Wizz Air closes Vienna base: Airport horrified by deduction!

Wizz Air closes Vienna base: Airport horrified by deduction!

Wizz Air, the Hungarian cheap airline, is planning to close its base at the Vienna-Schwechat Airport. The withdrawal takes place in two phases and will have a significant impact on the airline's travel connections and their passengers. The reason for the closure are the increased airport fees, taxes and the costs for soil clearance that the Ultra-Low-Cost business model no longer viable, as Exxpress.at. The decision was described by Mauro Peneda, the managing director of Wizz Air Malta, as difficult, but necessary for long -term competitiveness.

On October 26, 2025, two of five Airbus A321neo and the connections to Bilbao and London-Gatwick will be discontinued. The remaining three jets and the 26 routes associated with it follow on March 15, 2026. In total, the airline currently runs routes in 20 countries with a capacity of 27,000 passengers per week. After closing, Austrian passengers will continue to be operated via the bases in Bratislava and Budapest. Vienna Airport regrets the decision and determines that the airport fees are the same for all airlines, while at the same time planning a reduction in fees by up to 5 % from January 1, 2026, such as [aviation.direct] (https://aviation.direct/rueckzug-aus-wizz-Air-power-based die die).

Reactions and support for those affected

Wizz Air has announced that you inform the affected passengers directly and to offer you the choice between reimbursements in money or "Wizz credits" (120 % of the ticket price) and rebookings to alternative Wizz-Air flights. In addition, the airline will offer support for the 254 employees at the Vienna location, including transfers and alternative positions within the company.

The closure of the base could increase ticket prices on certain routes and create opportunities for other airlines to fill these empty spaces. The withdrawal of Wizz Air reflects the challenges in the air traffic market that are due to costs and profitability. This development may also influence the entire industry, as is found in the new analysis of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in the "Monitor Air Transport and Low-Cost". This report offers a comprehensive consideration of the low-cost market and examines the effects on the airports and passenger demand, which contextualizes current changes in the air traffic market, such as dlr.de.

Wizz Air opened its base in Vienna in 2018 and has since contributed a lot to the region's flight offer. However, the planned closure marks a turning point that could have significant consequences for both the airline and passengers.