Wizz Air will resume 10% of flights from 1st May 2020!

According to Reuters, European low-cost airline Wizz Air plans to resume flights out of Vienna from May 1. 

Deputy Chief Executive Stephen Jones said in comments reported by Austrian news agency APA on Friday.

Jones told reporters the airline intended to offer connections to 20 destinations including Milan, Valencia and Tel Aviv despite widespread travel restrictions introduced because of the coronavirus pandemic, APA reported.

The airline will also launch flights from London Luton to Budapest in Hungary, Belgrade in Serbia, Bratislava and Kosice in Slovakia, Lisbon in Portugal, Tenerife in Spain’s Canary Islands and Tel Aviv in Israel.

Also 8 destinations in Romania will be reopened from London: Cluj-Napoca, Constanta, Craiova, Iasi, Suceava, Targu Mures, Satu Mare and Timisoara.

Airlines will face social distancing and new hygiene protocols when they resume flying and fares “will be crushed”, the head of Wizz Air has warned.

Wizz Air chief executive Josef Varadi forecast “a different perspective on health and safety” and said: “The industry will have to address physical distancing. In the first few months planes will not be filled.”

Varadi differed sharply from Michael O’Leary, head of Ryanair, who insisted this week “we’re not returning to flying” if governments insist on “social distancing measures like having middle seats empty”.

The Wizz Air chief said: “We expect new hygiene protocols. One of the issues will be the airport environment. People spend quite a time at the airport. I’m sure there will be protocols”

Customers will be told to check-in online and make any purchases, such as paying for additional luggage, online to reduce any non essential interaction at the airport.

During the flights crew will be required to wear masks and gloves and will distribute sanitising wipes to each passenger. Onboard purchases will have to be made by contactless payment to minimise physical contact.

Each aircraft will be disinfected overnight in line with official guidelines.

Speaking on an Aviation Week webcast, Varadi forecast a phased return to flying beginning next month.

He said: “We have four aircraft flying now. We are flying only 3% of capacity.”

“On May 1 we’ll have about 10% of the fleet flying. I think we’ll start seeing some easing during the course of May or into June, I don’t know. What we do know is it is becoming unsustainable. ”

“Maybe at the end of May or sometime in June we’ll be at 30%.”

Varadi said: “Fares will be crushed. Very low fares will stimulate the market and people will travel. Airlines won’t resume at the same pace. Some will pick up very quickly. Others will continue to be dragged down.”

“My expectation is when can start a market we can start at around 30% [capacity] and within two to three months we can ramp up to about 70%.

This is definitely good news for all fans of low cost travelling, hopefully the situation with coronavirus will calm down and more airlines will soon start operating their flights again.