The aviation industry has been rocked by the global crisis this year. However, one airline that has remained confident despite the conditions is Wizz Air. Simple Flying spoke with Wizz Air UK managing director Owain Jones this week about how his carrier is approaching the situation. He highlighted how the company is focused on the future of its fleet, which will be centered around the Airbus A321neo.
Looking ahead
With the announcement of its new Cardiff base yesterday, Wizz confirmed that an A321neo will be based at the Welsh airport. Jones shares that his airline is fortunate to have a committed order stream of 250 of the jets in the next five years. The company is a fan of the plane’s technology and, despite challenging market conditions, it is sticking to its deliveries. Notably, the firm has had 30 new deliveries since the beginning of the pandemic.
Cardiff Airport’s A321neo will form part of a route network of nine Mediterranean and North African destinations. Jones feels that, by April, the operating environment will improve, and there will be plenty of people hitting the skies again. So, the narrowbody will be the perfect vessel to transport these vacationers to soak up some sun. There will also be further opportunities to grow. Therefore, the type will likely be seen on more routes from Cardiff over the coming years.
Focused on itself
When asked about what he thought about statements such as those from Ryanair about how the impact the pandemic is having on the aviation industry, Jones affirmed that Wizz remains concentrated on its own operations. Altogether, the carrier is showing its determination to keep expanding in the new era.
“We’re very focused on the Wizz Air business. We let other people do what they want to do. Wizz Air is the most efficient airline in Europe. We have 250 brand-new A321neos coming in from Airbus in the next five years, and we’ll continue to give Wizz the youngest fleet of any major airline in Europe,” Jones told Simple Flying.
“That will continue to keep us the greenest airline in Europe, and most importantly, it will enable us to keep driving our costs down. We are the lowest cost airline in Europe; that is what we intend to stay. That is what makes us a formidable competitive force.”
More to come
UK operations will continue to have more A321neo jets joining the fold. The airline is a fan of the single-aisle aircraft’s efficiency. So, the deliveries will keep coming in. Ultimately, Wizz Air UK will be adding four of the narrowbodies to its fleet by April next year. At the moment, they’re likely to be primarily based at Luton. However, Jones notes that plans can change.
With Wizz continuing to expand across the UK, Europe, and even the globe, the Airbus A321neo will continue to form a vital part of the airline’s operations. The plane offers a great balance for the low-cost carrier’s services. So, in the journey towards industry recovery, it will play an important role in the new era.
What are your thoughts about Wizz Air’s Airbus A321neo aircraft? Are you a fan of the jet type? Let us know what you think of the plane in the comment section.
