Wizz Air reports deepening quarterly losses despite cutting engine inspection aircraft groundings 

The proportion of Wizz Air aircraft groundings due to engine inspection issues has reduced in the past 12 months.

The budget carrier had 33 aircraft on the ground by the end of 2025 against 40 at the end of December 2024.

The airline has suffered from Pratt & Whitney GTF engine-related disruption for the past two years. 

The carrier’s operating loss increased by €48 million year on year to €123.9 million in the traditional loss-making seasonal winter quarter to December 31 despite passenger carryings growing by 12.5% to 17.5 million.    

Plans by the central and eastern European airline to re-enter Ukraine “remain constantly updated”. 

“Our aircraft will be able to fly there within weeks of a ceasefire, security clearance and airspace opening,” Wizz Air disclosed.

Chief executive Jozsef Varadi said: “We are steadily recovering from the engine-related aircraft grounding and in the next fiscal year we are targeting to have an average of 20-25 aircraft on the ground due to powered metal issues.”

He added: “We continue to execute the commercial strategy we outlined earlier this fiscal year, focusing on fortifying our key bases and concentrating our efforts on network design across central and eastern Europe, Italy and London. 

“Our operations have delivered strong reliability and punctuality, continuing the trend from the summer. 

“Commercially, we continued to invest into all our existing markets, putting on sale new flights and announcing further aircraft allocations for next summer. 

“During the period our fleet size surpassed 250 aircraft, we continue to increase the share of Neo aircraft (nearly 75%) in our fleet, as well as seat density (now, an average of 230 seats per aircraft).” 

On current trading and the outlook, Varadi said: “The ASK [available seat kilometres] capacity for full F’26 is expected to grow around 10% over the previous year. 

“Based on a forward booking curve the bookings are currently ahead of last year. The expectation is that load factor for F’26 finishes north of 91%, similar as last year. 

“We see similar unit revenue trends we have seen at the start of last quarter (Q3) and we are forecasting flat year on year unit revenue for F’26. 

“Total unit costs for full F’26 may see modest inflation verses last year as we forecast increased navigation costs from higher Eurocontrol rates, maintenance costs due to inflationary pressures, partly reflecting the uncertainty around Pratt & Whitney’s engine redeliveries from shop visits and higher depreciation costs related to the retirement schedule of the A320ceo family.”