Low cost carrier Wizz Air will open a base in Pristina this coming winter and introduce three new routes as a result. It will commence services to Basel, Baden Baden and Charleroi. Flights from Basel and Baden Baden will commence on November 16, followed by Charleroi on November 17. The Basel route will operate daily, while Baden Baden will be served four times per week and Charleroi three times weekly. The new additions will complement the airline's existing network from Pristina to Dortmund, Memmingen, Milan Malpensa, Rome Fiumicino, Bratislava and London Luton. The carrier will station a 239-seat Airbus A321neo aircraft.
| Route | Launch date |
| Pristina - Basel | 16.11.2026 |
| Pristina - Baden Baden | 16.11.2026 |
| Pristina - Charleroi | 17.11.2026 |
The development comes just months after the Kosovo government allocated two million euros to support air routes serving the diaspora. The funding is intended to help maintain or develop flights to destinations with significant expatriate communities. Wizz Air's main competitor in Pristina will be GP Aviation, which boasts a base in the city and operates to both Basel and Baden Baden. The Swiss city is also served by easyJet and Chair Airlines.
Commenting on Wizz Air's new base, Andras Szabo, Network Officer East at Wizz Air, said, "Today, I am pleased to announce that Wizz Air will open a new base in Pristina from November 2026. We will station an Airbus A321neo aircraft at the airport, creating forty new jobs for the people of Kosovo. We are delighted that we will no longer simply be an airline that flies into Pristina and leaves. Instead, we will establish a permanent presence here, base an aircraft at the airport, employ local staff and offer a significantly expanded route network through this investment. This represents an investment of approximately 100 million US dollars, centred on the deployment of an Airbus A321neo in Kosovo". Acting Prime Minister, Albin Kurti, added, "Wizz Air's decision to establish a base at Pristina Airport is a strong vote of confidence in Kosovo as an increasingly attractive destination for investment, offering clear growth prospects and significant potential for deeper integration into Europe's transport, trade and free movement networks. The establishment of the new base, together with the deployment of a 239-seat Airbus A321neo, represents a major investment and further underscores Kosovo's growing appeal to the international aviation industry".
Wizz Air entered the Kosovo market in April 2017 and is today the third busiest carrier at Pristina Airport behind only GP Aviation and easyJet. It commenced operations to the city from Budapest and London Luton. This was followed by the addition of flights from Memmingen, Basel and Dortmund during the fourth quarter of 2018, after which the airline positioned itself among the top ten busiest in Pristina. Last year, the low cost airline handled some 520.000 travellers on its Pristina flights, representing a year-on-year increase of 23.8%.
Great developments.
ReplyDeleteYes. Well done Priština. Hopefully we see Wizz on PRN-LJU.
DeleteIm sure in summer they will fly 2 or 3pw
Delete
ReplyDeleteThe right moment to attack a weak GP&Co
9 routes vs 27 routes
DeleteBut daily BSL with A321neo 239 seats
DeleteGp Aviation will likely disappear by next year.
DeleteGP Aviation won't give up easily. They know the market well and have built a loyal customer base.
Delete^ true but they also have some internal issues.
DeleteYou beat me ro it. I also think thar competition is not the biggest challenge to GP right now, its other factors like fuel cost etc. They did have to considerably shrink their schedule for some reason
Delete@Anonymous11:12 Loyal customer base means jack sh.. to me, I fly with them and pay their hefty price because i have no other options, i wish wizzair starts flying Stuttgart <> PRN
DeleteLoyal customers for planes from the middle ages
DeleteBase needed
ReplyDeleteYes, a base is opening.
DeleteWhat’s the base with one aircraft? That’s not a base, but a joke. Even TZL have 2 planes
Delete@Admin, Basel links is actually Charleroi.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like they are stationing an aircraft there as they leave at 6am
ReplyDeleteGrowth opportunities in Tirana have been exhausted, and now it is time for Pristina. Truly good news, if it turns out to be true that they will base an A321 there!
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean if it turns out? It says so in the text
DeleteThe news updated. Great news
DeleteFinally!
ReplyDeleteGP Aviation suddenly has some serious competition. It will be interesting to see if fares start dropping this winter.
ReplyDeleteGP will be gone very soon.
DeleteYou've said that a few times.
DeleteLet's not underestimate GP. They've had serious competition before and know how to deal with it. I think there are other competitors we should be more concerned about first.
DeleteAny chance of them launching a route to Ljubljana? Is there enough demand?
ReplyDeleteWhat about the SK-LJ fan. They'll
DeleteWorry about that route.
No need for than route. Fly with LH if you need.
DeleteThey will use PRN base for leverage for sure. All the three routes are served from SKP also. It will be interesting to see if frequencies will change there or both airports can sustain them.
DeleteAbsolutely, but it would hurt their SKP route as many members of Kosovar diaspora in Slovenia use it regularly.
Delete@10.34 I don't think they need to worry. By their information there is enough demand for the SKP-LJU to be flying 14x per week.
Delete@10.37 Basel and Baden Baden were cut from PRN last time so lets see if they prove successful this rime. The ones to worry are actually EasyJet (Basel) and GP
Delete@10.39 knowing that you were one of them who repeatedly said that there is no demand for two weekly on a high density A320.... just give it a rest
Delete@10.39 That was definitely not me. I am happy for all the developments al LJU airport and I hope that we see many more Wizz or other LCC routes, even to destinations that maybe don't make the most sense currently. Keeping this in mind, I do think that the obsession that some people have with a route to SKP is a bit over the top haha.
Delete+1
DeleteIt was about time. Not many markets are left with big growth potential, so i believe more will follow.
ReplyDeleteThat Basel route will be very competitive now.
ReplyDeleteA321neo with 239 seats is a lot of capacity.
DeleteGood news but I hope this is only the beginning
ReplyDeleteAnother airport in the region gaining a Wizz base
ReplyDeleteIf these routes perform well a second based aircraft could follow next year.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely
DeleteCompetition between Wizz, GP Aviation, Eurowings and easyJet should make this one of the most competitive markets in the region for diaspora traffic.
ReplyDeleteEurowings is not in their league in PRN.
DeleteWhat a great news ! Hope they launch PRN-BVA next
ReplyDeleteHope so also, there is a lot people from Kosovo taking the Skopje flight
DeleteThis is actually conservative for Wizz. Just 1 plane. Usually they go for 2. But nevertheless excellent news from PRN and the passenger decline it is experiencing now will be short lived.
ReplyDeleteThe based plane will fly to the 3 routes introduced and max 2-3 of the currently operated routes. A based aircraft was necessary to start these flights as those 3 airports do not have a Wizz base. I believe will keep increasing presence, especially in event of a vacuum left from GP bankruptcy.
DeleteBankruptcy? Lol why when ? With 8 based planes they will close because Wizz will base one jet on Pristina. Lol really lol
DeleteI said in event of it bankruptcy, not that it has happened, but i see possibility of it happening. Flying old planes when oil prices are these high, will make them uneconomical vs A321neos.
DeleteOnly one aircraft for now, but Wizz rarely opens a base unless it sees room for growth. I wouldn't be surprised to see a second aircraft by next summer
DeleteCongratulations to all involved
ReplyDeleteTo me, the most affected operator will be easyJet on the Basel route.
ReplyDeleteStab in the back for SKP after they delivered their 7th plane? Is it viable to develop both bases in such a short distance
ReplyDeleteSMFH you sound like a prototype of a narrow minded Balkan guy.
DeleteWIZZ is a business company and not some teahouse rekla kazala conspiracy group
@11:35 seriously dude?
DeleteDid they get something from the 2mil budget? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteOf course. The subsidies were made for them.
DeleteWe need HEL-PRN 😕
ReplyDeleteGP Aviation flies to Helsinki
DeleteWizz doesn't fly to Helsinki
DeleteNorwegian also operates flights year-round :)
DeleteIf it were really as hinted, that they are interested in Slovenia, then the big problem lies within the country itself and only then at the airport. National interest should come before the airport. The operators’ goal is profit anyway. So this is a huge missed opportunity for the country with Wizz. (I think the whole thing would benefit a lot from this).
ReplyDeletejust hire whoever managed to close the deal in Pristina...
Deleteyeah right and change Frapprt Bussines model ? haha
DeleteGreat news for Pristina. A based aircraft means better reliability, more early morning departures and hopefully many more destinations over the next few years.
ReplyDeleteThe first aircraft is the hardest. The next ones usually come much easier.
DeleteCompetition on Basel can only be good for passengers. GP Aviation, easyJet, Chair and now Wizz.
ReplyDeleteFinally
ReplyDeleteNew routes are coming
ReplyDeletebravo. Finally the long awaited news. More than 8 years of efforts by PR and they have finally been convinced to establish the base, success is guaranteed..
DeleteI do not think PRN did any effort. If they did, the base would have been established long ago. The airport grew good even without them, so they didn't need to chase anyone.
Deleteyou can argue with people... it's much harder to argue with airline investments..
DeleteYou just answered your own question there....
ReplyDelete?
DeleteGreat news and big congrats Pristina
ReplyDeleteThe era of overpriced tickets is officially gone. Competition has arrived. Good luck to the GP hybrid airline model...
DeleteWorth celebrating and a major step forward for PR airport
ReplyDeletecompetition keeps everyone striving to do better, but this achievement is scary for skopje and gp aviation..congrats Pristina and well deserved
ReplyDeleteThey don't open a base unless they know there's more to come. Don't be shocked if there are 3 aircrafts very very soon...I see the start of something much bigger
ReplyDeleteTirana's had its run. Now it's Pristina's turn. The traffic there is solid..the demand is real...and the growth is just getting started. Skopje just isn't in the same league with Pristina...
ReplyDeleteLol
DeleteNegative
DeleteNeither has Tirana had its run nor will Wizz' Pristina network be as diverse as Skopje's. Diaspora Calling!
SKP network is as gasto as its gets though. Thankfully they started to diversify it these last couple of years with routes like MAD or AHO, otherwise yeah....
DeleteCalling it diaspora doesn't change the business case. Airlines invest where they expect sustainable demand and returns not to make headlines. If Wizz is basing an aircraft in Pristina, they've already done the math... congrats Pristina and well done👏👏
DeleteHuge day for Pristina ✈️👏👏👏👏
ReplyDeletePristina just raised the bar 👏👏
ReplyDeleteFor what? You mean its Bar?
DeleteStockholm Arlanda to Prishtina
ReplyDeleteStockholm Skavsta to Prishtina
Arlanda will do
DeleteYes..base is earned through persistence, credibility and leadership. Well done to Pristina for bringing it home.
ReplyDeleteBye bye to the days of acting like passengers had no choice. Welcome to real competition.
ReplyDeleteThose routes already served by GP aviation, Easyjet , Chair will feel the power od W6 entering a market. I am not sure how big demand will be one route to be served by 2 or 3 airlines at the same time. Pristina airport is gasto airport its clearly, but this seems too much especially for Basel,Milan malpensa,Baden,Dortmund , they wil all reduce capacities on this routes after a while
ReplyDeleteNo more comfort zone for GP aviation...competition is here ...Bye bye fleets older than 35 years. Welcome to a new era of competition...cograts to Pristina
ReplyDeleteCalm dow.
Delete*down
DeleteThey fly with relatively well-maintained A319s/A320s. Your claims are unfounded. I’ve flown on 10-year-old A320s with Wizz, and they were twice as dirty, with filthy floors.
DeleteLook forward to more new destinations. In a month, we will see at least two more new routes.
ReplyDelete