Wizz Air makes massive Romanian investment

According to a report in Romania’s Business Standard, Hungarian discount carrier Wizz Air is getting ready to pump up to €100 million into Romania’s air travel industry, as is hires more staff members and sets up new bases in this new European Union country. Wizz is getting ready to establish a new operational base in the historic Transylvanian city of Timisaora and a large chunk of the initial investment will go towards buying three Airbus A-320 planes which will be stationed in Romania. Additionally, Wizz Air’s increasing prominence in this region will have a positive local impact, as the discount carrier will be looking to hire an additional 100 employees ahead of the 2009 expansion.

The new Timisoara base, however, will probably already be up and running in time for the winter holiday season in December and Wizz Air will be offering direct flights from this Transylvanian city to London, Dortmund and Rome. Early next year the carrier’s route network will expand with new flights from Timisoara to Milan, Barcelona, Venice, Valencia and Paris. Wiz Air argued that rising demand in Romania for low cost travel means that it makes perfect sense to go ahead with expansion in this region, despite the current economic climate in Western Europe. Wizz Air, however, is clearly interested in becoming one of the most prominent players in the Romanian low cost air travel industry, but it will find itself in stiff competition with easyJet, Ryanair, SkyEurope and Blue Air.

www.wizzair.com