Wizz Air expects capacity growth to accelerate this coming summer as grounded aircraft return to service, but the ultra-low-cost carriers says it will establish a more stable, predictable growth trajectory thereafter.
Speaking during the carrier’s fiscal third-quarter investor call for the three months to Dec. 31, CEO József Váradi outlined a phased growth plan shaped by the gradual recovery of aircraft affected by Pratt & Whitney geared turbofan engine issues.
Wizz expects full fiscal 2026 available seat kilometers (ASK) to rise by about 10% year over year. Growth is then set to jump in the summer of 2026, with ASK projected to increase 24% year over year and seat capacity up by about 30%. This reflects a shorter average stage length as the airline concentrates capacity growth within Europe and nearby markets.
Beyond the peak summer period, the airline plans to moderate expansion. Capacity growth is expected to slow to the midteens in the winter of 2026-27, before settling into Wizz’s stated target of 10-12% annual growth from fiscal 2028 onward.
The phased approach follows nearly two years of disruption caused by engine reliability issues, which forced the airline to ground a significant portion of its Airbus A320neo-family fleet and reshuffle capacity. Wizz had 33 aircraft grounded at the end of the third quarter.
Future capacity growth will remain concentrated in Wizz’s core European markets, particularly Central and Eastern Europe, Italy and the UK. Váradi reiterated that these regions offer the strongest demand visibility, lower unit costs and the greatest opportunity for stimulation.
Váradi said Wizz also continues to monitor opportunities in Israel and Ukraine, although any material capacity deployment in those markets remains contingent on geopolitical conditions. “We are ready for Ukraine,” he explained. “We have an initial plan to launch 30 inbound routes followed by another wave of expansion through base capacity. We will reopen bases in Kyiv and Lviv.”
Related Content
