12% growth; 48 new routes; 4 new countries
Wizz Air, the largest low fare - low cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe announced today that it carried over 12 million passengers in 2012 which represents a year on year growth of 12%. During 2012 Wizz Air grew its network from 203 to over 250 routes and extended operations to 29 countries with flights to Georgia, Israel, Slovenia and Switzerland. The average load factor on its almost 80,000 flights reached over 85%, which underlines the popularity of the airline’s low fares. In the UK alone, Wizz Air carried over 3 million passengers in 2012.
In 2012 Wizz Air introduced an innovative cabin baggage policy and is Europe’s only airline to incentivize passengers to travel with small cabin luggage in return for increased efficiencies and savings. Passengers also responded well to the re-launch of a more attractive Discount Club which rewards customer loyalty by offering guaranteed discounts on all bookings. Wizz Air is now set to take more aircraft deliveries in 2013 and to carry 13.5 million passengers.
"Despite high jet fuel prices and rising government taxes such as the APD in the UK, Wizz Air continued to stimulate demand for low cost air travel and grew by 12% in 2012, one of the highest growth rates in the European airline industry. Wizz Air positioned itself successfully as consumer champion by coupling great customer service with low fares, making low cost air travel more attractive to comfort conscious travellers and business passengers. We will continue to expand our operations with the addition of more markets and airports to our route network in 2013", said József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air.