Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2880 posts, RR: 1 Posted (9 years 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3520 times:
Thought this was interesting news today!
I can't find much news on this but as well as Wizz Air recently announcing their new service from Luton to Katowice, Poland. They have also announced a Luton-Budapest service due to start on the 26th June.
This is very interesting as easyJet are due to launch this route on the 1st May, and I think this is the first time easyJet have had direct competition on exactly the same route at LTN.
Wizz Air are definately brave taking on one of the Veteran LCC at it's home base.
I think the reason why easyJet originally chose to launch the Budapest service from LTN was as no other carriers operated the route from the airport, as Sky Europe use STN and both Malev and BA operate the route from LGW.
Skymonster From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 1, posted (9 years 3 weeks 4 days 7 hours ago) and read 3491 times:
If you listen to the UK TV news or read our papers, they're suggesting that routes to the UK from Poland and Hungary are going to be pretty busy after May 1st!
CopySouthwest From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 123 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (9 years 3 weeks 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 3450 times:
DoorsToManual you are correct. Malev started a 12x weekly BUD-STN route this past February. This is in addition to the daily flight from Sky Europe.
Having chosen to launch a Budapest to London route Wizz Air were left with little choice of airport with Sky Europe and Malev present at STN and Easy at LTN.
It'll certainly be one to watch.
Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight with us today.
Backfire From Germany, joined Oct 2006, 0 posts, RR: 0 Reply 6, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 21 hours ago) and read 3345 times:
For your information KI911:
Wizz Air is a budget airline started by the former CEO of Malev, Jozsef Varadi, which intends to operate from Katowice (Poland) and Budapest (Hungary) from May/June. It will use A320s (up to nine this year).
FRALIM From Germany, joined Jun 2003, 121 posts, RR: 0 Reply 7, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 3333 times:
They are based in Budapest and Kattowice.
Service ex Kattowice to Rome (CIA), Paris (BVA) and London (LTN) will commence May 19th. Additional services to ATH, GRO, BUD, DTM BGY, MUC, NYO and TSF will commence on July 1st.
Ops from their other base in BUD will start on June 24th. Ex BUD they will fly to ATH, GRO, KTW, LTN, BVA, PRG and CIA.
I've been following the development of this airline gor quite some time by regulary checking on their website and to me they seem to be quite professional (at least their press releases and their website give you that impression. Not to forget about the experienced management, though I think their CEO was not thaaat successful with malev). But now when this week all these new destinations were announced I was actually pretty surprised. Because when they announced their first destinations end of march things were a little different. They said they would commence ops ex KTW on May 19th with daily flights to LTN, BVA, CIA and SXF and those flights were already bookable, but now when the new flights were announced the flight to Berlin has disappeard. Though they didn't mention anything about it (in one of their older press releases you can still read about the flight to Berlin). Also all these flights were supposed to be daily, with a very tight schedule (If I am not wrong never more than 25min turnaround time). Now the new schedule shows only daly flights to LTN and CIA (ex KTW), most other flights are 3/7 or 4/7. I don't know why the changed that (lack of aircraft? How many do they have at the moment?)
We will see what the will be like when they start operations in may. I am quite curious and wish them all the best!!!!
BestWestern From Ireland, joined Sep 2000, 6431 posts, RR: 58 Reply 8, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 19 hours ago) and read 3252 times:
Theres a large polish population in NW london, and hungarian population in West London.
With Poland and Hungary now welcome members of The EU travel between the countries will increase dramatically.
The rubbish the UK newspapers come out with these days regarding all these low cost airline flights from the new EU markets coming in full this weekend. Of course they are full... Its a European bank holiday weekend! How they love to stir anti-immigration hysteria.
Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2880 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 3179 times:
I hate to be the pesamist...
But I can the LTN services lasting no more than the summer month's before they pull out.
The history with foreign LCC at LTN is barely brilliant!
VolareWeb annouced with a huge fanfare they were to launch daily services to Venice, Rimini and Cagliari and now less than eight months later are operating three flights a week to Cagliari in Sardinia.
Hapag Lloyd Express were another flop and pulled out of the airport within 9 months of offering a 3 return daily services to Cologne/Bonn.
The only foriegn carriers I can think that are successful are Helios Airways and Aer Arran and neither are proper LCC. The routes they fly have very strong links with the UK.
If Wizz Air want to make their routes to be a success they need to do marketing, and I havn't seen much of that atall other than on LTN's website http://www.london-luton.co.uk/.
If people want to go to Budapest they will immediately think of easyJet as no one will have heard of Wizz!
Adamlaskiewicz From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 3045 times:
I hate to be a pessimist as well but I've got a horrible feeling that Wizz Air may not be the overnight success that everyone is expecting. The fact is, as Giledavies said, their publicity in the UK is practically non-existant. And with easyJet at Luton, Stansted and Gatwick poised to launch a multitude of new routes any time after Saturday, I think the vast majority of people will go for a name they know and opt for the same airline that flew them to Spain or wherever on their holidays.
Adriaticflight From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2004, 493 posts, RR: 2 Reply 13, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3032 times:
I too think Wizz Air is doomed. Katowice is a rather ugly industrial town in the south West of Poland. Krakow, Ljubljana or Prague this is not. But serving an 'out of the way' destination might be an advantage. However I think that the Budapest Route is a bit brave.
Sorry to anyone from Katowice, please fill me in if I am mis-representing your city.
Talking of planes to 'the east' being full after may 1st, I took Malev EGLL-LHBP-LGTS-LHBP-EGLL two weeks ago. The planes were full all directions. Malev gave a great service, they have T.Vs on their 737-600 and they showed Mr. Bean. I would advise people to use them, however I have a soft spot for Sky Europe and really hope they do well.
I have looked at the prices of Wizz Air and they are expensive (in my opinion). Air polonia into Krakow have deals for £23 each way. Two things that puts me off Wizz are 1. the silly name and 2. the ugly colours.
Rb211ltn From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 133 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 3018 times:
I hope Wizz do well on the LTN-BUD route. I would fly with them because a) they will operate on a 320 and not a nasty 737, and b) I flew eJ a few weeks ago STN-PRG and it was awful. The aircraft were old and shabby and the whole thing was utterly soulless. As long as Wizz get their prices and on-time performance right (both of these are going awry at eJ) I think they will do OK.
The customer is always right.....unless he is a passenger!
Adriaticflight From United Kingdom, joined Jan 2004, 493 posts, RR: 2 Reply 15, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 10 hours ago) and read 2997 times:
The timetable for Wizzair is better than Sky Europe. Sky Euorpe's flights leave at the crzay time of 7am. Wizzair's flights are in the evening, I would spend a lot more to be able to fly during the day, nothing worse than going to Stansted the night before a departure.
Timetable:
16:40 Depart Budapest - Ferihegy
18:05 Arrive London - Luton
18:40 Depart Budapest - Ferihegy
20:05 Arrive London - Luton
Adamlaskiewicz From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 16, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 2961 times:
Adriaticflight,
Katowice is a rather ugly industrial town in the south West of Poland. Krakow, Ljubljana or Prague this is not. But serving an 'out of the way' destination might be an advantage.
As has been discussed in a previous thread, Katowice is indeed not the most pretty of places (and there are similarly unattractive towns and cities in the UK I hasten to add). However, Krakow which is a very beautiful city is only an hour or so away by road so I think the LTN-KTW route is perfectly feasible and there's little reason why it shouldn't do well. Ryanair has proved this by flying to 'out of the way' airports so let's hope this works for Wizz Air as well.
For your information, Air Polonia does not fly to Krakow but like Wizz Air also flies to Katowice which is a great shame. I think if the likes of Wizz Air and Air Polonia did then they would be even more successful.
Codeshare From Poland, joined Sep 2002, 1854 posts, RR: 1 Reply 17, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 8 hours ago) and read 2911 times:
As for Katowice it is the main city in the region of Silesia. This region apart from being the "coal" and industry centre in Poland has a large number of inhapitants.
Hence - a market.
Period.
How much A is there is Airliners Net ? 0 or nothing ?
CopySouthwest From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 123 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 7 hours ago) and read 2870 times:
For your information, Air Polonia does not fly to Krakow but like Wizz Air also flies to Katowice which is a great shame. I think if the likes of Wizz Air and Air Polonia did then they would be even more successful.
Definitely. More likely would be Easyjet launching a LTN/STN to Krakow route. This would no doubt cause a big headache for Wizz.
Sit back, relax and enjoy your flight with us today.
Adamlaskiewicz From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (9 years 3 weeks 3 days 5 hours ago) and read 2847 times:
I'm not a gambling man but I bet that LTN/STN to Krakow will be one of easyJet's first new routes into Eastern Europe (excluding Budapest and Ljubljana which they've already announced.)
Let's just hope that Wizz is ready for battle to commence...
Gilesdavies From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2003, 2880 posts, RR: 1 Reply 20, posted (9 years 3 weeks 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 2810 times:
I reckon if U2 launch a Krakow service it will be from LGW.
They seem to like to base service out of a London Airport where thee is as little competition on the route as possible and would rather avoid goind head to head with Wizz or Air Polania.
Adamlaskiewicz From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 21, posted (9 years 3 weeks 2 days 11 hours ago) and read 2747 times:
They seem to like to base service out of a London Airport where there is as little competition on the route as possible and would rather avoid going head to head with Wizz or Air Polonia
But they would have competition at LGW, albeit in the form of LOT Polish Airlines and British Airways.
I don't think easyJet have ever launched a completely new destination from LGW, they have only ever launched routes from LGW to existing destinations. So I think LTN/STN would seem more likely.
22right From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 417 posts, RR: 1 Reply 24, posted (9 years 3 weeks 2 days 8 hours ago) and read 2690 times:
Plus the usage of the word "head" in the topic title makes it even more funny... as in, I need to go the head to take a quick Wizz!
"I never apologize! I am sorry, but that's the way it is!" - Homer Simpson
25 Adamlaskiewicz: Well, isn't it funny. Supposedly we all speak English but American English is quite different to British English. What does I need to go the head to t
26 Danny: All the Brit guys seem to ignore one aspect. There is not only traffic from UK to Poland/Hungary but also the opposite way. Example: Air Polonia with
27 Adamlaskiewicz: All the Brit guys seem to ignore one aspect. There is not only traffic from UK to Poland/Hungary but also the opposite way. Example: Air Polonia with
28 Tartan: I wish Wizz well. 22right - I say " just going for a wazz"
29 L410Turbolet: Poland, being market with some 40+ million people has a great potential especially for traffic to the UK. And they are not all coming to take your job
30 Adamlaskiewicz: Poland, being market with some 40+ million people has a great potential especially for traffic to the UK. And they are not all coming to take your job
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