Would you ‘suffer the pain’ of a long-haul budget flight? Wizz Air hopes so with new Saudi service

13.09.2024 - 19:45 / euronews.com / Wizz Air / Saskia ODonoghue

Wizz Air, which earlier this year received the unenviable title of ‘Worst Airline in Europe’ from consumer body Which? - has announced it’s launching long-haul flights.

The Hungary-based company will start flying from London Gatwick to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in March 2025 and will follow in June with a route from Milan to Abu Dhabi.

Known as a no-frills airline, with all add-ons costing customers extra, Wizz Air’s long-haul flights are likely to offer much the same experience as on shorter trips.

The company’s CEO, József Váradi,  is clearly aware of this, saying he hopes budget-savvy customers are willing to “suffer the pain” of the gruelling longer flights.

Váradi confirmed that, similarly to its short-haul services in Europe, Wizz Air’s flights to the Middle East will have only economy seats on board. 

The seats will be in the same format as those on short-haul flights - and they certainly won’t recline or come with any luxurious features. 

However, Váradi says he’s confident that passengers will be happy with the “ultra low-cost” experience - and he expects to launch further similar routes in the near future. 

“Fifteen to 20 years ago I thought three hours would test passenger tolerance,” Váradi explained at a press conference. “[But] people vote with their wallets.”

The launch comes at the same time as the introduction of a new Airbus fleet capable of longer journeys.

The Airbus A321 XLR light-body aircraft allows Wizz Air to increase its maximum flight time from six hours to eight. 

Fares will start from £134.99 (€160) for UK passengers for a one-way flight to Jeddah. On the way back, journeys will be slightly cheaper, owing to the UK’s air passenger duty charge. That figure is about half as much as a standard flight to the Saudi Arabian city, if booked today. 

“I just think that economics are so crucial to people,” Váradi enthused. “When you take a light body aircraft of any kind, and you take economy versus what most people do, you sacrifice some level of comfort.

“You are not on a flatbed. You suffer the pain if you wish for the economic benefits that you are deriving from the transaction,” he added.

While it appears these long-haul flights are just the start of Váradi’s plans, he confirmed that the company has no intention of crossing the Atlantic to the US with its new aircraft. 

Several airlines, including Ireland’s Aer Lingus, already fly transatlantic on slightly older Airbus A321LR single-aisle jets, but Váradi said that Wizz would simply be “buried” by competitors flying across the pond.

“We don’t want to be bullied in the ocean,” he said.

Wizz has been attempting to make strides in the industry recently, last month announcing an all-you-can-fly subscription - with no-frills, of course. 

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