Cardiff: Wizz Air Flights, New Routes & Schedule Updates

[A400]

Confirmed on twitter that they won’t reopen the base and will leave CWL entirely by the end of the month with Bucharest and Milan ending before February.

SeanM

 

[IanFarquharson]

Confirmed on twitter that they won’t reopen the base and will leave CWL entirely by the end of the month with Bucharest and Milan ending before February.

SeanM

Ending away based flights early too

 

[A400]

Ending away based flights early too

I did say that in my post.

 

[MrFenner]

Starting to think that Wizz returning to CWL might not be on the cards after all...

They seem to be recruiting cabin crew for LTN and LGW at the moment, both of which have been year-round bases.

Given that CWL is meant to re-open in just under 3 months, there's no sign of them recruiting (and a very tight schedule to get people on-line if/when they do).

Being prime cabin crew recruitment and training season (across various airlines), it seems strange they are not - and I know for a fact that a fair few of them left when the base closed last year...unless of course they are fast tracking those who maybe wanted to come back this year?

Only Wizz know what's up - and only time will tell. But I sincerely hope they do give it a go again!

👍

Sadly, I was correct…

Thanks for all your comments though saying I wasn’t.

I wish only the best for anyone affected by the base closure - I have been in a situation much the same before so I feel the pain.

Let’s hope CWL can finally encourage FR!

 

[Jonathan]

Sadly, I was correct…

Thanks for all your comments though saying I wasn’t.

I wish only the best for anyone affected by the base closure - I have been in a situation much the same before so I feel the pain.

Let’s hope CWL can finally encourage FR!

I think only a new base from an established airline (e.g. FR, EZ) will save the airport at this point and/or major private investment.

 

[Jerry]

Another kick in the guts for Cardiff Airport. Really have to wonder where the airport goes from here.

 

[MrFenner]

Another kick in the guts for Cardiff Airport. Really have to wonder where the airport goes from here.

Worrying isn’t it…

Even with VY cutting back for S23 there really is not much hope for the future.

 

[Jerry]

Worrying isn’t it…

Even with VY cutting back for S23 there really is not much hope for the future.

No doubt the usual crowd will call for it too be closed down etc. Probably only hope is Ryanair.

 

[Scottie Dog]

Link from TTG

Wizz Air closes another UK base at short notice

Wizz Air to close a UK base airport less than a year after it opened

www.ttgmedia.com

 

[CraigW92]

Well can we all sit here and honestly say we are not surprised ?

I began to have my doubts over the brand after last years complete mess , and it seems to have snowballed on social media and to what it seems like a brand beyond repair, you only have to look at social media channels, groups etc to see how Wizz are viewed in the region, from customers not having received compensation for delayed flights to still not having refunds for cancelled ones, it seems they’ve sunk themselves before really getting going, Then to cancel a base after by all accounts telling the airport bookings were looking better than 2022 and they were happy, the advertising of the routes on social media channels just yesterday, it’s just not good enough

Unfortunately this has also had a negative impact on numerous fronts as well, the airport being one and other airlines, I’m half convinced when you look at it, that Wizz essentially killed VY on the PMI route, and now currently for 2023 we have just TUI on the route

Then you have the the airport, I mean from a current outlook it doesn’t look great does it, I think it’s been mentioned by posters above, but we already have a reduced VY schedule for this summer , Wizz
pulling out completely, QR not returning since the pandemic ( modest growth with EI ad FR I know ), the issue you have for this summer now is the reduced footfall and revenue which will take a huge hit

When you look at the Wizz routes who could potentially take over

PMI- FR
LCA - unlikely to return
ALC- FR
ACE - FR
CFU - unlikely return
HER- unlikely to return ( CHQ perhaps )
FAO - FR already on route , potential for added frequency
TFS - FR

I think it was pretty clear that MXP and OTP were added as a sort of compensation clause for the base not operating in thr winter

I imagine it will be tricky to sort anything out for this year, however AGP with FR last summer I think was only due to begin in June, so perhaps there’s potential for PMI and ALC this summer on peak summer timetable only ( June to September ) long term I think FR is the only airline that can offer CWL any sort of sustainable future, a base is an absolute must, if you look at the NCL FR base which opened last summer that’s the sort of thing that we need here destination wise, a airline brand which sells itself with little or no advertising, a good solid product, a huge customer base and potential for growth from away based cities too

So yes, while I do think this is a huge blow I don’t think it’s a critical hit as of yet, the next few months will be incredibly vital to where the airport goes from here, wether that be airline growth, management change or even a change of direction to the private sector / funding, let’s all hope for some positive news as soon as possible, best of luck to the Wizz crew I hope something comes up for you all as soon as possible

 

[geoff]

One of the other factors which might help CWL, is that if BRS fail in their bid to increase their passenger number to 12 million, which ever way it goes it is such big blow to CWL at this moment in time.

 

[Nethercote2019]

I can see RYR playing very hard ball on this, it’s the ONLY airline that could add volume & Ryanair will know this so will be on their terms if atall.

 

[Seasider]

Ryanair will not want to lose pax at BRS. The only chance CWL has (in my opinion) is if BRS is capped and limits FR there. Really sad news.

 

[Foxlimayankee]

Well can we all sit here and honestly say we are not surprised ?

I began to have my doubts over the brand after last years complete mess , and it seems to have snowballed on social media and to what it seems like a brand beyond repair, you only have to look at social media channels, groups etc to see how Wizz are viewed in the region, from customers not having received compensation for delayed flights to still not having refunds for cancelled ones, it seems they’ve sunk themselves before really getting going, Then to cancel a base after by all accounts telling the airport bookings were looking better than 2022 and they were happy, the advertising of the routes on social media channels just yesterday, it’s just not good enough

Unfortunately this has also had a negative impact on numerous fronts as well, the airport being one and other airlines, I’m half convinced when you look at it, that Wizz essentially killed VY on the PMI route, and now currently for 2023 we have just TUI on the route

Then you have the the airport, I mean from a current outlook it doesn’t look great does it, I think it’s been mentioned by posters above, but we already have a reduced VY schedule for this summer , Wizz
pulling out completely, QR not returning since the pandemic ( modest growth with EI ad FR I know ), the issue you have for this summer now is the reduced footfall and revenue which will take a huge hit

When you look at the Wizz routes who could potentially take over

PMI- FR
LCA - unlikely to return
ALC- FR
ACE - FR
CFU - unlikely return
HER- unlikely to return ( CHQ perhaps )
FAO - FR already on route , potential for added frequency
TFS - FR

I think it was pretty clear that MXP and OTP were added as a sort of compensation clause for the base not operating in thr winter

I imagine it will be tricky to sort anything out for this year, however AGP with FR last summer I think was only due to begin in June, so perhaps there’s potential for PMI and ALC this summer on peak summer timetable only ( June to September ) long term I think FR is the only airline that can offer CWL any sort of sustainable future, a base is an absolute must, if you look at the NCL FR base which opened last summer that’s the sort of thing that we need here destination wise, a airline brand which sells itself with little or no advertising, a good solid product, a huge customer base and potential for growth from away based cities too

Lets not forget that FR have added BHD and daily DUB, as well as the extended AGP and year round FAO. So I would say the CWL/FR relationship is in a good place. With 3 already established routes and BHD showing potential, there's already scope for 1 based aircraft if they brought those routes in on a based aircraft and increased frequency. They could then cherry pick some of the better performing routes Wizz have dropped. It would also free up aircraft at DUB/AGP/FAO to operate to other destinations if needed.
FR have been known for some very late releases to schedules, so it's not a complete write off for summer just yet.
It all depends if FR want to play ball and see potential.

I've been looking at VY fares lately to both AGP and ALC and they've been quite high already, which hopefully is a good sign that they are already selling well at the lower frequencies. That may encourage VY to add frequencies back in, especially now Wizz aren't operating ALC. They could even bring back PMI.

Ryanair will not want to lose pax at BRS. The only chance CWL has (in my opinion) is if BRS is capped and limits FR there. Really sad news.

FR could view CWL as good to compete with Easyjet and Jet2 at BRS and it wouldn't actually make much of a dent in their own BRS operation.

 

[Jerry]

One of the other factors which might help CWL, is that if BRS fail in their bid to increase their passenger number to 12 million, which ever way it goes it is such big blow to CWL at this moment in time.

Pretty sure they've been granted that.

Post automatically merged: Jan 10, 2023

Ryanair will not want to lose pax at BRS. The only chance CWL has (in my opinion) is if BRS is capped and limits FR there. Really sad news.

Then why do they operate too Cardiff at all? Especially on Dublin where they compete with themselves and Faro and Malaga which they operate from Bristol.

 

[MrFenner]

Pretty sure they've been granted that.

Post automatically merged: Jan 10, 2023

Then why do they operate too Cardiff at all? Especially on Dublin where they compete with themselves and Faro and Malaga which they operate from Bristol.

Not sure there's been any final decision made/announced just yet as the outcome of the High Court appeal was meant to take "several weeks"

I guess that could be any day now...

High Court appeal to stop Bristol Airport expansion begins

 

[Jarvo]

I can vaguely remember it being a Welsh CEO at the time the deal was struck with CWL, who has since left his position... Possibly a sentimental agreement which was never going to survive actual financial scrutiny when other routes from bigger airports have a guaranteed year round LF more in line with their targets

 

[Jerry]

I'm currently listening too Spencer Birns interview on Radio Wales which was yesterday and he's stated that Wizz Air comprised 12% of Cardiff's passenger numbers for 2022 and 8% of it's revenue.