Wizz Air nabs Luton slots from rival Vueling

By Josh McMinn 3 Min Read
Wizz Air Airbus A320 © Wizz Air

Wizz Air has acquired two daily slot pairs at London’s Luton airport, which it will use to expand its Eastern European services. The slots were bought from rival airline Vueling.

Further Expansion from Wizz Air

The purchase of the new slots is the latest expansion move from ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air. Earlier this week, the airline announced that it would open up a new base in Wales’ Cardiff Airport, providing flights to popular getaway destinations. The newly acquired Luton slots will be used to increase capacity on six existing routes in Eastern Europe. The slots were purchased from the Spanish low-cost airline Vueling.

London Luton Airport slots acquired by Wizz Air from Vueling
Luton was Wizz Air’s first UK base | © Noble Transfer

Wizz Air UK’s managing director, Marion Geoffroy, said:

“Acquiring two additional daily slots will allow us to provide customers with even more ultra low-fare travel opportunities.”

Increased frequency on six European destinations

The new flights will increase Wizz Air’s frequency on six destinations in Poland and Romania, starting early next month. With the addition of the Luton slots, the new capacity will be as follows:

 

From 11 May, there will be 9 to 11 weekly flights to Craiova

From 16 May, there will be 5 to 7 weekly flights to Sibiu

From 17 May, there will be 5 to 7 weekly flights to Bacau

From 17 May, there will be 11 to 14 weekly flights to Iasi

From 19 May, there will be 7 to 9 weekly flights to Timisoara

From 13 June, there will be 5 to 7 weekly flights to Wroclaw

Six routes will see increased frequency | © Great Circle Mapper

All of these routes will have returns as well. The extra flights will mean Wizz Air now offers a total of 6.5 million seats across 75 destinations from Luton Airport. Marion Geoffroy said:

“This announcement highlights our continued commitment to London Luton airport, which was our first ever base in the UK.”

Now that Covid restrictions are being relaxed globally, airlines are gearing up for a bumper tourist summer. Many airlines such as EasyJet and British Airways are struggling to find staff to meet the sudden demand, and facing disruptions as a result. JetBlue even said it would be cutting down its summer schedule so it wouldn’t be forced to cancel more flights. Meanwhile, Wizz Air appears to be taking things in its stride, ramping up capacity in preparation for the travelling masses.

Are you excited to see more flights to Eastern Europe? Let us know in the comments below!

Share This Article
Follow:
Jr Reporter - Josh is an Jr. Aviation Reporter at Travel Radar covering the latest industry news, developments and passenger experiences. Outside of reporting, Josh is a talented artist and camera operator with experience spanning several industries.
Leave a comment
Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Upvoted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
wpDiscuz
Exit mobile version