Wizz Air to announce large Airbus order

[Pieter C. 5]

Wizz Air To Announce Large Airbus Order

 

October 8, 2007

Wizz Air, a leading no-frills airline in eastern and central Europe, will sign the region's largest aircraft order from planemaker Airbus on Wednesday, the two companies said on Monday.

 

"The new order is the largest one for Airbus in central and eastern Europe. The order will allow Wizz Air to become one of the largest regional carriers with narrow-body aircraft," the two said in an invitation to the signing ceremony in Warsaw.

 

Wizz Air declined to comment further, while an Airbus spokesman was not immediately available.

 

Wizz Air already flies 13 Airbus A320s and earlier said it plans to maintain a uniform fleet. It had earlier predicted operating 53 aircraft within three to five years. Over the last two years Wizz Air, which flies 70 routes in Europe, ordered 32 Airbus A320s that fly up to 180 passengers.

 

A newspaper reported in April the closely held Wizz Air planned a London listing, which could value it at around GBP500 million pounds (USD$1 billion). The funds would finance the airline's expansion, including new aircraft orders.

 

(Reuters)

 

[Pieter C. 5]

Wizz Air Orders 50 Airbus A320s

 

October 10, 2007

Wizz Air, a leading budget airline in eastern and central Europe, signed a deal with Airbus to buy 50 narrow-body A320 aircraft, the companies said on Wednesday.

 

Wizz Air, which is expanding its 70 route European network, also has an option to buy 25 additional A320's by 2016, they said in a presentation.

 

"The new deal increases the total order made by Wizz Air for A320 to 82," the companies said.

 

The 50 new planes are to be delivered in 2011-2014, while the option covers the period 2014-2016.

 

The total value of the order is USD$3.5 billion based on listed prices, but airlines usually receive a discount to the official price.

 

(Reuters)

 

According a Dutch paper today, they're very successful with the EIN-KTW (Eindhoven-Katowice) flights, with average loadfactor of > 80% !!!

For a picture of a Wizz A320, see my Eindhoven-Stansted topic

Poles now working can fly home (for the weekend) at the same fare as by bus, which takes 14-16 hours...what would you choose ?