Travel restrictions across Europe may force low-cost carrier Wizz Air to ground part of its fleet this winter.
The airline said in an operational update on Tuesday that the move may happen “in light of renewed travel restrictions imposed across Europe and in Hungary in particular, in a bid to cope with the resurgence of Covid-19 infection cases”.
It expects capacity for the second quarter of the financial year to be roughly 60%.
“If, however, mobility restrictions across the network persist, capacity is likely to remain at around 60% in the third quarter of the financial year, as opposed to 80% as previously anticipated,” it said.
“Further capacity reductions remain a possibility and as a result, Wizz Air may park parts of its fleet throughout the winter season to protect its cash balance.”
The update concluded: “Wizz Air’s ultra-low cost business model is a significant competitive advantage in the current uncertain environment for airlines, and while the situation remains challenging, the Company is confident that it will emerge as a structural winner from the Covid-19 crisis.”