Wizz Air has called the European Commission and all other stakeholders to put an end to the new waiver from the 80-20 use-it-or-lose-it law for airport slots.

An extension of the waiver would be unfair and non-competitive and not help the EU aviation sector recover.

Wizz Air is eager to expand, which would prohibit the carrier from doing so by airlines with lower business models by applying the 80-20 use-it-or-lose-it rule to airport slots during aviation winter.

This would also have a negative effect on the city’s economy, given that airports would suffer from a declining passenger number, from self-employment to local supply chains, the airline argued. This would have an adverse effect.

The economic recovery of the EU would also be affected, by reducing air connectivity and the already hit economies would pay high costs.

Wizz Air believes it is not really in the interest of airlines like Wizz Air, airports or European Union economic recovery to allow such airlines to block slots without operating them.

Wizz Air has remained and has become a growth oriented airline, with 77 per cent of its capacity year-on-year, unlike many other firms, it has earned no State subsidies.

In order to be able to expand and provide great and much anticipated services to its passengers, it is interested in pursuing new market opportunities including in some of the slot constrained airports in Europe which are currently unavailable due to unoperated slots held by incumbent carriers without operations.

“I call on the European Commission to end the regulation of 80-20 slot waiver for all airlines in Europe by October 25, and to help the recovery of the aviation sector and the related industry by genuine conditions on the market, said József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air Group.

“The latest plan to extend this waiver through March 2021 is against free competition and benefits traditional airlines with poor business models while airlines such as Wizz Air are able to take advantage of new market opportunities and give their passengers even cheaper fare.”