Wizz Air is scaling back its planned operations for the 2026/27 winter season, reducing previously scheduled capacity by at least 5% as it responds to rising operating costs and uncertainty across the aviation industry. This will also impact its operations in markets across the former Yugoslavia.
Wizz Air will temporarily suspend flights between Belgrade and Madrid during the upcoming winter season. The route, which will operate three times per week in November and December, will be paused from January 8 until March 29. The carrier launched services between the two capitals on October 28 last year and competes directly with Air Serbia. During the January - August period, Wizz Air carried 45.137 passengers on the route, achieving an average cabin load factor of 90.8%. Several other services will see frequency reductions, generally ranging from one to two weekly flights, primarily between January and March. The cuts suggest the airline may temporarily withdraw one of its four Belgrade-based aircraft during the quieter winter months. Among the affected destinations are Dortmund, Beauvais, Bergamo and Barcelona. As previously reported, Wizz Air will also discontinue flights between Belgrade and Friedrichshafen at the end of the summer season.
In Skopje, Wizz Air will suspend flights between the Macedonian capital and Larnaca for the entire winter season, having already halted operations on the route for much of the summer. The final service will operate on October 23, with flights scheduled to resume on March 31. Unlike last winter, the airline will no longer serve Lyon, a route it has since discontinued. A number of other destinations will see frequency reductions from January onwards, generally ranging from one to two weekly services. Among the affected routes are Baden Baden, Stuttgart, Prague, Madrid, Hamburg, Friedrichshafen, Bari, Stockholm, London Luton and Bologna, the latter being reduced to just one weekly flight for part of the winter.
Similarly to Skopje, Wizz Air will suspend flights between Tuzla and Larnaca for the winter season, having already halted operations on the route for much of the summer. Services are scheduled to resume on March 30.
In Pristina, Wizz Air will reduce planned frequencies on several of its upcoming new routes, which are scheduled to launch in December. Services to Hahn, Hamburg and Malmo will operate twice per week instead of the initially planned four weekly flights, while Berlin will see frequencies reduced from three to two weekly services.
Eindhoven Airport will be temporarily closed to all flights and air traffic from February 1 to July 19 next year for major runway renovations and infrastructure upgrades. This will result in the suspension of flights from the Dutch city to Belgrade and Skopje. Flights to the Macedonian capital will operate from Maastricht instead from March 29.
The network adjustments come amid continuing tensions in the Middle East, which have driven up fuel prices and placed additional pressure on airline profitability. The low cost carrier is reviewing its network and adjusting capacity in an effort to protect yields and improve financial performance. Further changes remain possible.
Well someone has to pay the bill for the fast growth they had.
ReplyDeleteIf the DCV went ahead with their decision they would have blamed them.
DeleteA 90.8% load factor on Belgrade - Madrid and they are suspending it? Clearly filling aircraft isn't the issue here. Either yields are very poor or there is something else going on.
ReplyDeleteRound trip is at best 8-9 hours. If they fly a shorter route they can fill the same plane twice or thrice, and thus earn more per hour.
Delete^ True dat.
DeleteJU is winning
Delete^ They had less passengers than Wizz Air on the same route during the same period
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/09/photos-air-serbia-launches-eighth-spain.html
The biggest winner from Wizz suspending Madrid will obviously be Air Serbia. Less competition and probably higher fares for those who still need to travel during January and February.
DeleteSure, that's why they are "pausing" the route, just never to come back. Seen that already. Another touchdown by JU!
DeleteWizz has to have lower yields on Madrid route due to the competition from Air Serbia. And therefore their yields during slower winter months may be unprofitable.
DeleteThey are unprofitable company. That's why O'Leary said they will NOT survive this winter. This is just.a beginning.
DeleteAirlines don't make money from load factors alone. A full aircraft with passengers paying €20 tickets is not necessarily profitable. Madrid could be a good example of this.
Deleteoh O'Leary ok, whatever
DeleteO'Leary is CEO of most successful LCC in Europe. Surely you know better than him, you are expert analyst, right?
DeleteThey just cut all announced flights to AUH, DXB, AMM, before they even started. Wizz air is hilarious. Joke of an airline.
Delete@09:08 Round trip from Beg to Mad should be 7 hours at best, and not 8-9 hours, since flying time BEG-MAD is exactly 3 h... But due to many reasons Wizz turnaround time is much longer..I personally believe its a lot to do with how crew is trained to speed up the embarkation process..How come Ryanair always manages to have all pax seated within 15 min after starting embarkation, and JU, Wizz sometimes cannot do it even after 45 min..Vueling is the worst ( the slowest) btw, that's why they are always the worst on every flight delay lists..Btw, Wizz had very good days and flying times gor Mad, especially Friday evening was very convenient and always top full..it looks like its wrong move to cut entire route for 3 months, instead of perhaps just lowering frequencies, like Air Serbia does every december for january-february months..
Delete@11:36
DeleteYou do realize that O 'Leary is competing with W6, right???
O’Leary continously says this about rival airlines. I think it’s more trolling and part of his MO, than anything else.
DeleteReducing frequencies on routes that haven't even launched yet in Pristina is not exactly encouraging. Seems their initial expansion plans were a bit too optimistic.
ReplyDeleteWinter is coming!
ReplyDeleteActually it’s still autumn. Try to enjoy it.
DeleteWill FDH be back next summer?
ReplyDeleteNo
DeleteFlight connections between Macedonia and the Netherlands become even more challening with this, albeit temporary termination of SKP-EIN.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they could launch Maastricht instead during this period
DeleteFly via Belgrade or Vienna.
DeleteThey have Maastricht bookable from Skopje
Delete"Flights to the Macedonian capital will operate from Maastricht instead from March 29."
Delete@09:11 serioualy?
Deletenext in line is Ryanair. The era of cheap aviation fuel is over for some time
ReplyDeleteFR hadalready greatly limited it's growth for all of this year.
DeleteBut they could still park more aircraft this winter than planned.
Aviation is still cheaper than it was historically. Perceptions will adjust. 150euros to fly one way across europe isnt alot for people in weatern europe and despite massive growth in aviation in the Balkans the average citizen still doesnt fly that much.
DeleteHopefully! Both of this whining companies are coming to an end. They will have to rise ticket prices or disappear from market.
Delete^ LOL, no.
DeleteWhat is happening is that travelers will choose them even more in the future. While legacy carriers and especially the state owned ones will need even bigger subsidies by the government to stay open.
Pandora's box has opened for decades now, it is not closing.
People chose with their wallets to go for affordable and frequent international travel. And they won't change their mind just because some bureaucrats or people yarning for the '80s want them to.
LOL, yes. New jet fuel prices doesn't comply with ultra cheap flight tickets, it's not so hard to understand if you are not complete aviation ignorant. Also, extortion of governments, airports and tourist associations doesn't going well recently. So yes, Pandora's box is closing, LCC's business model is coming to an end, whatever you thinking about it. Recent FR and W6 cuts are proving this point.
DeleteLOL, no. New jet fuel prices comply with new engine technology aircraft that consume 15-18% less fuel than older tech aircraft.
DeleteThe new jet fuel prices also comply with high density cabins.
Ignorance is not bliss when what you write make people laugh at you.
And the world is not going back.
Record travel and tourism is the new reality. And its year it grows.
Just like the share of LCCs in the intra European and domestic flights markets.
Getting angry about it doesn't change reality. 🤷♂️
LOL, How yes no. Jet fuel is 100% more expensive than 8 months ago, which 10-15% less consumption can not offset. But you need to know maths for that, instead keep posting nonsenseness.
Delete^ You are getting desperate now.
DeleteThe money savings from burning 15-18% less fuel that has now doubled in price are far more important than they what they were 8 months ago! You do get it, right? Or pretending not too?
Having fuel efficient aircraft and low CASK is way more valuable at a high cost of Kerosene environment than what it was in the beginning of 2026.
Cheap aviation fuel? Please. It hasn’t been cheap since 9/11.
DeleteAbsolutely sick of Wizz Air. They're useless, they only know to whine. Whine Air.
ReplyDeleteThat and copy JU routes.
DeleteSays someone whining. Dont fly them then, and stop whining.
Delete@09:21 you really are dull with that comment.
DeleteOk, but what about employees?? They will fire them now, since only three planes will be based at BEG. And evil DCV and Serbian Government will be guilty!
DeleteThey can relocate some crew to nearby bases for couple months.
DeleteBut they're cutting everywhere, there are more poor employees there also. Ok, they will blame Serbia for them also.
Delete9:21 Excellent point!!!!
Delete"Eindhoven Airport will be temporarily closed to all flights and air traffic from February 1 to July 19 next year".... no alternative airport will be served during this time? Weeze? Maastricht?
ReplyDeleteIt says
DeleteFlights to the Macedonian capital will operate from Maastricht instead from March 29.
Wizz needs to focus on reliability and consistency rather than announcing dozens of routes and then cutting frequencies before operations even begin.
ReplyDeletePeople are quick to criticise Wizz but without them, fares from many airports in the region would be significantly higher. Their presence keeps other airlines competitive.
DeleteWizz is giving less choice to passengers by suspending Belgrade Madrid route. Exactly the opposite of what they were publicly fighting for just weeks ago. That's wrong.
DeleteThey are a business. They can do what they want. Move on.
DeleteLost battle to JU at LIS, just before MAD and FDH. Instead of opening new routes, they are always trying to suppress JU somehow and withdraw at the end. Useless and pointless Whine Air
DeleteWhen did JU fly to FDH?
DeleteJU flies to ZRH last 70 years
Delete@11:50 you are really really dull with that comment. Talk about whining.
DeleteHonestly i hope they leave BEG for good. They're totally useless. Ryanair or Easyjet would have been a much better fit.
Delete@15:00 well hoping for less connectivity is sad.
Delete@10:40 "They can do what they want. Move on"
DeleteNo, you move on, Wizz. Where are now thousands who signed your petition to stay in Belgrade? They certainly feel betrayed now, and rightfully so.
Where are now your employees who were standing around and supporting Wizz, asking for their jobs to be preserved? If one plane is removed, jobs will be affected. I can imagine their disappointment and anger. They won't be fooled twice.
Wizz Air should look to replace Larnaca with Istanbul from Tuzla, if they can get permission for those flights like Air Montenegro did (the project with Air Montenegro didn't materialise though). If Turkish Airlines, Pegasus and AJet show no interest, I can see Turkey allowing that route. Wizz Air already operates five routes from IST.
ReplyDeleteNo chance Turkish side would approve Wizz to fly Tuzla-Istanbul.
DeleteTurkey is extremely protective of its aviation sector.
DeleteThe situation in Pristina is interesting. Wizz hasn't even properly established itself there and already the initial schedule is being reduced.
ReplyDeleteSeems like the sales have gone as they had predicted, but still think that's weird, lowering frequencies for flights that haven't even started yet
DeleteYou have avsolutely no evidence about whatever direction sales have gone
DeleteWe still love Wizz, I think everyone knows the current situation with the aviation market, and yet we can still go and come back for 30 40 euros per person to many flights if we book on time , no hate
ReplyDelete+1
Delete-100
Deleteah the lost battle guy @11.52
Delete@11:52 how sad lol
DeleteWizz recently talked about giving more options to passengers but in reality this move proves it's Wizz, not some administrative body, that's actually reducing options to customers. Some Wizz fans are still refusing to face those facts. Sad.
DeleteNot surprised about Friedrichshafen disappearing from Belgrade. It was always an unusual choice considering the number of alternative airports in that part of Germany.
ReplyDeleteThey launch and discontinue it every few years.
Deleteseems only SKP works for them on that airport :):) I have used it several times, it attracts also lot of folks from Swiitzerland
DeleteI dont think even London works from there with any great sucess. Memminghem and Zurich are not far.
DeleteAre these cuts included in the capacity article of last week?
ReplyDeleteGiven rising fuel costs and the uncertainty in the Middle East, I wouldn't be surprised if other LCCs announce similar reductions in the coming weeks.
ReplyDeleteNot just LCCs.
DeleteIs Maastricht airport first time served from Skopje ?
ReplyDeleteNo, MAT served back in the day I think
DeleteA povećanja od 10.12- 10.01 to ništa??
ReplyDeleteSvake godine povecaju.linije oko Bozica i Nove godine.
DeleteThey also reduced TGD-LJU flights to 3 per week during the winter. Judging by the ticket prices now in October, the route isn’t performing the best.
ReplyDeleteI don't think they reduced SKP at all? it was 4x weekly last season and its 4x weekly for the duration of the winter season too. TDG they weren't expecting AirMontenegro to keep on flying
DeleteI know that at the beginning of summer season they put this 26/27 winter schedule at 5 weekly, but they quickly reverted back to four. That is I think as far as we are gonna get with the SKP route in the winter season, last winter they operated the same frequencies and did 80 % LF in December, 75 % LF in January for example. Not much more room for growth.
DeleteIt's still a lot of capacity for the winter TGD-LJU. Much more than last year without Wizz. I wander how this will end.
DeleteYeah, for a country of 600k people having a weekly two way capacity of around 2k seats is still a lot.
DeleteEspecially in the winter, Wizz could do W flights from Ljubljana so SKP-LJU-X-LJU-SKP and TDG-LJU-X-LJU-TDG
Deletetrust me bro: "In 2025, Wizz Air carried 68.060 passengers on the Skopje - Ljubljana route, achieving an average cabin load factor of 92.9%."
Delete@12.28 yes the SKP-LJU route is successful, especially in the summer. One month last year it's LF was 99 %. However, as I stated before, during the winter, the route has reached it peak. There is no need for trust me bro because there is official data publicly available.
DeleteJan 25: 4169 pax (89,1 % LF)
Feb 25: 4023 pax (93,1 % LF)
Mar 25: 4801 pax (95,3 % LF)
Apr 25: 5592 pax (91,4 % LF)
May 25: 4808 pax (95,4 % LF)
Jun 25: 6320 pax (97,5 % LF)
Jul 25: 6005 pax (98,1 % LF)
Aug 25: 6425 pax (99,2 % LF)
Sep 25: 6027 pax (96,9 % LF)
Oct 25: 6326 pax (95,9 % LF)
Nov 25: 7086 pax (87,2 % LF)
Dec 25: 6478 pax (79,7 % LF)
2025: 68060 pax (92,8 % LF)
Jan 26: 6431 pax (74,7 % LF)
Feb 26: 6447 pax (84,3 % LF)
Mar 26: 7105 pax (87,4 % LF)
Apr 26: 11172 pax (89,9 % LF)
May 26: 11414 pax (88,4 % LF)
Jun 26: 7751 pax (95,4 % LF)
Jul 26: 9114 pax (90,8 % LF)
As you can see, the last winter's load factors are not the best, also July 2026 LF of 90 % shows that five per week with A321 is potentially as much as the route can sustain.
if they can have 11k in April and May may they can also have 11k in every of the summer months given they have the capacity for it
DeleteJudging by the amount of cuts in SKP, looks like they will remove an aircraft from there.
ReplyDeleteProbably.
DeleteI'll never understand why Wizz Air never introduced short-haul flights between Belgrade and Budapest, Zagreb, or Sofia, as well as maybe non-EU destinations like Montenegro or Bosnia... They could make so much more money...
ReplyDeleteI assume you dont know about aviation economics? These routes would not make them alot of money actually. The exception is Belgrade to Montenegro which they are not able to do (yet).
DeleteIs there any potential of them launching LJU-SJJ?
ReplyDeleteThere is 112k Bosnians living in Slovenia. Two or three weekly could work?
No. There is not.
Deletewhy
DeleteIts too close and not a route for A321s. Its been explained often here
Deletethanks
DeleteIs it really that close? Doesn’t seem so, then again I’ve only been once years ago.
Delete