called Rijeka guy should be left alone and no attention paid to him. In the news, this is potentially good stuff for Trade Air and ETF.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous14:12

      Speak for yourself - I respect “ Rijeka” guy, as he talks about the major problem of our countries and of our lives. To be bored about correct and fair statements about the existing huge corruption and to be prepared to ignore it, or even more, join those terrible uhljebs, stranke and similar organizations, is said and eventualy had bring us all to the point where we are today. Salute Mr. Rijeka.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous15:06

      I am obviously speaking for myself. Neither you or him offer any proof for this allwged corruption. All the economuc KPIs are very pisitive. You and your bud are just longing for yu, admit it!

      Delete
    7. Anonymous16:09

      I cannot stop wondering as to why his mediocre comments continue to be allowed by the admin...

      Delete
    8. Anonymous16:44

      What positive KPIs? Are you joking? Air Serbia will have loses of more than EUR 25m in 2022, while Croatia will have loses above EUR 50m. Positive KPIs, yes on state “dnevnik” maybe. How many Air Serbia’s ATR flights were cancelled in June due to the lack of (fired) crew - check that, it’s easy. You want something about corruption in CRO - why Trade Air is still not flying under the agreement with the state?

      Delete
    9. Pecine, Plumbum, Piramida, Vezicka Draga, Martinscica, Brajdica, Podvezica, Vezica, Krimeja, Vojak, Strmica, Paris, Bulevard, Delta, Svilno, Katarina, Brascine, Pulac, Kozala, Banska Vrata, Skoljic, Centar, Stari Grad, Zabica, Belveder, Brajda, Rastocine, Skurinje, Drenova, Stranga, Banderovo, Potok, Mlaka, Luka, Krnjevo, Turnic, Podmurvice, Rujevica, Plase, Pehlin, Turkovo, Stupari, Baredice, Zamet, Diracje, Srdoci, Rio, Kantrida, Bivio, Marceljeva Draga, Kostabela, are all parts of my city. Would it be Cacak, I leave other followers of this blog to conclude. You can also conclude if I am "so called Rijeka guy" or Rijeka guy. After all, my IP address could be traced and GPS located. Despite all of that, I am fully aware primitives and/or chauvinists and /or thieves from Kradeze will still attempt to place me to Cacak in order to continue with Divide et impera tacticts they use successfully for robbing and destroying Croatia for decades already

      Delete
    10. And I am so proud of the mediocre comment above I just wrote 😃

      Delete
    11. Anonymous13:25

      Rijeka, you need help!

      Delete
    12. No, Croatia, and the entire ex-yu need help to be freed from thieves, uhljebs and primitives. You are free to choose your category

      Delete
  10. Anonymous09:15

    Each day some new cancellation by Wizz.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Anonymous09:15

    Wizz is cancelling all over its network

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:34

      But it's not their fault according to Varadi haha.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:10

      It's never Varadi's fault of course...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous22:26

      Management in wizz Air got their jobs from nowhere and under "unknown circumstances", plenty of good people left and are getting out from wizz Air... They are worse and worse..inside out

      Delete
  12. Anonymous09:20

    More to come

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous09:20

    No surprise

    ReplyDelete
  14. Anonymous09:21

    Wizz has an unsustainable business model. Without heavy subsidies from all across the network they wont be able to survive. Also, its a mateter of time when Orban will announce the new Hungarian state-owned national airline which would effectively suffocate Wizz.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:33

      +1

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:33

      But I think airports/ cities/ governments are willing to keep giving them subsidies.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous09:41

      At some point they will give up if Wizz keeps cancelling and delaying flights.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous09:43

      Tuzla has started working with Ryanair.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous09:54

      ^ after initially being blackmailed by Wizz not to.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous11:19

      Lol and the 3 3xyu airlines have not subsidies from the gov. Hahaha

      Delete
    7. Anonymous14:14

      Hahaha, this is a good one.

      Delete
  15. Anonymous09:22

    Same old same old from Wizz. And it's always someone else's fault

    ReplyDelete
  16. Anonymous09:29

    Hope all the routes are eventually restored.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous09:30

    We just flew yesterday with Easyjet to Belgrade (from BSL)… what a difference. Check-In, staff and PUNCTUALITY

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:52

      How was the load ?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous18:30

      Unfortunately Easyjet is not much active in Belgrade ..

      Delete
  18. Anonymous09:30

    They need better internal planning.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Anonymous09:31

    If your Wizz flight isn't cancelled, it will probably be delayed by several hours.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:53

      This has more to do with the chaos at European airports than with Wizz Air.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:42

      Sure, like they fly to LHR, AMS, CDG...

      Delete
    3. Anonymous12:01

      You forgot FRA and MUC

      Delete
    4. Anonymous08:43

      That really has nothing to do with the airports they fly to, but countries they overfly and land at.

      Delete
  20. Anonymous09:36

    This is a crap company. They cancelled 3 of my flights this summer!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:51

      Ouch. It's crazy that they don't offer passengers alternative flights with other airlines.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:12

      That is standard for LCCs. They have no agreements on place with other airlines.

      Delete
  21. Anonymous09:40

    Wizz randomly canceled my Rome flight, with literally no explanation. I am really never ever flying LCC, I am sticking to JU, I'd rather pay more and be sure my flight will happen. I am not rich enough to fly with LCC these days.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:50

      What did Wizz offer you as an alternative?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous09:53

      To fly a few days later, which was out of the question as my visit was supposed to happen on specific dates or a full refund minus taxes. So they refunded my ticket, but I still lost some 20 EUR on taxes, crazy ... I booked with JU later and everything was fine. The ticket was some 70 EUR more expensive than with WIZZ

      Delete
  22. Anonymous09:42

    Unsustainable summer route planning led by greed. Varadi has been promised a bonus by wizz Air's owners if he launches a certain number of new routes

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous09:50

      Yep, 100M bonus for doubling the airline.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:12

      Will be get it?

      Delete
  23. Anonymous09:57

    Wasn't Belgrade-Vaxjo launched just last winter?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:01

      Wizz Air often starts routes and then cancels them. Nothing new

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:02

      Vaxjo isn't cancelled it's just suspended for 4 weeks like the article says.

      Delete
  24. Anonymous09:59

    Seems that Michael O'Leary was right by saying that Wizz and Easyjet must merge, otherwise they both will go bankrupt.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:01

      +1

      Delete
    2. Anonymous10:03

      I hope it doesn't all end up like that other major Eastern European lcc that went bankrupt a few years ago. Forgot their name.

      Delete
    3. Anonymous10:08

      SkyEeurope?

      Delete
    4. Anonymous10:08

      *skyeurope

      Delete
    5. Anonymous10:13

      Yes that's the one

      Delete
    6. Anonymous10:13

      Three two can't be compared in the slightest.

      Delete
  25. Anonymous10:14

    More like Scam Air. Cancelled several of my flights in the last month.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Anonymous10:41

    Maybe if crew take extra mile, and wizz offers bigger bag of peanuts to crew..

    ReplyDelete
  27. Anonymous11:01

    So many haters and trolls here to critizise wizzair. Where are all these guys come from?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous11:13

      Do you live in Mars?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous11:21

      And most of them only fly with Wizz which makes it even more funny

      Delete
    3. Anonymous11:24

      They would, if they didn't cancel half of their flights.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous11:29

      This Mars-guy is the best example, can't use proper language to communicate

      Delete
  28. Anonymous11:21

    Zašto seku Malme?

    ReplyDelete
  29. notLufthansa11:40

    This is what you get, when airliners are run like banks or high risk funds plus when managers are paid extras not for making company greater, but bigger and looking mightier in paper. Wizzair is a joke. ATC had staffing problems during pandemic, but nobody was flying at the time. Free route was introduced in large chunk of airspace from Poland to Italy, Austria to Greece an arround. But they need to save money and route planning was probably given to some pimpled kid, as Wzz flights often have zig-zag routes and then they are crying for shortcuts. Mr. Varadi, you better learn how to run a company without ruining it on the way.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous12:18

      "when airliners are run like banks"

      Indeed, they should be run like an ATM for unlimited funneling of taxpayers money into the pockets of the chosen ones. Sounds familiary?

      FRA doesn't magically increase capacity in the airspace, and both staffing and capacity issues are a regular occurence every day in European airspace - as they have been pre-, during and post-Covid.

      Delete
    2. notLufthansa12:33

      ATM? You said that, not me. And if you don’t understand that bigger on paper is not same as greater, its your fault, not mine. And yes, aviation is specific business, and managers shoul respect that. If you don’t trust me, ask some boeing ingeneer from pre-mcdonell douglas merge era, how business model adopted from douglas almost ruined boeing.

      Delete
    3. notLufthansa12:35

      About FRA…you also completely missed the point. They can plan almost whatever they wish, but for some reason beyond any logic, still plan zigzag routes and then expect directs.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous12:40

      Taxpayers, taxpayers, blah, blah, blah, ... Cut the cr*p with the taxpayer argument. Are taxpayers complaining when healthcare services are subpar? Or how about education system in socialist countries? Apparently, everything is perfect elsewhere.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous13:09

      @12:35: Isn't one of the tasks of the ATC to expedite the flow of traffic, where it is safe to do so?

      I would expect decent ATC unit to provide direct routing, where this can be done safely, regardless of the route which was planned - which is what has been done for the last couple of decades before FRA was a thing.

      Delete
  30. Anonymous13:47

    Varadi is a great visionary. He repeated that it will be a great summer, now when the 2/3 of the summer is behind us he says it won't be a great summer. No #&@ Sherlock! A real manager shoud have had anticipated it and not stating the obvious in hindsight. The state Wizz Air is in is the direct result of the way Varadi treated the employees of the company in the last 5-6 years (even before covid). He is the one responsible and not the "circumstances" he's trying to use as an excuse.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Anonymous14:46

    Villages and more villages cancelled. But also, the truth is that the mentioned routes in the article have fewer demand. Speaking of OHD, as far as I know the main visitors arrive to it by land and from neighbouring countries. It acts as an Albanian gasto alternative airport or the Macedonians with Bulgarian passports living in the UK.
    Tuzla also witnessed some cancellations but it is also because the rest of the Bosnian airports are generally active in creating more routes, especially SJJ.
    LJU-CRL kinda comes with a surprise. For an EU country having flights to BRU is almost "essential" because of the EC headquarters and administration. Since the demise of Adria, LJU has unfortunately been literally withering like a dry plant although it is now slowly recovering.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous14:57

      svasta

      Delete
    2. Anonymous17:17

      dont wanna know the name of the village he is from

      Delete
    3. Anonymous21:08

      @14.46 what a waste of time to read it bro

      Delete
  32. Anonymous16:16

    Wizz is losing a lot of money. How close are they to bankruptcy?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous17:16

      ask the 3 exyu airlines

      Delete
    2. Anonymous17:49

      those 3 said they are more likely to survive than Wizz

      Delete
    3. Anonymous18:38

      Wizz Air generally has a sound low-cost model. Yes, they screwed up during the pandemic and it's hurting them big time, but long term they are a money-making business with large expansion plans.

      Unlike... some of the exyu airlines, who probably wouldn't survive next 24 months if you closed the government tap.

      Delete
    4. Anonymous19:47

      Wizz is fully liquid, far from bankruptcy. As you can see, they don't have lack of demand, but a lot of demand they can't handle. They don't have enough of what they sell.

      Delete
    5. Anonymous20:58

      With out of control inflation and looming recession Europe will have much less disposable income in 2023. Tightening the belt will affect discretionary expenses first. That type of spending is a sweet spot where Wizz makes money. Reduction in travel will hit lowcosters harder than other airlines.

      Delete
    6. Anonymous23:03

      On the contrary, people will still want to go on holidays, and visit their family abroad. They will be more price sensitive, so instead of travelling with "full fare" airlines, they will go for the lowest cost, which is where LCCs thrive.

      Delete
    7. Anonymous01:04

      Instead of visiting relatives twice they will go once. Instead of doing a city break people will save that money to pay bills. Those are LCC customers.

      Those who need to travel for business or emergency they will go with legacy carriers.

      Delete
    8. Anonymous09:00

      In a recession, business will again remember that Zoom, Teams etc. are a thing, and less important meetings will be moved from in-person to online.

      Delete
    9. Anonymous12:03

      Wizz is fully liquid? According to their Q1 results published today they lost 452 million in three months (april-may-june). That's 40% of their cash. In three months. Tables can turn very quickly.

      Delete
  33. Anonymous16:36

    They are increasing AUH-BEG to 4x from October, I guess demand is high and it's easier to find cheap workforce over there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous10:30

      All the flights to/from AUH are going full to the last seat.

      Delete
  34. Anonymous08:54

    They are useless. This morning 2/3 of their first departures from BEG were delayed by like an hour. I think their ground handlers are useless.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Anonymous12:05

    garbage airline, just like brother brother Ryanair.

    ReplyDelete

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