WIZZ AIR OPENED ITS 20th BASE IN KOŠICE
Košice, 5th June 2015
Today there was a perfect reason for celebration at Košice Airport. Wizz Air - the largest low cost, low fare airline in Central and Eastern Europe - opened its 20th base in Košice, metropolis of Eastern Slovakia. From 17th September 2013 when Wizz Air inaugurated its first flight from Košice until the base was opened, the carrier transported to/from Košice over 170,000 passengers. The base brings the cooperation between Wizz Air and Košice Airport to the next level and significant increase of the passengers´ volume is expected.
As a part of the base opening celebration, Wizz Air and Košice Airport today inaugurated the first flight to Milan Bergamo which will be followed by the first flight to Doncaster Sheffield on Sunday 7th June. Both destinations will be operated twice per week. Seats on the routes are on sale starting from 14,99 € (one way, incl. all taxes and a non-optional charges) on wizzair.com. Together with the existing offer of 10 weekly flights to London Luton, Wizz Air will offer 14 weekly flights from Košice this summer.
New Destination Start Day Fares from
Milan Bergamo 5th June Mon, Fri 14,99 €
Doncaster Sheffield 7th June Wed, Sun 24,99 €
Guests of the celebration enjoyed the tones of classical music performed by the members of the Košice State Philharmony. Wizz Air´s A320 was welcomed with a special pink-blue water canon salute and passengers were treated with a special cake, muffins and welcome packs, a courtesy of Košice Airport and Košice Tourism.
Chairman of the board and CEO of Košice Airport Karl Dandler: "Today we celebrate a real milestone for Košice city, Košice region and Košice Airport. We, as an airport, are proud to serve the most dynamically developing city in Slovakia. Air travel and air connectivity is an essential flavour for the development of every region and I am very glad to say that thanks to the support of our partners - city of Košice, Košice Tourism, Košice 2013 and Košice self-governing region - Košice is connected to seven European cities with a year-round flight operation.”
On today´s base opening celebration in Košice Tamara Mshvenieradze, Corporate Communications manager at Wizz Air said: "We are delighted to celebrate the opening of our Košice base – the first WIZZ base in Slovakia. WIZZ began operating its first service from Košice to London Luton less than 2 years ago and today we are adding a Milan Bergamo service as well as a route to Doncaster Sheffield commencing this Sunday. With flights from only 14,99 € we look forward to stimulate tourism and the hospitality sectors in Kosice as well as business relations between Slovakia, Italy and the UK. Our local Slovakian crew will ensure an excellent travel experience as we look forward to many satisfied passengers and a fruitful partnership with Košice Airport.”
Andrew Garth, British ambassador to Slovakia said: "I am delighted that Wizz Air is opening a new route which will connect Slovakia and UK in addition to its existing London service. I hope that Wizz Air’s air services will bring British tourists and investors to Eastern Slovakia and that this part of the country will feel the economic benefit of the operation as well.”
New route Košice – Milan Bergamo was warmly welcomed by Italian embassy in Slovakia. Italian ambassador Roberto Martini said: "This air service will undoubtedly contribute to development of cooperation between our countries in terms of business and tourism.”
"The fact that Wizz Air as the largest low-cost airline in Central and Eastern Europe opens its base in Košice is a great success for our city. It is also a confirmation that together with Košice Airport and other partners we are on the right track to significant improvement of air accessibility of Košice and Eastern Slovakia. Air transport is a strong driver of economic development and I am convinced that seven regular air services will help Košice in its dynamic development,” said the mayor of Košice Richard Raši.
Vicemayor of Košice and chairman of the board of Košice Tourism Renáta Lenártová said: "Air accessibility is a precondition for tourism development. Fourteen weekly low-cost flights with Wizz Air from Košice to UK and Italy is a good foundations to build on. I believe that there more new routes to come to Košice very soon.”
President of Košice Self-governing Region Zdenko Trebuľa: "Citizens, tourists, investors – everyone needs air mobility. It´s really great that thanks to new Wizz Air flights Košice now has regular air services to seven European cities. Without any doubts, air accessibility is absolutely necessary for further development of Košice Self-governing region therefore I believe that this trend will continue.”