Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air, already the market leader in Romania by the number of passengers carried, announced plans to make Bucharest its largest base amid a strong expansion of its local operations. 

In June 2024, Wizz Air will allocate two more Airbus A321neo aircraft to its base in Bucharest, launch a new route to Leipzig, and increase frequencies on 21 of its existing routes to the Romanian capital. 

"With this investment, the airline will have 19 aircraft stationed and 800 people working at the base in Bucharest, making it Wizz Air's largest base, at the same time consolidating its market leader position in the country, with a share of 57%," reads the press release. Its current market share stands at roughly 54%.

The new Bucharest-Leipzig flights will be operated three times per week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, starting June 4, 2024.

Following this new expansion, Wizz Air will have 36 aircraft stationed in Romania in 2024, at the six bases in Bucharest, Cluj-Napoca, Craiova, Iași, Sibiu and Timișoara, and a network of 171 routes to 79 destinations in 24 countries.

All Wizz Air flights are operated with 180-seat Airbus A320, 230-seat A321, 186-seat A320neo and 239-seat Airbus A321neo aircraft. Its fleet of 185 aircraft is one of the youngest in the world, with an average age of 4.2 years.

About a month ago, Wizz Air said it would close its base in Suceava, northeastern Romania, as of October 28, 2023. It will continue to operate on five routes from Suceava, however, while moving five other flights to the airport in Iași.

irina.marica@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Darius Strazdas/Dreamstime.com)