Wizz Air is a European low-cost carrier based out of Budapest, Hungary. Its operations are rapidly expanding across the region and even as far away as Abu Dhabi in the UAE. Founded in 2003, the airline has grown to become one of Europe's leading low-cost carriers. With low fares, sales, and a discount club, how can the airline offer fares at such low costs? Let's take a look and find out!

A "relentless focus on costs"

While the name and category of 'low-cost carrier' can be used to describe the cheap ticket prices offered by such airlines, it is more about the low-cost nature of their operations. According to a Wizz Air earnings report, its business model features a "relentless focus on costs," which is subsequently reflected in the low ticket prices that its passengers typically pay. It keeps its costs low in various ways.

One of these is the fact that it has a single-type fleet of Airbus A320 family jets. This means that all ground crew, cabin crew, and pilots only need to train for one model. This also means that if there is a problem with one aircraft, it is much easier to source a replacement with the same seating configuration. This plane-swapping, of course, wouldn't be as easy between an A320 and A321.

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Various ways to keep expenses down

Furthermore, by making the most of its fleet leases, the constituent airlines of the wider Wizz Air group can ensure that they have young collections of fuel-efficient and reliable aircraft at their disposal. This mitigates downtime for maintenance as well as fuel costs, which are normally a significant expense for an airline.

Additionally, Wizz Air's cheapest tickets are usually for flights that depart or land at less-than-ideal times. This could mean departing extremely early in the morning or coming in on the last flight of the night, so low prices are a good incentive.

In some cases, Wizz Air flights arrive at and depart from separate satellite or budget airline terminals, which are stripped of the usual airport comforts many of us have become used to. This further drives down the cost of the airline's operations at airports, and passengers are often willing to compromise if tickets are cheap.

Operating on the basis of economies of scale

From a business standpoint, Wizz Air, like other low-cost carriers, has a model based on economies of scale. Rather than taking a large profit from each traveler, the airline takes a smaller profit while carrying more passengers. This is why you won't find a premium cabin on any of Wizz Air's all-economy planes.

In fact, the airline has one of the densest configurations on the market. According to data from AeroLOPA, its Airbus A321s have 230 seats in a single-class configuration, with its A321neos sporting 239 seats. These figures are higher than other low-cost European operators of these types. Indeed, Jet2's A321s have space for 220 passengers, while easyJet's A321neos can accommodate 235.

Of course, this comes at the cost of comfort to the passenger, with Wizz Air's seat pitch being 28 inches. Meanwhile, easyJet's A321neos offer 29, while the figure for Jet2's A321s is as high as 30 in some seats. On the flip side, the airline can squeeze more seats in this way, allowing it to sell more tickets and make more money.

Furthermore, the airline ensures its aircraft are flying as frequently as possible. This means tight turnaround times at airports, making the boarding and deplaning process as quick as possible. Part of this is achieved by boarding using both the front and rear doors of the aircraft via stairs, which expedites the process.

An extremely basic ticket

The more relatable answer for those who travel on Wizz Air is the fact that the airline's posted fares leave out a lot. While full-service airlines might have a complimentary snack and beverage service, this is absent from Wizz Air.

The passenger experience is basic in other ways as well. The initial airfare that you see doesn't include checked baggage or even a 'full size' carry-on. Rather, for the basic fare, you are limited to what can fit under the seat in front of you.

Anything and everything else you may expect to be included in the flight experience is stripped and comes at an extra cost. This includes various aspects, such as seat selection and airport check-in. By doing these things, the airline can boost its ancillary revenue while you, the customer, only pay for what you need.

The discount club

Regular users of Wizz Air can further decrease the cost of doing so by becoming a member of the airline's 'Discount Club.' Members can enjoy reductions of €10 ($10.77) on fares of €19.99 ($21.53) and above, as well as €5 ($5.38) off the cost of adding 20 kg and 32 kg checked bags to their bookings with Wizz Air.

Joining this club commands an annual fee of €39.99 ($43.06) per year, with this allowing the benefits to be applied to the member and one other traveling companion. For larger parties, Wizz Air also offers a group membership for €69.99 ($75.37) a year, where the member can apply the benefits to five companions.

In conclusion

As you can see, the reasons that Wizz Air's tickets are so cheap are similar to the situation at many other budget carriers. That is to say that they leave out the 'extras' and leave customers to pay additional fees for them. Like other low-cost airlines, Wizz Air also depends on a high volume of well-loaded flights with a high-density configuration onboard to pack as many passengers in as possible.

One notable difference does seem to be that Wizz Air's seat pitch is less than is the case at other budget European competitors such as Ryanair and easyJet. Nonetheless, thousands of passengers travel with the purple-clad airline every day, and it is only continuing to grow; like it or not, the model certainly works!

Have you flown on Wizz Air before? Is it worth the price of the ticket? Let us know your thoughts and experiences in the comments!

Source: AeroLOPA, SeatGuru, Wizz Air, Wizz Air

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  Wizz Air

  IATA/ICAO Code:

  W6/WZZ

  Airline Type:

  Ultra-Low-Cost Carrier

  Year Founded:

  2003

  CEO:

  József Váradi

  Country:

  Hungary