Hungarian airline Wizz Air to launch 20 new routes between Saudi Arabia, Europe

Hungarian discount airline Wizz Air Holdings Plc will start direct flights on 20 routes between Saudi Arabia and several European cities starting in December, the carrier said at a press conference in Riyadh on Thursday.

The new flights will connect the Saudi capital as well as major cities such as Jeddah and Dammam with European destinations including Bucharest, Budapest, Milan, Naples, Rome, Venice and Vienna.

“We are not targeting any of the existing carriers, legacy carriers or low-cost carriers in Saudi Arabia,” Chief Executive Officer Jozsef Varadi said in an interview. “We would want to add value on top of them. I think competition choices are good for the market, because they create alternatives.”

Budapest-based Wizz has benefited from a recent growth spurt powered by its low-cost model, at a time when many traditional carriers have been hamstrung by the pandemic effect.

The company has been pushing east, setting up an airline venture in Abu Dhabi, while also building presence in western European markets including Italy and the UK.

Saudi Arabia said in June it would incentivize airlines to fly to the country from major global cities in a bid to boost tourism. The kingdom is looking to lift arrivals to 100 million a year by 2030.

Varadi said he expects air-travel demand to remain intact after a strong summer. Service is operating at 130% of capacity compared with pre-pandemic levels, he said.

“Despite all the inflationary pressure on demand and fears it may just take people out of the market, we’re not really seeing it,” Varadi said. “Demand remains strong and that’s very encouraging.”