Wizz Air Confirms Airport Switch in Bucharest

Central and Eastern European low-cost carrier Wizz Air is to move its operational base in the Romanian capital Bucharest from Aurel Vlaicu (Baneasa) Airport to Henri Coanda (Otopeni) Airport from March 25, 2012 due to the plans to close Baneasa to commercial air traffic. Blue Air, Direct Aero Services and Germanwings, which also serve the airport, have also confirmed the closure of their own operations at Baneasa from the end of the Northern Winter 2011/2012 schedule. Baneasa is expected to now be developed as a dedicated business facility for corporate traffic.

Wizz Air currently offers services to 22 destinations from Bucharest and will add a twice weekly link to Memmingen from June 25, 2012 as well as previously announced services to Palma and Verona. It says its passengers will be able to take advantage of a modern, more comfortable and less congested terminal building and a revised timetable following the move, but will face an increase in air fares due to higher airport charges at Otopeni.

Wizz Air says it will increase the number of flights from Bucharest by around 75 per cent this summer, invest an additional €100 million into the market and create a further 500 jobs, reinforcing Wizz Air’s its position as one of the largest airlines in Romania. As the table below shows, It currently has a 22.3 per cent share of the available capacity from Romania, according to weekly schedule data for mid-February, just 0.5 per cent more than national carrier Tarom.

“Wizz Air is being forced to move to Otopeni and this will result in an increase in prices for passengers, but we are confident that our fares will still be the lowest on the market,” said Mike Powell, Chief Financial Officer, Wizz Air. “With lower fares than the competition, great service, and 22 destinations now served, Wizz Air anticipates continued growth in Bucharest.” However, Wizz Air has no plans to change its development strategy in the Eastern European country and has confirmed that an announcement of further new destinations from Bucharest is anticipated “in the coming weeks”.