For those that live outside Europe it is unlikely you would have ever heard of low cost carrier Wizz air or W!ZZ as they are more commonly written.
Wizz commenced service from its base in Hungary in 2004 and has quickly become a popular airline of choice for travellers wanting low cost travel around Europe and especially the in vogue, Eastern Europe. Whilst successful, most of the population outside Europe don’t know about Wizz and tend to stick with the more well known Ryan Air and easyJet for low cost air travel.
Wizz has built up an impressive route network in just 10 years serving over 100 destination with a fleet comprising of 52 A320 aircraft with an average fleet age of just four years.
Wizz is an ultra low cost carrier meaning everything from water to snacks needs to be purchased on board, or passengers can bring their own (with the exception of hot drinks). Like easyJet and Ryanair, there is no inflight entertainment, no seat recline and no blankets or pillows. The seat pitch is a fairly comfortable 30 inch and much more comfortable than the 28-29 inch pitch offered by some of its competitors.
To avoid being slugged with a 20 euro 'airport check-in' charge passengers must check-in on the web before their flight. If passengers know they will not be able to web check-in on line and print out a boarding pass, an airport check-in can be pre-purchased for 10 euro at the time of booking. Web check-in is available 30 days to three hours prior to the flight. Web check-in is not available for flights departing Dubai, Hurghada, Istanbul, corfu, Palma Dre Mallorca, Turin and Zaragoza. In these cases there is no fee to check-in at the airport.
See Passenger Reviews for Wizz Air
As with any low cost carrier it pays to pre-purchase your checked baggage. Wizz air charges differing amounts for this based on the time of year you are travelling and the length of the route. There are also strict rules regarding carry-on baggage. Larger carry-on baggage does need to be pre-purchased, however, small things like a hand bag can be carried on board for free. We strongly suggest you view the rules about baggage sizes and weights here to avoid hefty charges at the airport.
When booking an airfare with Wizz it is worth checking what airport you will be arriving at. Secondary airports, or airports far from the city centre are used by low cost carriers because it is cheaper. It is worth checking out how much it will cost to get from the secondary airport to your accommodation or the city centre as the full service carrier that flies into the main airport could end up being cheaper once you add on these extra transport costs. Wizz, like easyJet, provide options to book cheap bus transport at the time of booking for a small fee and we strongly suggest you take this option to avoid the high charges that would come with catching a taxi.
Of course as with every low cost carrier there are options to make your flight more comfortable and of course, these come at a price. Using the example of London to Belgrade we looked at these options and the associated costs.
WIZZ XXLong legroom seats are those at the front of the aircraft or the emergency exit that offer significantly more legroom and can be pre-purchased at the time of booking. For the London Belgrade flight this would cost an extra 14 pounds per person.
Wizz Xtra Space allows you to purchase the seat next to you so you are guaranteed to have a free seat. This service can be purchased online, via the call centre, at the airport or onboard and will vary in price. Wizz extra space also comes with priority boarding.
Wizz Reserved Seat, at a cost of seven pounds, is another add on service that guarantees you a seat in the first three rows of the aircraft meaning you can be amongst the first to get on and off the plane.
Wizz Xpress Priority Boarding at three pounds, lets you board the plane and pick your seat first (remember seating is not allocated). When travelling by bus to the aircraft you will be in a section at the front of the bus that ensures you are boarded first.
Provided you follow the rules and look at the total costs involved in getting from “A to B” Wizz Air may just be your answer to getting around Europe cheaply. Despite not being well known outside Europe, it is a big airline and definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for some cheap flights.
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