Wizz Air

[TheLocalYokel]

Sharm? Really would of thought Wizz would leave Egypt alone for the tour operators. Seat only to Egypt must be low take up. I hope it works for them.

It's surprising but it's quite possible that the route is operating so tour operators can use it for their packages and offer it from Cardiff in the winter as TUI will most likely drop it again.

I'd forgotten that TUI was showing Sharm again for next winter.

There was a post on another website saying that Wizz doesn't deal with travel agents. I have no idea whether that is correct.

Nevertheless, at the moment there are three Sharm flights per week from CWL advertised at present for next winter - two Wizz and one TUI. There is only one from BRS next winter, a weekly TUI.

easyJet's Egyptian airport from BRS is Hurghada at normally 2 x weekly in winter and weekly in summer, with TUI also having a weekly flight advertised year-round.

It remains to be seen whether Egypt will be split, either by design or circumstance, with the Severnside airports concentrating on different Egyptian airports. If easyJet did decide on a BRS Sharm route (the airline's only UK routes to Sharm at present are from Gatwick and Manchester) it would almost certainly be in response to Wizz from CWL.

 

[Jerry]

There was a post on another website saying that Wizz doesn't deal with travel agents.

Another post has now said that they do deal with them. It'll be interesting to see if TUI use Wizz flights on certain routes like Faro and Heraklion to provide 10 day options.
As for Sharm El Sheikh i'd be surprised if TUI operate it.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Ryanair Thinks easyJet And Wizz Could Merge To Make A New Airline Group

Consolidation in European aviation is seen by many to be the only way forward. Too many airlines have…

simpleflying.com

Michael O'Leary thinks that a Wizz Air/easyJet merger might be on the cards as aviation comes to terms with the effects of the virus. easyJet might yet get to CWL then although possibly in different clothing.

The CEO's of both parts of the Air France KLM Group are of the same opinion when it comes to airline consolidation around Europe as are many others in the industry.

 

[Jerry]

Not sure that would be good news for CWL. Could lead to the loss of the base in order to protect Bristol. Especially if the Easyjet side was the dominant part in the UK.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

The same MOL that is predicting things will return to normal much quicker than what other Airlines and Aviation has predicted. A complete contradiction in other words. Why would Wizz and Easyjet merge if they will likely return to profitability sooner than expected?

 

[TheLocalYokel]

The same MOL that is predicting things will return to normal much quicker than what other Airlines and Aviation has predicted. A complete contradiction in other words. Why would Wizz and Easyjet merge if they will likely return to profitability sooner than expected?

easyJet has its financial problems at the moment. It's not only O'Leary who is predicting consolidation of airlines in Europe following the pandemic effects, although he might be the only prominent industry figure to suggest Wizz and easyJet could be two that might tie the knot. Others who believe that European airline consolidation is inevitable include the CEOs of the two parts of Air France KLM.

easyJet enlists restructuring firm to cut $1.9bn debt pile

easyJet (London Luton) has enlisted American consulting and restructuring firm AlixPartners in an attempt to refinance its GBP1.4 billion (USD1.9 billion) debt pile and help it...

www.ch-aviation.com

 

[Jerry]

I'm sure I read that the chief strategist for Easyjet left for Wizz Air so maybe that's fueling speculation a bit?

 

[Jerry]

On social media someone has asked Wizz about adding Varna, the reply was "Hi *****, this route isn't part of our current schedule but we are considering it."
I know it's only a social media reply but Varna is a base for Wizz so wouldn't require extra aircraft to be based so probably is one of the better option for a non based flight, they do have a seasonal base at Bourgas as well i believe. Also i do believe Varna isn't available at Bristol? So could be a route that attracts people from across the bridge?
Apparently there was a similar reply for Krakow as well.

 

[Jerry]

Wizz have launched Dalaman from Luton and Bourgas from Doncaster. Could be potential routes for Cardiff in the future.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Something to keep an eye on. I can't imagine forward bookings from CWL are looking as could as they could be in normal times.
View attachment 21227

 

[Jerry]

Something to keep an eye on. I can't imagine forward bookings from CWL are looking as could as they could be in normal times.
View attachment 21227

They've replaced them with Heraklion, Bourgas and Dalaman. So shuffling about rather than reducing the base.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Does anyone who who Sean M is in terms of status? What I mean is he an aviation journalist or analyst or just someone who trawls airline and airport news? I've never done social media sites per se by which I mean Twitter, Facebook etc (someone suggested to me that F4A is a type of social media site) so I only ever see Sean M's messages reposted, usually on the Dried Plum.

 

[Jerry]

Does anyone who who Sean M is in terms of status? What I mean is he an aviation journalist or analyst or just someone who trawls airline and airport news? I've never done social media sites per se by which I mean Twitter, Facebook etc (someone suggested to me that F4A is a type of social media site) so I only ever see Sean M's messages reposted, usually on the Dried Plum.

He's an enthusiast who goes through the airline websites himself though sometimes other people give him the info.
I find he's generally reliable and has even been quoted by Simon Calder as well.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Thanks, Jerry.

 

[Jerry]

In a reply on Facebook to the question 'Will you be adding extra flights from Cardiff this summer' the Wizz Air social media team replied 'yes, we're planning to.'

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

I did see that however the difference between planning and actually happening is quite large.

anything addition will require another aircraft base and don’t think they have sufficient available at the moment as they are now allocated.

of course there maybe further to be transferred from parent company that we don’t know of yet.

I see lots of suggestions on non-based aircraft however these will be conducted by WizzAir not WizzAir U.K.

lot of people getting excited by the Welsh CEO connections however he has held a senior position for many years so there is no sentimental reasoning by these routes. They will be based on commercial basis and if it doesn’t work then it will be pulled.

 

[Jerry]

If I remember correctly in an article the CEO stated that their eventual goal is 50 based aircraft in the UK. Whether CWL sees an extra one this year is anyone's guess but I do think it's nice that Wizz social media team is being optimistic!
I think the Welsh CEOs part is probably overstated. Cardiff is part of a more broader strategy to take on Easyjet from what I've seen.

 

[geoff]

Wizz Air have been taking a bit of a caning recently on the other forum, mainly from supporters of Easyjet, I think that post covid there could be a chance of an away based aircraft doing some routes into Europe cities, although this has been written off by some members previously. There is a large Polish population in South Wales many of whom at present travel from BRS. BMI Baby, flew to Warsaw and Gdansk, twice weekly, and to Prague three weekly, there could be a chance of these being re-instated. Just prior to the first covid lockdown, Morriston Orpheos Choir flew from Stanstead to Krakow, to perform in the cathedral, another choir from the Bridgend area performed in Gdansk with 100 passengers on one flight. I know that 2 instances don't make a route viable, but it shows there are possibilities for the future.

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

I don’t think there is as large a population of Polish born residing in South Wales as there once was.

I remember there used to be 10-15 staff working at various companies within the airport itself back in 2007 and just pre-covid I can’t recall any at all working there anymore off the top of my head.

of course they may have moved on and may still be living in the area but no longer working in the airport.

 

[geoff]

The Polish community are mainly employed in the food industry, many are living in Llanelli, employed by Dawn meats, and in Merthyr employed by St Merryn meats. Of course some have moved to start their own business, some have opened Polish supermarkets and have taken over licensed premises, many are now working for Amazon. I just thought it was something CWL and Wizz could think about in the future, when thing get back to some kind of normality.