Hungarian Air Carrier’s Airbus Orders Surpass 500 Units

Wizz Air, is a Budapest-headquartered Hungarian multinational ultra-low-cost air-carrier serving 194 airports in 54 nations across Europe, North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia. Though not a flag-carrier, Wizz Air operates the largest fleet of any Hungarian airline.

Aspiring to contemporaneously grow its fleet and market share, Wizz Air has entered into a firm contract for 75 Airbus A321neo family aircraft, thereby increasing the number of its standing orders for A321neo jets to 434, and its total Airbus orders to 565 aircraft.

Wizz Air CEO József Váradi stated: "With today's announcement, Wizz Air further reinforces its position as the largest A321neo family operator in Europe and the Middle East. More than half our fleet has already been converted to cutting-edge neo technology.”

Mr. Váradi added: “The A321neo’s unparalleled economic efficiency and remarkably low carbon footprint underpin our commitment to provide affordable and sustainable travel options for our customers. We have enjoyed a longstanding strategic partnership with Airbus and are steadfast in our commitment to this exceptional technology with one of the largest outstanding order books in the world of more than 350 neo aircraft.”

An all-Airbus operator, Wizz Air’s fleet currently comprises upwards of 180 A320 family aircraft.

Airbus CCO and head of Airbus International Christian Scherer remarked: “Thanks to József’s stewardship, Wizz Air has steadily grown to become a formidable airline in the European skies and a great partner to Airbus. The investment in the A321neo is a solid foundation in Wizz Air’s continued expansion strategy. We thank József and everyone at Wizz Air for their unwavering confidence in our partnership and our products.”

Comfortably seating up to 244 passengers and incorporating new generation engines and Sharklets (Airbus’s proprietary winglet design), the A321neo is the longest (fuselage) member of Airbus’s single-aisle A320 family. Worldwide, A320-derivative aircraft—which include the A318, A319, A319neo, A320, A320 Enhanced, A320neo, and A321neo—number nearly eleven-thousand specimens.

The A321neo’s noise signature and fuel-burn are respectively fifty and 25-percent lower than those of the consortium’s previous generation single-aisle aircraft. Entering service with launch customer Air France in April 1988, the A320 family has since competed with Boeing’s 737 family of narrow-body airliners and Embraer’s E190 and E195 E-Jets. 

To date Airbus’s global customer base has submitted orders for nearly 5,200 A321neo jets.

FMI: www.airbus.com