Wizz Air’s 7-hour flights start at £89 if you're up for a squeeze

Ultra-low-cost carrier Wizz Air will maintain its no-frills offering even as it introduces longer flights, betting that passengers will "suffer the pain" for cheaper fares.

As reported by Business Insider, the airline announced Tuesday that its first Airbus A321XLR route will connect London Gatwick with Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, beginning in March 2024. The new aircraft boasts a range of 5,400 miles, enabling Wizz to operate flights lasting up to eight hours—two hours longer than with its current A321neo fleet.

The London to Jeddah route is expected to take around seven hours, with ticket prices starting at £134.99 ($177), roughly one-third the cost of British Airways. Flights from Jeddah to London will be even cheaper, starting at £89 ($116), as they avoid the UK's air passenger duty tax.

Wizz CEO József Váradi confirmed the A321XLR will feature the same configuration as the A321neo, with 239 non-reclining seats and no in-flight entertainment—a common cost-saving measure for budget airlines.

"Fifteen, twenty 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 at a press conference in London. "I think economics are so crucial to people."

He added that passengers often sacrifice comfort on larger aircraft as well, given the lack of lie-flat beds in economy class. "You kind of suffer the pain for the economic benefits," Váradi noted.

In contrast, some U.S. budget airlines have introduced premium options in response to declining profits. Spirit Airlines, for example, has introduced blocked-out middle seats, while Southwest is revising its open-seating policy.

Wizz also announced new routes, including flights between Milan and Abu Dhabi starting in June 2024, and expressed interest in expanding to India. However, Váradi ruled out transatlantic flights, citing stiff competition from established carriers like British Airways.

[Information sourced from Business Insider]