Wizz Air passenger numbers shrink two-thirds in October
Wizz Air said that passenger numbers dropped 69 per cent in October as further coronavirus restrictions came into effect around the world.
The low-budget carrier flew 1.15m passengers last month, down from 3.7m in the same period last year.
And the decline could yet grow further in November, with international travel from England due to be banned under the new lockdown restrictions due to come into effect on Thursday.
For the year to date, Wizz Air said that passenger number had fallen 43.3 per cent to 21.8m.
The Hungarian airline will releases its half year results on Thursday, a six month period which has encompassed the worst crisis in aviation history.
Fellow low-cost carrier Ryanair reported a near €200m loss yesterday as a result of plummeting demand for air travel.
And back in October Easyjet warned that it was on track to record its first ever full year loss.
Unlike many of its competitors, however, Wizz Air has had a comparatively successful pandemic.
It was the first carrier in the UK to begin flying again after lockdown and has opened a spate of new bases and new routes over the summer.
The moves came despite the government’s travel quarantine policy, which hammered major holiday destinations such as Spain and France.
This morning it announced three new bases – one in Bari in Italy and the others in Oslo and Trondheim, Norway.
The carrier is looking to take advantage of the dire straits that other airlines have found themselves in due to the pandemic.
Shares in Wizz Air rose 3.7 per cent this morning.