Wizz Air has continued to reduce frequencies across its bases for the upcoming 2024/25 winter season, which begins on October 27, as the carrier’s A320neo-family fleet undergoes inspections due to manufacturing issues with engines. The matter has resulted in Wizz Air currently having over forty of its aircraft grounded. The airline has modified its winter operations which will see a reduction in frequencies on nine routes out of Skopje compared to its initially planned schedule from earlier this month, with Belgrade seeing a reduction on six routes. However, the airline has also decided to boost services on select destinations, including three out of Skopje and four out of Belgrade.
Wizz Air has reduced frequencies on its initial plan on flights from Skopje to Charleroi and Eindhoven from five weekly to four, Berlin from five to three, Cologne, Milan, and Hamburg from four to three, Hahn and Bologna from three to two, and Malta from the initially planned four weekly rotations to three weekly. As previously reported, the airline has discontinued ticket sales for the winter on services from the Macedonian capital to Bremen, Copenhagen, and Stockholm Skavsta. On the other hand, services to Nuremberg will increase from two to three weekly, Malmo from three to five weekly, and London Luton will grow from three to four weekly flights.
In Belgrade, the low cost carrier will reduce frequencies on its initial plan on flights to Beauvais, Barcelona, Berlin and Eindhoven from five weekly rotations to four, as well as to Bergamo from four weekly rotations to three. However, it will increase service to Dortmund from three to four weekly, as well as to Gothenburg, Malmo and, Stockholm Skavsta from two to three weekly rotations. Further changes remain likely. Wizz Air previously told EX-YU Aviation News it plans to return to growing its frequencies and network out of both its Skopje and Belgrade bases from the summer of 2025, despite engine issues expected to dog the airline for another two years.
At least they will offset some of the reduction by growing other routes.
ReplyDeleteLet's hope they will return to growth as announced next year.
ReplyDeleteWhile bad at the moment, I assume growth in 2025 will be significant.
DeleteThey always had big plans for Belgrade.
DeleteBut in the end nothing much happened.
Although I don't blame Wizz directly for the issue with the engines, this shows that the airports need to attract different carriers and this might be a good opportunity to try attracting other low cost airlines to Skopje
ReplyDeleteSkopje relies on Wizz because no other airline wants to base aircraft there. Wizz did wonders for SKP
DeleteRyanair could have seen this as an opportunity.
DeleteThere is no space for them both.
DeleteWhy wouldn't there be? They operate side by side in many countries. I don't see it is an issue for example in Montenegro.
DeleteHow many aircraft will they have based in SKP and how many in BEG this winter in the end?
ReplyDeleteSKP 9
DeleteWhat are you talking about? They won't have 9 aircraft based in Skopje this winter. They have 6 in Skopje now.
Delete:(
ReplyDeleteWe have been used to lots of growth from Wizz so this is unfortunate. Hope they manage to navigate this crisis and come back stronger.
ReplyDeleteAny chance INI to see some Wizz's growth from S25?
ReplyDeleteIt would be nice but I think there focus will be on restoring suspended routes from larger cities/bases next year.
DeleteActually it's not that bad. When you calculate the increase and decreases, it is just one weekly flight less to BEG than originally planned.
ReplyDeleteSKP on the other hand down 6 weekly flights and that's not including the 3 suspended routes in winter.
DeleteI'm still surprised they removed CPH.
DeleteMe too, especially since they originally increased it to 4 weekly over winter.
DeleteI'm pretty sure they will be making more changes to the schedule.
DeleteWith less capacity ticket prices will go up.
ReplyDeleteThey already have, at least in BEG.
Deletethis would be the perfect timing for Ryanair to attack Wizzair at SKP
ReplyDeleteI don't think they will ever come to SKP
DeleteWhy?
Delete46 aircraft currently grounded,
ReplyDeleteYikes
DeleteOuch
ReplyDeleteNot bad for BEG, just 1 weekly flight less.
ReplyDeleteYes, could have been much worse.
DeleteI expect huge growth in 2025.
ReplyDeleteDon't be so optimistic
DeleteIt won't be huge but I am certain there will be growth in 2025. More significant one in 2026.
DeleteI'm sure they will be opening new routes next year.
DeleteAre you aware that all neo aircraft will need to be grounded for the same reason (after a certain amount of cycles), even the ones being delivered now? It does not seem so. This issue will go on for years to come, you'd better not expect huge growth for 2025 either.
DeleteAll a/c which will be delivered after 1st of June won't need the special inspection. Have a look in the FY24 presentation which was published on their website. 27 new a/c will be delivered in FY25, which started at the end of this march. So things will be better as of next years SS25 :). 27 fresh ones and the 47 which are grounded now. PW have also reduced shop visit times so it could take them "only" 180 days for an inspection.
DeleteExactly. All aircraft delivered in F24 (39) will still need to be grounded. Plus the 5-6 or so being delivered already in F25 until 01JUN. And they still expect 300 days shops visits in F25 as they clearly say so in the presentation you mention. Some of their aircraft are stored since last October (eight months so far! and counting). It will be an ongoing mess, not a "huge growth". They get EUR 200 million as compensation from PW so far (however they want to hide in in the presentation released yesterday), that makes up 60% of the profit they made. And PW won't be able to pay forever.
DeleteAnd I forgot to add the "30-35 aircraft potential Airbus delays" they mention for next year. It will remain a mess.
DeleteSo SKP-LUX completely cancelled? Not coming back at all?
ReplyDeleteAll flights from Luxembourg have been cancelled.
DeleteHow come Wizz is allowed to suspend LUX? I remember one of the terms of the subsidy tender is that no new route can be suspended for 3 years.
DeleteThere is probably some clause that they can suspend a route in case of a situation outside of their control.
DeleteSo many airlines having issues with neo engines. But it does seem like Wizz is most impacted.
ReplyDeleteOver 40 airline are currently impacted. IndiGo is also affected a lot.
DeleteSpirit in the US too.
DeleteI expect we will see more changes as we get closer to winter.
ReplyDeleteHopefully more increases
DeleteI don't even want to see a comparison to last winter
ReplyDeletePeople are so dramatic here. It will be ok. Both airports had some of the highest growth in Europe last year, so they can take these temporary reductions.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand comments how SKP should have chased after Ryanair because of this. Wizz Air has been a partner to Skopje Airport for 15 years, generated most of its growth for the past decade and constantly expanded its network. And just because there is a small blimp does not mean it is good business practice to ditch your biggest partner and try to find a new one. Wizz is here to stay and they will be back to growth soon.
ReplyDelete+100
DeleteWhat is the airport in the background. Anyone?
ReplyDeletePoprad-Tatry
DeleteHad to google that one
DeleteWe need Ryanair in Belgrade...
ReplyDeleteNot going to happen
DeleteDoes anybody know if they do cuts in other airports in the Balkans , let's say in ATH or just in ex-yu since the market is not too important ?
ReplyDeleteYes, they have cut in many markets. They cut 46% of flights this summer on Greek market, 88% in Romania and 28% in Bulgaria,
Deletewow that's huge. How come so much in Romania?
DeleteThey closed their base in Suceava and suspended half of their routes from Timisoara and Cluj.
DeleteThey also cancelled several routes from Bucharest.
DeleteThat is the end of BEG record statistics.
ReplyDeleteIt will bring happiness and excitement for some (and I'm guessing you too). But I don't know how you concluded that based on the fact that Wizz Air will have 1 flight less than planned.
DeleteVerovatno piše i likuje "Analitičar"? Srce naše kako brine...
DeleteOn six routes, which is not on 70 seats props or 110 E190 Mercedes :D
DeleteAir Serbia could use winter as an opportunity to gain further advantage on Wizz, which they probably will considering the planned long haul expansion this winter, I'm guessing we will also see short haul growth.
ReplyDeleteThey said they will only schedule additional flights once they get the planned aircraft they have coming.
DeleteTAV nista ne radi za Skopje i Ohrid. Treba im raskinuti ugovor i oterati ih iz Makedonije.
ReplyDeleteLOL
DeleteWith a share of between 60% and 70% and almost no direct competitor on any route, Wizz Air really does not need to worry.
DeleteThere just isn't enough demand from SKP. And most of the traffic there is gasto, people who only fly if the price is low. Not much potential for profits. All airlines are going their math. They are in it for the profit, not for the joy of growth.
DeleteInteresting that Wiz is already now announcing winter schedule plans while Air Serbia still has nothing in place for the winter. They will load their winter schedule one month ahead of winter as always.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that Air Serbia has even finalized its summer schedule.
Deletethose engine inspections are going to take a very long time.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much Pratt and Whitney had to pay Wizz.
DeleteWizz's main problem in BEG and SKP at the moment is how expensive they have become.
ReplyDeleteTheir prices are crazy for one LCC carrier..I forsee big downhill in their business in this region
DeleteAir Serbia's prices are now on pair with Wizz if not cheaper on many routes, economy light. Even larger size of a bag included.
DeleteWe have been used to lots of growth from Wizz so this is unfortunate. Hope they manage to fly through this crisis.
ReplyDeleteOut of all of this, I would say the biggest loss is the suspension of Skopje-Copenhagen, since it is a primary airport and hub.
ReplyDeleteI guess they somewhat compensate it by increasing Malmo, which is probably much cheaper to operate from than Copenhagen.
DeleteDefinitely, but it's also way more convenient (and arguably nicer) to use CPH than MMX - even for people in Malmo.
DeleteBy far the worst one out of the big 3 Lcc’s in Europe.
ReplyDeleteI don't think so. Ok, I flew with them only twice: Belgrade - Hamburg but was an overall good experience. Clean, new and modern plane, seat wasn't much different than any other airline, crew was nice.
DeleteMy Wizz flights were fine also. Belgrade CC are great. One 2,5h delay from FMM but with snacks and water for everyone. New equipment.
DeleteAt least this will come in handy :D
ReplyDeletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2024/03/wizz-bot-to-call-passengers-over.html
Has anyone actually been contacted by this bot?
DeleteIs Wizz still operating the special flights for EURO 2024 from BEG?
ReplyDeleteYes, they are.
DeleteYes to Munich
DeleteThey are a hopeless airline!
ReplyDeleteNow it is the opportunity for Air Serbia to go already this winter in full expansion mode.
They can not wait any longer because Ryanair will definitely use Wizz weakness to its fullest.
JU has to be prepared for that bloodbath..
Hopeless? They are one of the biggest in Europe!
DeleteThey are still one of the biggest...
DeleteAnd will continue to be.
DeleteAnd today is Wizz Air's 20th birthday :D
ReplyDeleteDid they do something to celebrate it?
DeleteWell they launched a 20% discount on fares on all routes.
DeleteThe inspection of all Wizzair aircraft is supposed to last up to 18 months in total from September 2023 after their inspection began.
ReplyDeleteIn June 2025, it is supposed to have performed the control of all airbus + new airbus that will arrive until that period and with this Wizz marks the highest number of passangers in 2025
Their CCO said just 2 werks ago it will last 2 yrs.
DeleteYep but they forgot to tell that to their maintenance staff writing here (with a lot of wishful thinking).
DeleteFor all those predicting doom for Wizz Air
ReplyDelete"Wizz Air Holdings PLC on Thursday said it swung to an annual profit, as revenue rose strongly in its financial 2024 alongside rising passenger numbers. In the year ended March 31, the Budapest-based budget airline said it swung to a pretax profit of €341.1 million from a loss of €564.6 million a year earlier."
Yeah right that must be why I'm getting these promotion ticket sale offers emails every day now. Because of filled seats. Few years ago such "sale promotions" happened once 2-3 months .
DeleteThe majority of that 341 million (199 million) is purely because of the compensation received from PW. And they compare all their metrics meticulously to their own catastrophic years since 2020 and not to 2019 when everything was going normal to show better figures. Creative use of statistics.
Delete