Wizz Air Gains More London Luton Slots

Credit: London Luton Airport

ULCC Wizz Air said it has acquired two additional daily slot pairs at London Luton (LTN), enabling the carrier to grow frequencies on six routes it operates from the airport.

Hungary-based Wizz has had a base at LTN since 2017 and is the airport’s largest carrier in terms of seats flown. It will operate 75 routes from LTN during its summer season schedule.

Wizz Air said in a statement that it operates to “well-known and off-the-beaten-track destinations” from LTN, adding: “The successful bid for more slots demonstrates Wizz Air’s long-term commitment to both the airport and surrounding region, providing an extra boost to the local economy and creating more local jobs.”

The airline said it is in the process of hiring more flight and cabin crew to be based at LTN.

Increased frequencies to be added by Wizz in May from LTN include service rising from 5X- to 7X-weekly on routes to Bacau (BCM) and Sibiu (SBZ) in Romania. Also planned are frequency increases to Romanian cities Craiova (CRA) (9X- to 11X-weekly), Iasia (IAS) (11X- to 14X-weekly) and Timisoara (TSR) (7X- to 9X-weekly).

Additionally, the carrier will grow frequencies between LTN and Wroclaw (WRO) in Poland from 5X- to 7X-weekly from June 13.

“This announcement highlights our continued commitment to London Luton Airport, which was our first ever base in the UK,” Wizz Air UK MD Marion Geoffroy said.

“Acquiring two additional daily slots will allow us to provide customers with even more ultra low-fare travel opportunities. 2022 is off to a great start, especially with the lifting of COVID-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated travelers. We look forward to a busy summer season.”

Geoffroy told Routes in March that the airline currently has fewer than 20 aircraft based in the UK, but hopes to increase that fleet to 50 before the end of the decade. The airline this month launched its latest UK base, opening nine new routes from Cardiff Airport (CWL) in Wales.

Aaron Karp

Aaron Karp is a Contributing Editor to the Aviation Week Network.