Throughout the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, Hungarian ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air has pursued more growth than many airlines. As it looks to the future, it has significant fleet expansion plans in place, which will begin to be seen this year. Aiming for a strong recovery in 2022, it plans to have 170 busy, active jets at its disposal this summer.
Summer growth ahead
Over the last two years, Wizz Air has faced the same coronavirus-induced difficulties as all airlines worldwide. However, its approach has largely differed, with the Hungarian carrier continuing to pursue the expansionist strategy that it employed before the onset of the health crisis. This has seen it, among other things, become Italy’s third-largest airline.
With just over 130 aircraft in its present fleet, Wizz has a significant geographical and operational footprint. This has been underlined by its launch of a UAE-based subsidiary in Abu Dhabi. However, it isn’t stopping there, and has big fleet plans for 2022. Speaking last month at the World Aviation Festival in London, its President, Robert Carey, stated that:
“When [people] have lots of time to travel, especially in vacation and summer periods, they’re going to want to travel. At this point expect to be fully back [to normal], with 170 aircraft, next summer. That’s [over] 50% more than what we had [in terms of] pre-COVID capacity. And we expect that capacity to be able to fly with full planes.”
Which aircraft might come in?
To meet its target of a 170-aircraft fleet this summer, current data suggests that Wizz Air will need to receive nearly 40 new planes. Of course, this is a drop in the ocean compared to its wider plans. Indeed, as Simple Flying reported last August, it has ambitions to up its fleet size by 500 aircraft in the next decade, hiring 800 flight…