Wizz Air makes drastic decision on aircraft procurement

Wizz Air announced on Friday it had delayed taking the deliveries of 88 Airbus jets to fiscal year 2033, from 2030, and reduced its commitment to long-haul jets as the budget airline seeks to prioritise profitability.

The commitment for A321XLRs reduces from 47 to 11 (including the 5 units already delivered), with the commitment for 36 A321XLR long-range jets converted to a commitment for 36 shorter-range A321neos.

Wizz Air's remaining orderbook of 273 total aircraft remains intact.

Hungary-based Wizz Air has struggled in recent years to compete financially with other European carriers as it grapples with engine-related groundings of its Airbus aircraft, which led to it missing its first-quarter profit targets in July.

"These amendments support the airline's target of achieving a 10-12% seat capacity growth rate through 2030. The fleet is scheduled to be all-neo by calendar 2029, reinforcing Wizz Air's position as one of the world's most emissions-efficient airlines and delivering significant fuel-burn advantages compared to previous generation aircraft," the company said in a statement.

Source: Reuters