The first ultra-low-cost airline using the Airbus A321XLR hopes passengers will choose to 'suffer the pain' of no-frills 7-hour flights

10.09.2024 - 15:20 / insider.com / London Gatwick

As it introduces longer flights, ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air isn't planning any upgrades to its no-frills offering — hoping passengers will "suffer the pain" for cheaper tickets.

Wizz announced Tuesday that its first Airbus A321XLR route will be between London Gatwick and Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, starting next March.

The upcoming narrowbody jet has gained hype by opening up new possibilities for airlines with its increased range of 5,400 miles.

Wizz expects this to mean flights up to eight hours long — a two-hour increase from current capabilities with the A321neo.

Wizz's London to Jeddah route would take around seven hours with prices starting at £134.99 ($177) — about one-third the price of British Airways.

It's even cheaper going the opposite direction, starting at £89 ($116), because the UK's air passenger duty tax wouldn't apply.

József Váradi, the Wizz CEO, told reporters at a London press conference that the A321XLR will have the same seats as the A321neo.

That means no reclining or in-flight entertainment — typical features on budget airlines to reduce maintenance costs. Both jets will also have the same capacity of 239 seats.

"15, 20 years ago, I thought three hours would test passenger tolerance, and then we pushed it to six hours, and we are still fine," Váradi said.

"I just think that economics are so crucial to people."

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He said most passengers "sacrifice some level of comfort" on widebody aircraft too, given that there are no lie-flat beds in economy class.

"You kind of suffer the pain, if you wish, for the economic benefits that you are deriving from the transaction," Váradi added.

By contrast, budget carriers in the US have been introducing premium options amid reduced profits. Spirit Airlines announced blocked-out middle seats similar to business class on European short-haul flights, while Southwest is ditching its open-seating policy.

Wizz Air also announced flights between Milan and Abu Dhabi starting next June, and Váradi said the airline is working on routes to India, too.

Due to competition from the likes of British Airways, Váradi ruled out transatlantic flights — something that Frontier Airlines had considered before canceling its plans for the XLR.