Wizz Air expands summer schedule 17%

Wizz Air says its leisure summer schedule will be 17% larger than last year, with most of the added flying aimed at the Balkans and Caucasus. (reuters.com) Chief executive Jozsef Varadi told reporters on Monday, April 27, that bookings for summer 2026 are running ahead of last year. He said demand remains healthy, but passengers are still price-sensitive. (reuters.com) (msn.com) Varadi also said Wizz Air is 70% hedged for its fuel needs for the coming summer period and expects to take delivery of 35 new Airbus aircraft during 2026. (reuters.com) (rte.ie) The expansion comes as airlines across Europe weigh higher jet-fuel costs and possible supply disruption tied to the Iran war and traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. Varadi said Wizz Air does not expect to run out of fuel in the next month. (reuters.com) (bloomberg.com) Wizz Air is trying to grow while still dealing with Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine inspections that have grounded part of its fleet. The airline said 33 aircraft were grounded at the end of its fiscal third quarter on December 31, 2025, down from 40 a year earlier. (wizzair.com 1) (wizzair.com 2) That engine problem has already shaped Wizz Air’s network and costs. In its January 29 fiscal third-quarter results, the carrier reported revenue up 10.2% to nearly €1.3 billion, while revenue per available seat kilometer fell 0.8% year over year. (wizzair.com 1) (wizzair.com 2) Wizz Air’s investor site says the group carried 63.4 million passengers in fiscal 2025, operated 833 routes, and had 257 aircraft with an average age of 4.5 years. March 2026 traffic data showed 5.51 million passengers and a 90.0% load factor. (wizzair.com) The immediate test is whether Wizz Air can fill that extra summer capacity without cutting fares too hard as fuel and operating risks stay elevated. The airline’s next scheduled results are due on June 11, 2026. (reuters.com) (wizzair.com)