Low cost carrier Wizz Air held a press conference in Belgrade this afternoon, during which it addressed the company's plans for future operations in the Serbian market. The live coverage from the press conference, as it happened, can be viewed below.
Decision on base future to be made soon
Mr Rado says Wizz Air has been in discussions with Belgrade Airport but questioned why the airport has not taken a more vocal stance on the issue, given that the airline accounts for 22% of its traffic. He notes that this share would decline significantly if the carrier were to close its Belgrade base. Asked by EX-YU Aviation News about the deadline for making a decision on the future of the base, Mr Rado says a decision would need to be made "soon", while stressing that Wizz Air does not want to take such a step
The low cost carrier is now emphasising its low fares, noting they would disappear if it were forced to close its base. It is comparing fares on select routes with that of other airlines including Air Serbia and Norwegian Air Shuttle. “If Wizz Air is forced to close its base, tickets would skyrocket”, Mr Rado says
Wizz Air denies maintenance issues in Serbia
Wizz Air denies it does not have a maintenance provider in Serbia, noting that Jat Tehnika maintains the airline’s aircraft in the country, which also maintains Air Serbia’s planes
Wizz warns local jobs at stake
Mr Rado notes that competition is good and competition is needed. “Everybody needs to compete to become better”, he says. He adds, “Keeping fares affordable is important for the state. It helps boost tourism and income and Wizz Air enables that. What is even more important is the local jobs. This is what we are most worried about and what we are ready to fight for. It is not just the 200 people working for Wizz but the thousands of indirect jobs in the associated industries. All our staff that are employed in Serbia are in accordance with Serbian laws and regulations. All of this is at risk if things go as they are being planned”
”Serbia deserves choice”
Mr Rado notes, “Over the years, Wizz Air has added a lot of leisure routes from Serbia as well because the population now has a better life and earns more than fifteen years ago and these routes have now become available. This year we have 2.5 million seats on sale from Serbia. We also bring a lot of foreigners to Serbia, which boosts the economy and tourism. The majority from Serbia are year-round, which means the public can rely on us”. He notes that he will now address “the elephant in the room”
Sixteen years in Serbia
”Belgrade is one of our oldest bases and it has been for fifteen years, where we have pilots and crew members”, Mr Rado says. He adds, “We started flying to Belgrade on June 12, 2010, so a few days ago we had our sixteenth anniversary. We have four aircraft based in Belgrade, carried over fourteen million passengers and we have over 200 colleagues, including 143 cabin crew and sixty flight crew. Wizz Air is the only foreign European airline that has a base in Serbia. We have made it a successes. We were one of the first airlines to connect the diaspora with their homeland. It is an airline that makes a decision whather to open a base in certain city or country – not the government. Wizz Air was the airline which believed in Serbia
Company overview
General details on the airline’s fleet, passenger numbers and bases is now being presented
Conference to commence
Wizz Air's media briefing is about to commence. It will be led by the carrir's Head of Communications, Andras Rado, accompanied by a large contingent of cabin crew
This will be interesting
ReplyDeleteWith EXPO coming up it is ridiculous to try to decrease connectivity instead of encouraging it.
Delete^ Stranger things have happened in these parts.
Delete^ True dat!
DeleteI feel sorry for employees
DeleteMe too. Its disgusting behviour to risk so many jobs.
DeleteThis is common practice with LCCs. How many bases have been closed so far?
DeleteLess common as the rest of the state however
DeleteJust get a Serbian AOC and grow as much as you want.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteDo you really think they would be allowed one?
Delete-1
DeleteWill Serbia allow them to get Serbian AOC even if they ask for it?
DeleteThey have no alternative but to allow them. But getting an AOC in any country can't be done in a couple of days. Anyway Wizz has already said they would not seek an AOC.
DeleteWell they will of course allow Wizz to have an AOC but no one prevents the CAA of coming up with some unreasonable requests before that.
DeleteThey have plenty of time till November, they better start now.
DeleteOf course they will get AOC, if they comply with Serbian rules. But they are used not to.
DeleteHow exactly?
DeleteThey do not pay taxes in Serbia, staff not doing fit to fly medical checks in Serbia etc
DeleteIf it is not legal, how were they able to do it until now?
DeleteA blind eye was being turned. Why? That is a good question.
DeleteAnd why now suddenly the change of heart. Also a valid question
DeleteI can answer that... it's only happening now because JU realized they can't beat Wizz Air fair and square. In stead of asking themselves why people are rushing to fly with their competition they are trying to force people to fly with them.
DeleteWell said.
DeleteYeah, that's why they have three times the passengers vs. Wizz Air.
DeleteIts about the government feeling thats power is on the slide.
DeleteNo, they don't have.
DeleteThis year is expected W6 to have aaround 2.2 million pax in BEG and JU will have probably 4,7 (not counting INI).
Last time I checked it was far from being 3 times more.
JU is beating them for decade now, so please stop with zama academy arguments.
DeleteNext year a lot of new passengers are expected, so it’s about a time Wizz to comply with market conditions
Lets be realistic here. W6 can get all the AOCs it can and yet it would never be allowed by the directorate to fly from BEG to TGD, TIV, TIA, TLV, SKP, TBS, IST.
DeleteEver!
It would purely depend what the bilateral is like and whether it allows more than one airline from each state. Most do.
DeleteJU is surely not beating W6 and this move of Directorate surely proves it.
DeleteSerbia would not chage the rules of the game (as it hasn't been done in last 15 years) if Air Serbia "was beating " W6.
Quite contrary.
Are we really comparing a fleet of 38 and a fleet of 4?
DeleteWizz wont have problems getting a Serbian AOC. A catch may be the part where an airline registered in Serbia must own 2 aircraft (hence JU buying the 3 A319's it did after retiring the ATR72-200's). If Wizz ac are leased and not owned this presents a problem in attaining a Serbian AOC.
DeleteJU has shown time and time again that it can compete with Wizz. Competition with Wizz has actually benefited JU and the Serbian market for example in LIS where it was Wizz that first announced the route, JU reacted and now it's JU left on the route where in the mean time has increased frequencies.
What likely is annoying JU, going by information available online, is staff leaving JU for Wizz, where Wizz offers significantly better wages and work conditions (stable rosters, annual leave guarantees, bonuses etc). A BEG base makes the switch easier plus the fact that both have Airbus narrowbodies. This would make alot of sense considering how heavily JU has been recruiting yet growth isn't matching that same pace.
We are comparing number of passengers on 38 and on 4 planes.
Delete+1
DeleteWizz Air staff is doing medical according to Easa in Easa approved centres. They have Easa licenses...all good and correct...on other hand some of AirSebia staff failed on alco and drug test in its laboratory...and it was hidden...
DeleteWizz staff is doing checks according to Easa, but working in Serbia, which is illegal and why all of this is happening. Wizz is awful employer and everyone know that. People are leaving them all the time, like in McDonalds.
DeleteFor decade, Wizz is uncapable to develop any market besides copy/paste already existing JU routes. JU beat them in Lisbon, Heraklion, Santorini, Copenhagen, Charleroi, Oslo. They failed miserbly in Vaxjo, Billund, Abu Dhabi without competition.
Air Serbia grew to 40 planes, while W6 barely have 4, this year. In the meantime, they have based 6 at Skopje, 7 Cluj, 15 Tirana, 19 Budapest, 21 Bucharest in the region. That's enough to know about making competition at BEG. Everything else is pure expert's nonsenseness.
Dear, last 2 years many pilots and cabin crew members left AirSerbia and came to Wizzai and so far they are happy here.
DeleteSalary is min 30 persent better in Wizz ,stable roster.
Only in your comments, but not in reality
DeleteThen OU should have more problems with W6 in the region. JU pilot's salaries are higher than in OU. If that would be truth, of course
DeleteIt would be nice if they announced some expansion but I don't see it happening. Let's see
ReplyDeleteIt is quite indicative admin titled the article Growth Plans, not something like "Future of Wizz in Serbia".
ReplyDeleteThey've probably reached some kind of an agreement and will continue growing. No one is against having With in the country, happy to have them putting a Serbian flag on their planes and flying as much as they want
No resolution has been reached in terms of this issue with the Directorate so we will see.
DeleteUnless the EU told them Serbia would back down.
DeleteFingers crossed wizz! Valuable airline and lets hope this embarrising episode will close and they will remain and expand.
ReplyDeleteExcelllent comment.
DeleteAll good people hope that.
JU simply can not compete with them.
DeleteSo they are going to keep inventing new things to drive them off BEG.
The flying public will be the victims here with higher ticket prices and fewer flying options...
JU can, and do compete with them - that is obvious. What is needed is for a healthy JU and a healthy and welcoming market for a foreign-owned LCC such as wizz. Losing either one would be very bad for Belgrade and the wider region.
DeleteIf they hypothetically got Serbian AOC would it legally open Serbia-Montenegro market to them?
ReplyDeleteNope
DeleteYes it would
DeleteThat would really shake thing up
DeleteSwitzerland and Russia (in future) too! Just tells you that all these "get an AOC" posts are only politically motivated, shortsided and lack of any logic
DeleteIf they cannot compete with 4 planes imagine when they need to compete with more Wizz planes plus flying on the most lucrative JU routes
+1
DeleteZero chance of W6 being allowed on the BEG-TIV/TGD markets no matter what AOC they got.
DeleteMy question was whether they would need any further approval can anyone with Serbian AOC start flying to Montenegro? And same with Russia as well.
DeleteWell even with a Serbian AOC wizzair would not want the flack of flying to Russia even if the Russians allowed it. People have stated that they don't think Serbia would allow a new entrant on the BG-Montenegro market easily. Of course if you all just pulled-ya fingers out and joined the EU this would all change.
Deletea national AOC makes zero sense if they will not be allowed to fly all ruites a serbian airline is allowed to fly
DeleteWe ❤️ you Wizz!
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteNope. Maybe you.
Delete^ Many of us like what they bring, so maybe its you who the odd one out.
DeleteCan't wait to see what will happen
ReplyDeleteEvery country has the right to regulate its aviation market. If the new rules comply with the law, Wizz Air should adapt
ReplyDeleteAnd to face the consequences of these regulations.
DeleteInteresting timing for this press conference. It sounds like Wizz wants to put public pressure on the authorities before the winter schedule is finalised
ReplyDeleteGood for them, hope they succeed!
Delete+1
DeleteI flew Wizz at least 100 segments to/ffiled a complaint. rom BEG in the last 3 years alone. I flew JU about 10 times.
ReplyDeleteWizz won't back off without a fight. Wizz called directorate's bluff and filed a complaint. If unsuccessful, they may yet get Serbian AOC, but then they will go all the way and double down basing few more aircrafts.
Some bilaterals may protect the 'national carrier' but EU destinations will be squeezed.
Expecting Wizz to promise millions of new passsengers in Belgrade, just like Ryan talked about 10 million passengers in Zagreb, remember that? After those stories about Wizz love for Serbia and bringing more jobs and investments to Belgrade, I expect them to start B*ch & Complain phase of the show where they will talk about those sweet dreams being crushed by evil government. Predictable and pathetic.
ReplyDeleteThe only pathetic here is Air Serbia crying to the ministry because travelers keep choosing W6 over them.
DeleteYou should really fly more often with JU instead of complaining about other flyers choices.
It really is that simple.
Please present some evidence for your claims.
Delete@11:19 good comment. There is sufficient evidence avaliable.
Deleteanon 11.34
DeleteWell look at the articles here and you will what growth W6 recorded in BEG. For two years now they have been rapidly growing in Belgrade
After massive cuts lol
DeleteNone of evidence presented. Now let's wait for Wizz show so we can see if prediction @11:12 was correct.
DeleteKako vole ljudi da frljaju raznim frazama, to je čudo.
DeleteKakav dokaz, za šta dokaz?
Treba ti dokaz da je za putnika dobro da postoji konkurencija, za to ti treba dokaz, nije dovoljan zdrav razum?
I see that only one crying is W6 to mamma EU and now to the press. Everyone should protect them breaking laws on the market they are serving.
Delete@15:37 Healthy competition existed for many years and will continue. Choose EasyJet, Lufthansa, China Eastern, Turkish, Malev, KLM or any other airline operating at Belgrade.
DeleteExcellent comment! From easyJet we have a total of TWO routes in Belgrade (one of which doesn't even operate in July, August, January or September) and from Malev we have ZERO routes! China Eastern flies a grand total of one route.
DeleteVery healthy competition!
Malev has been bankrupt for 14 years. China Eastern doesn't fly to BEG.
DeleteOh ok, so if BEG managed to experience significant growth without Malev, it will surely manage to continue growth without another airline from that same country.
DeleteThere are 28 different airlines at BEG. Please stop with stupidness
DeleteAgain thank you for bringing this live for us!! Really appreciated.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAnyone knows where can we watch live conference?
ReplyDeleteNowhere
DeleteNew routes?
ReplyDeleteHopefully.
DeleteI read somewhere that they might announce BEG-LJU
ReplyDeleteCan you say where you read such a thing?
DeleteThat wouldn't surprise me at this point. A couple of routes in direct competition with JU. OTP, PRG and ATH come to mind.
Delete^
DeleteThat would be amazing!
Also increasing frequencies from foreign bases to BEG like London, Germany, Poland.
Wizzair do not fly between Poland and Serbia.
DeleteThat would be so predictable. They are copying literally every successful JU route.
DeleteLooking at wizz Belgrade destinations on wiki, it seems the London route would the only one impacted as England or UK is not in EU. The other destinations are all in the EU. So not sure what the issue is here, perhaps I don't understand this.
ReplyDeleteLuton is operated by W9 (Wizzair UK) and a totally other story (UK-Serbia bilateral). Flights by W6 and W4 would be affected. But as it seems Wizz is getting ready to tell us what's their plan right now. Somebody is going into offensive as it seems hehe
DeleteYou don't understand, that is correct.
DeleteIssue here is that many EU routes, where W6 flies to BEG from, are not W6 bases and therefore they couldnt fly for example anymore route Chania-Belgrade or Alicane-Belgrade.
DeleteChania is not their base, neither Alicante nor Belgrade (hopefully will remain).
And why's that? What's stopping them to base aircrafts in EU?
DeleteSo nee the rules would mean no more basing aircraft in Belgrade to serve those destinations. So wizz can base their planes in EU airports and serve Belgrade that way.
ReplyDeleteITs a complex issue which I'm sure you'll have explained here in detail. I don't have the strength...
DeleteBasically Yes
DeleteMost Belgrade routes are to non-bases so most flights would end
DeleteThis is end of wizzair in Belgrade.Goodbye Wizz and see you soon after few years.
ReplyDeleteI don't believe they will suspend flights to Belgrade. They are making money here, even without base. This will bring more complexity from operational side, but they will not suspend Belgrade operations for sure.
DeleteNot so fast sir..
DeleteI agree with W6 that fares would go up. JU is extremely expensive
ReplyDeleteSo far nothing on the plans to get Serbian licence
ReplyDeleteWhat a hypocrites. They didn’t worried about jobs in Tuzla when they left in an afternoon
ReplyDeleteThat can be said about any company that opens and closes stores/bases etc. This is the Serbian state actively telling a major business to reduce jobs. Tells us all we need to know about the government.
DeleteThat tells enough about W6. All they care is their profit which taxes aren't paid in Serbia. They don't care about any employee or his job.
DeleteIf they are so worried about their employees, they should open Serbian AOC, like they did in Britain, Malta, Hungary, Emirates, Israel. Or they don't?
DeletePlease explain to me how Wizz doesn't pay any taxes in Serbia. Do you think workers are volunteers?
DeleteThey are selling tickets to mostly Serbian passengers and flies from Serbia. And they don't pay taxes to Serbia, but Hungaria/Malta
DeleteAny news about expansion ? Some new routes from Serbia ? I mean, direct flights to new destinations that are not connected with Serbia yet, not just to follow Air Serbia only on existing routes....
ReplyDeleteThe airline is about to close its base and stop probably all routes except 2-3, and you're talking about expansion
DeleteWhat is the purpose of this conference, feels a little unproffesional? When will they talk about the growth ?? I hope with concrete dates.
ReplyDeleteWhat growth if they are possibly closing their base?
DeleteThey are not talking about growth. They are only whining about losing their advantage at BEG.
DeleteI think it’s the Gov of Serbia who is unprofessional. Whereas to why this conference took place - you obviously didn’t read the article.
DeleteThe Serbian Government are the ones who are unprofessional here. Wizz could have been a hell of a lot more venemous than they were today
DeleteUnprofessional to insist on following the rules? You are ridiculous, at least
DeleteAll those times it should say "fewer" in his slides but it says "less". Painful to read!
ReplyDeleteThere is already a selection of different companies from Serbia, starting with the Lufthansa Group through KLM, Aegean, Norwegian, Turkish and Middle Eastern companies and many others. And in the end, Wizz will not withdraw completely, but only close the base with the reduction of some routes and frequencies.
ReplyDelete“Some routes and frequencies” ?! I swear that people on this forum are not real. Out of all destinations that Wizz flies to out of BEG, only 5 are Wizz’s bases - Palermo, Rome, Luton, Larnaca and Chania. I am sorry, but I will not pay the exorbitant prices JU wants for the same routes it flies as Wizz. And the taxes argument is even worse - the taxes Wizz would pay (if this argument is even true) will not help the disastrous economic situation Serbia is in now
DeleteNobody's forcing you. Although you don't live in Serbia and you never fly from Belgrade via W6 or JU, we all know that. Serbian economy was never better than now and yes, taxes are always important in every country. except the one you hate, of course.
DeleteIt's a bit pathetic that Wizz has closed so many bases and now suddenly they are worried about the workers in Serbia. So it's just about double standards.
ReplyDeleteYou dont need to predict the future what the prices would be if W6 goes away. Just have a look at LJU.
ReplyDeleteBG from Slovenija
Wizz never had many routes in Slovenia. You in Slovenia have problems with Fraport and the shutdown of Adria.
DeleteWhat problems with Fraport?
DeleteRefusing LCCs
DeleteFull support for our colleagues at W6. They offer, by far, the best working conditions for cabin crew, including permanent contracts. Hopefully they’ll stay in Belgrade for the long run, fingers crossed.
ReplyDeleteHow LCC quickly cuts bases, lays people off overnight, without caring about the workers and what will happen to them tomorrow so that now this outpouring of pathos forces us to really think that they care about the workers and not about the profits.
DeletePlease tell me, in these 15 years in Belgrade, when did they close the base overnight and fire crew?
DeleteTuzla, Vienna, Abu Dhabi only recently
DeleteSo sad what Serbia is doing. It seems so counterproductive. I really thought so much more of it! Regards from SLO and all the best to everyone.
DeleteDa li ovo znaci da W6 ima udeo nesto manji od 50% u ukupnom broju prevezenih putnika na BEG aerodromu sa 4 aviona A321NEO dok AS (i svi ACMI koji lete za njih) i ostali avioprevoznici imaju nesto manje od 60% od ukupnog broja? AS ima oko 40 aviona? Koja je popunjenost njihovih aviona? Je li skupa karta? Kao laiku mi je potpuno neverovatno da 4 aviona prevezu skoro isti broj putnika kao svi ostali zajedno. Mozda efikasnost W6 i lojalnost njihovih putnika je upravo razlog ove hajke?
ReplyDeleteHaha koja površnost.
DeleteWizzAir ima 4 aviona, u svojoj beogradskoj bazi, koja koristi za destinacije koje su iz Beograda (kao polazne destinacije), dok za ostale rute koristi avione koji su u svojim drugim bazama. WizzAir koristi daleko više od samo 4 aviona koliko ima baziranih u Beogradu. Svi Wizzair avioni su Airbus A32X sa kapacitetom između 180 i 239 putnika. AirSrbija sa druge strane ima 30 aviona u svojoj floti u Beogradu, od toga 10 ATR72 aviona kapaciteta 72 putnika, 10 Embraer 195 aviona sa kapaciteta 118 putnika i 4 Airbus A330 sa kapacitetom između 257 i 268 putnika. Dakle AirSrbija ima daleko veću flotu i veći broj letova, dok WizzAir ima manje letova i manju flotu. Popunjenost aviona (LF) i broj operacija po avionu čine još značajnu razliku te WizzAir može da ima veći udeo u kapacitetu i broju prevezenih putnika u odnosu na AirSrbiju (po letu). Jedina zajednička tačka je da su i WizzAir i AirSrbija avio kompanije, da obe lete iz Beograda i da obe koriste beogradski aerodrom (BEG) kao svoju bazu (iako je za AirSrbiju glavna baza, a za Wizzair operativna baza).
Delete239 seats vs:
Delete- 70-72 seater ATR
- 118 seater E195
- 144 seater all economy A319 (less with J class)
-180 seater all economy A320 (less with J class)
Plus Wizz is using additional capacity from other bases (LTN is not operated with BEG based ac.
Unlike JU, Wizz fully utilises it's ac out of BEG which provides extra flights and extra pax. This morning, all 4 Wizz ac were operational plus a 5th from LTN while JU had 28/34 ac (excluding A330) operational:
- ATR72: 8/10
- E195: 3/4
- A319: 6/8
- A320: 4/4
- E190: 4/4
- BCS3: 3/4
699 seats were lost with unused capacity or 560 pax at 80% CLF in just 1 wave.
JU also has 2 more A320's awaiting delivery which will further water down utilisation.
JU also have another Get Jet A320 wetleased recently. Summer charters only started few days ago. W6 had about 1.8 million passengers last year, while JU had 4,6 mil. Some competition
DeleteBesplatna regionalna reklama za Wizz Air.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIza svega stoji Air Serbia, a država umesto da štiti građane i da podstiče konkurenciju ona blokira WizAir. Treba im se zabraniti da imaju transferne EU putnike
ReplyDeleteTreba ugasiti sve što je srpsko i sve prepustiti strancima!
DeleteWhat difference does it make if it's Serbian or foreign? Shouldn't passengers celebrate low prices and extra seat capacity?
DeleteIza tebe stoji lazni analiticar i njegovo znanje i zelje. A da, Palermo ide na 4 nedeljno. Wizz pobedjuje...
DeleteMaybe stupid question, but how they hire the crews? As if they were working in Hungary? Or there is an option of being hired locally by foreign entity?
ReplyDeleteThey are hiring crews few times a year all over the region, because crews are leaving them all the time. They are known as a terrible employer.
DeleteWhere are the announced company's plans for future operations in the Serbian market???
ReplyDeleteThis was announced in the press conference invitation, but was not addressed.
DeleteThank you
DeleteThey will close their Belgrade base but will continue flying from bases in the EU.
ReplyDeleteSerbia cannot order them from where to fly into Serbia because it will go against the deal with the EU.
The EU can always scrap the deal and ban Air Serbia from flying into the EU or overflying.
Most flights are not to EU bases
Deletethere are hardly any bases in West Europe at all
Deleteonly Italy
DeleteYou can always wish and pray.
DeleteWizz:
ReplyDelete"We were one of the first airlines to connect the diaspora with their homeland. "
Not true: Diaspora has been flying other domestic and international airlines for decades before Wizz was established.
"It is an airline that makes a decision whether to open a base in certain city or country – not the government"
Only is government allows you, for example in the UK had to register Wizz UK to open a base.
"Wizz Air was the airline which believed in Serbia"
Not evident during engine issues in the past couple of years, when Wizz significantly reduced presence in Serbia but grew at some other airports. Best way to show commitment is to get AOC and register aircraft, is it not?
"The low cost carrier is now emphasising its low fares, noting they would disappear if it were forced to close its base"
Not convinced. Easyjet, Norwegian and others are low cost carriers offering affordable fares without a base in Belgrade and other airlines would likely show interest in opening new routes, keeping low fares available.
Do you work for JU? Lol
DeleteOf course I don't, companies only allow dedicated people to talk publicly about their affairs. Not being related to them or Wizz allows me to comment. Found it interesting to see Head of Communications for a major airline make such statements.
Delete@16:38
DeleteWell said! +1
Lot of things were said and told in recent time. If at least small portion of what Directorate stated is true, Wizz should be forced to obtain serbian AOC and if they dont want to, close base.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, if what was told by Directorate is rubbish, Wizz should add 2-3 new planes and kill JU on most EU lucrative routes.
JU deserves to be punished because they want to extort the customers
DeleteWell, they hardly added 4th plane in 16 years, although they have more than 100 based in the region. Wizz NEVER killed JU at any route, but contrary (Lisbon, Copenhagen, Heraklion). So your wishes will stay wishes only
DeleteI just scrolled through Instagram and a lot of media sites are reporting this in a very negative light. They are all mentioning JU. Even Kreni promeni is talking about this and that's not good PR for JU.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very miscalculated move by the Serbian government