Low-cost airline operator Wizz Air aims at carrying 1.7 million passengers from and to Romania, by doubling aircraft fleet allocated to local airbases.
By these objectives, the company aims the top position of domestic low-cost market, outcompeting the current No 1 carrier, Blue Air, who carried nearly 1.2 passengers this year and eyes 10% increase in this year’s traffic figures.
“Wizz Air plans to take the leading position of the local low-cost airline industry, whereas Blue Air has a consolidated position which it plans to defend it in the coming year”, said Florentina Ivan, marketing director of Blue Air.
Wizz Air welcomed on board roughly 900,000 passengers in 2008 in and to Romania, marking a 148% growth from a year earlier. The company extended its route network last year by 10 from and to Romania and opened the second operating airbase of Wizz Air in Romania, at Cluj-Napoca, by adding two new wide-bodies Airbus 320 jetliners.
The low-cost carrier included new flights to and from Timisoara, where the company plans to set up its third operating airbase in Romania.
Globally, nearly 5.9 million passengers flew with Wizz Air last year, namely 49% more than in 2007. Wizz Air increased the number of flights for more than 40 new routes.
The size of the fleet serviced by Wizz Air includes 20 Airbus 320 aircrafts. The company operates flights from Poland, Hungary, Bulgaria, Croatia and Romania to various destinations in Europe.
Wizz Air is active in Romanian market since July 2006, and established its first operating airbase in Bucharest in June 2007 and opened the second one in May 2008, at Cluj. The third base will be opened in February at Timisoara.
