"Wizz Air" Romania Estimates 40 Mln EUR In Turnover For 2007 "Wizz Air" To Establish Operational Base At Bucharest-Baneasa Airport In May 2007

The sixth operational base of "Wizz Air", the low cost airline based in Central and Eastern Europe, will be opened in May at the Bucharest-Baneasa airport. According to Joseph Varadi, CEO of "Wizz Air", it will contribute up to 40 Mln EUR to the company"s revenues. By 2008, the company plans to reach 18 destinations and a 15% share of the low-cost airline market in Romania.

The company owns 3 operational bases in Poland, one in Hungary and one in Bulgaria. Its global revenues in 2006 were 200 Mln EUR and it carried over five million passengers.

"Wizz Air" spokesperson, Joseph Varadi stated yesterday: "We expect to carry close to 500 000 passengers on our Romanian routes within a year from today. By summer 2008, Wizz Air will become the largest low cost airline in Romania." The new base will accomodate an Airbus A320 aircraft with 180 seats on board.

So far, 20.000 passengers have been carried on the routes in our country (Targu Mures-Budapest). Following the opening of its sixth base in Baneasa, the company estimates to sell 60.000 tickets on all Romanian routes. The destinations of the new flights launched yesterday will be Barcelona, Budapest, Dortmund, London and Rome. Two new flights will operate from Targu Mures to Barcelona and Rome.

The minimum cost of a flight to any destination is 69 RON, including taxes. However, the discount is offered only if flights are booked a few months before the trip and it can amount to 150-200 RON for a round trip flight.

Since May 2004, when it was launched, "Wizz Air" has carried approximately 5.5 million passengers and expects to reach 45 destinations by the summer of 2007.

"Wizz Air" has a fleet of nine Airbus A320 aircrafts with average age of less than ten years and equipped with 180 seats. By mid 2008, the company will be delivered another four aircrafts. "Wizz Air" has also placed 32 firm orders and has preemptive rights for twelve more.

According to the most recent report of the Polish Civil Aeronautics Board, since the end of last year, "Wizz Air" has held the second place among Polish airlines, with a 15% share of the airline transportation market, increasing 4% compared to 2005. On the Hungarian low-cost market, the companny reached a 28% share, the equivalent of 12% of the total local market.