Wizz Air in talks with Zagreb Airport
Low cost carrier Wizz Air is said to be in talks with Zagreb Airport over its potential return to the Croatian capital after ten years. Local media reports that Wizz is in advanced talks with Croatia’s busiest airport over the launch of several routes. It comes just a week after Ryanair announced it would open a base in the city this September by stationing two aircraft and launching twelve new destinations. Wizz Air used to maintain services to Zagreb from Dortmund and London but terminated its operations to the city in 2011. It has since primarily focused on Split in Croatia, to which it will launch six new seasonal routes this summer.
Wizz Air’s CEO, Jozsef Varadi, previously said Zagreb Airport was too expensive for the airline. “Zagreb is a high-priced airport environment with fluctuating demand. If Zagreb Airport becomes more reasonable, we will certainly consider that airport as an opportunity for expanding our network", Mr Varadi said at the time. Zagreb Airport recently launched a new subsidy scheme to stimulate the arrival of new airlines and the launch of new routes. The discounts include an 80% reduction in the passenger service charge that amounts to 17.5 euros. However, in order to qualify, an airline must launch services from the Croatian capital to destinations that were not previously served in either the pre-pandemic 2019 or in 2020. The carrier must also maintain operations throughout the year.
Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O'Leary, said last week the airline would welcome Wizz Air’s presence at Zagreb Airport and would be ready to compete against its low cost rival. On the other hand, Croatia Airlines said it would adapt its business to new circumstances on the market as much as possible. Wizz Air is continuing to expand its presence in the former Yugoslavia this summer with the launch of nineteen new routes from the region, including a new base in Sarajevo. The carrier will introduce nine new routes from Bosnia and Herzegovina's capital, six from Split and four from Belgrade (one of which has already been inaugurated).
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