Latest news with #WizzAir
The Independent
14 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Airline offers passengers vouchers in bid to tackle overbooked flights this summer
Wizz Air is inviting passengers to "pre-select" themselves as volunteers to be offloaded from overbooked Flights. Passengers who volunteer and are selected at the airport will receive a €100 (£85) voucher in Wizz credits for future travel. This scheme allows Wizz Air to manage Flights where more tickets are sold than seats available, anticipating typical passenger "no-shows." The compensation offered to volunteers is considerably less than the £220 to £520 airlines are legally required to pay for involuntarily denied boarding. Volunteers must still attend their original flight, and there is no guarantee of an immediate or convenient later flight, with rebooking dependent on capacity. Wizz Air asks passengers to 'pre-select' themselves for being offloaded from overbooked flights
The Independent
14 hours ago
- The Independent
Wizz Air asks passengers to ‘pre-select' themselves for being offloaded from overbooked flights
As travellers prepare for a high-pressure summer, one of Europe's biggest budget airlines is inviting passengers to 'pre-select' themselves for offloading from overbooked flights. Wizz Air is telling passengers they will be in line for a €100 (£85) voucher if they are 'selected as a volunteer at the airport' to be offloaded. Most airlines sell more tickets than there are seats available for some in-demand flights. They say typically five per cent of passengers are 'no shows'. European air passengers' rights rules require carriers that overbook flights to seek volunteers if too many passengers show up than there are seats available. Typically this takes place at check-in or the departure gate, with passengers offered incentives to travel on a later flight. But Wizz Air is seeking to get a list of volunteers in advance, asking passengers: 'Are you flexible on dates? Would you consider joining our volunteer list to take a later flight if there aren't enough seats available on your flight? 'If you agree and are then selected as a volunteer at the airport, you'll receive €100 in Wizz credits per person that can be used for future travels with us, and we'll rebook you on a later flight that suits you best.' But the potential reward looks meagre compared with the hundreds of pounds that airlines are required to pay if they deny boarding to a passenger against their will. The minimum is £220, the maximum £520, depending on the length of the flight. The passenger must still turn up for the original flight. A spokesperson for Wizz Air said: 'Passengers should still go to the airport. By volunteering, passengers are indicating they are happy to be flexible. 'Whether or not the volunteer will fly will be down to the number of no-shows on the specific flight in question. If there are enough no-shows, the volunteer will fly, but if there are too little no-shows, the volunteer will be compensated as per the form and put on another flight.' The invitation makes no guarantee about the later flight the passenger would get. The Wizz Air spokesperson said: 'The airline would advise checking if there are any alternative flight options that would be suitable before saying 'yes'. Wherever possible, and where capacity allows, this will usually be the next available flight.' Flight frequencies vary widely. From London Luton to Bucharest, Wizz Air offers five flights per day. But from Aberdeen to Gdansk, there are only four flights per week. Wizz Air tells passengers: 'If the number of volunteers was insufficient and Wizz Air denies your boarding against your will and without reason, you will receive additional assistance.' This includes meals and hotel accommodation if needed and, quaintly, two fax messages.
Zawya
17 hours ago
- Business
- Zawya
Wizz Air suspends flights to Tel Aviv, Amman
Wizz Air has taken the decision to suspend all flights to and from Tel Aviv, Israel, and its flights from Europe to Amman, Jordan, effective immediately, until September 15. The airline will also avoid overflying Israeli, Iraqi, Irani and Syrian airspace until further notice. This decision follows the recent escalation of the situation in the Middle East. The safety and security of its passengers, crew, and aircraft remains the highest priority for Wizz Air, and the airline is closely monitoring developments in coordination with the relevant authorities, the airline said. "Wizz Air is committed to minimising disruption to passengers and will be contacting affected customers directly via email (who booked directly with the airline) with information on their options, including rebooking or refunds. Customers who have booked via third parties, should contact these providers directly," it said. - TradeArabia News Service Copyright 2024 Al Hilal Publishing and Marketing Group Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (
The Guardian
19 hours ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Airline staff being trained to bar people without visas from flights to UK
Thousands of European airline staff are being trained to stop people boarding flights to Britain without valid visas, in a move billed by the foreign secretary as a digital upgrade to border controls. David Lammy said the measures marked a step towards 'more secure, more digital and more effective' borders, but the move could raise questions about human rights safeguards. More than 9,000 airline workers at carriers including Wizz Air, Jet2 and Lufthansa, have undertaken training to verify UK visa documents at departure gates in 39 countries, including those on major transit routes for irregular migration such as Greece, Malta, Italy and Albania. The scheme, delivered by the Foreign Office, deputises airline workers as frontline immigration officers, blocking passengers from even attempting to travel without the correct paperwork. The training is part of the broader rollout of the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) and eVisa system, which requires travellers – including many EU citizens – to pre-register before entering the UK. It represents a significant overhaul to UK border controls and is now being touted as a key aspect of Labour's immigration crackdown. Lammy said: 'Tackling irregular migration demands cooperation across borders and industries to disrupt the pathways used by those attempting to enter the UK illegally. We're sending a clear message – air travel simply isn't an option without proper authorisation and registration.' The initiative could attract scrutiny from civil liberties groups that express concern over legitimate travellers, especially asylum seekers, and would outsource critical immigration decisions to private airline staff. It comes as Labour seek to outflank Reform UK on border control and respond to what the party believes is public anxiety over uncontrolled immigration. Keir Starmer is seeking to maintain a hard rhetorical line, with returns and enforcement appearing to be central to his government's approach. The eVisa system, which replaces physical ID with digital status checks, allows the government to update and track individuals' immigration status in real time. Ministers say this will make it easier to take enforcement action against overstayers and enable landlords, employers and service providers to verify people's rights in the UK more easily. British Airways said the training had been helpful for its staff, making them feel 'more confident and prepared' to implement the system. But campaigners said the policy raises questions about accountability, particularly in cases where boarding is denied in error. According to official statistics, 30,000 people have been returned under current policies, with a 23% rise in enforced returns and a 14% increase in deportations of foreign offenders since the 2024 general election. Diplomats have been instructed to promote the ETA scheme directly to European governments, while a public information campaign is being rolled out to alert EU citizens about the new travel rules. A British Airways spokesperson said: 'As a carrier, this kind of insight is extremely useful and absolutely critical for us as it will guide us in how to process our customer whilst complying with the UK laws. Our stations feel more confident and prepared in using the ETA/eVisa system.'
Skift
a day ago
- Business
- Skift
Wizz Air Cuts Emissions Per Passenger, But Climate Impact Is Rising
Wizz Air's path to net zero is paved with low-emissions aircraft and ambitious targets. But without breakthroughs in sustainable fuel and supportive regulation, the airline and the wider industry may fall short of climate goals. Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-cost carrier, has cut emissions per passenger to some of the lowest levels in the industry. But as the airline rapidly expands, its overall climate impact is rising, with total emissions more than doubling since 2019. In its latest sustainability report for the year ending March 2025, the low-cost airline said its carbon intensity - a measure of emissions per passenger - fell to 52.2 grams of CO₂ per passenger-kilometer. That's lower than many of Wizz's rivals and the airline credits the low level to investment in part to more fuel-efficient aircraft. Low-cost carriers like Wizz, Ryanair and EasyJet tend to have lower emissions per passenger than traditional airlines because they carry more people per flight. No business class, fewer empty seats, and tight cabin configurations all mean more passengers are sharing each litre of fuel. In 2024, EasyJet reported 66.64 grams per passenger kilometre on average, while Ryanair averaged around 64 grams. Fleet Strategy vs. Emissions Reality Wizz added 26 new Airbus A321neo jets over the year, bringing its total fleet to 231 aircraft. Most of those are NEO models, which are significantly more fuel efficient. Wizz said it aims to operate an all-NEO fleet by 2029. 'Our emissions per passenger remain among the lowest in the industry,' said Yvonne Moynihan, Wizz Air's Corporate and ESG Officer. 'This underscores our commitment to minimizing environmental impact on a per-flight basis.' Because of the growth, despite carbon intensity improvements, Wizz Air's absolute emissions have nearly doubled since 2019, a reminder that efficiency alone doesn't equate to sustainability. Moynihan attributed the rise to rapid expansion under Wizz Air's 'WIZZ500' vision, which targets a doubling of the fleet by 2033. 'This growth contributes to higher overall emissions,' she said. 'But we emphasize carbon intensity per passenger-kilometer as a more relevant metric for assessing environmental impact.' Long-Term Net Zero Strategy Wizz Air reiterated its ambition to reduce their emissions to almost zero by 2050. The company said that this is structured around three pillars: Aircraft fleet renewal: This will account for 30% of the planned reduction. Sustainable aviation fuel (SAF): 53% of total fuel use by 2050. Air traffic management and operational improvements: To help reduce emission by 4%. Moynihan acknowledged that deeper emissions cuts will depend on scaling up SAF, which remains marginal across the industry. Wizz has not disclosed the current share of SAF in its operations. 'We are actively pursuing fleet renewal and operational efficiency,' Moynihan said. 'But broader reforms are needed across the industry to ensure success.' Skift's in-depth reporting on climate issues is made possible through the financial support of Intrepid Travel. This backing allows Skift to bring you high-quality journalism on one of the most important topics facing our planet today. Intrepid is not involved in any decisions made by Skift's editorial team.
