Wizz Air expects new fleet to herald huge drop in air fares to Middle East

UK boss of the low-cost airline claims its new Airbus plane will revolutionise ticket prices and open up new routes to the Gulf

Flight prices between the UK and the Middle East could be slashed to a quarter of current levels once Wizz Air receives its new aircraft, the airline says. PA

The UK boss of Wizz Air claims fares for flights between Britain and the Middle East could drop to a quarter of their current levels once the low-cost airline takes delivery of its new Airbus plane.

Wizz Air, based in Hungary, has ordered 47 of the A321XLR planes from Airbus. The models have enhanced fuel capacity, with a maximum flying time of 11 hours, and burn up to 30 per cent less fuel per seat than previous-generation aircraft.

Marion Geoffroy, UK managing director of Wizz Air, said the planes will "revolutionise" air travel in terms of ticket prices.

The new A321XLRs are expected to arrive in February and will enable Wizz Air to pursue new routes from the UK to the Middle East, adding to those it already has between continental Europe and Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Kuwait.

"We will be looking at connecting the UK with the GCC [Gulf Co-operation Council] region, the Middle East, where we have a strong brand already and where we do have a sister airline, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi," Ms Geoffroy said.

"This is a very important region for us. From the UK that would definitely be a potential network that we would explore, because it makes a lot of sense to be connecting places where we do have a brand, we do have a presence, we do have customers."

An Airbus A321XLR takes off in Hamburg. The single-aisle, narrow-body plane is equipped with fuel-efficient engines that allow for an extended range of up to 7,560km. AFP

'Huge reduction'

She added that by using the new planes, Wizz Air would be able to offer "a huge reduction" on fares on some routes between the UK and the Gulf.

"We would be offering a completely different product [from other airlines], a point-to-point product from the UK to the Middle East."

"If you take, for example, Luton to Amman, when we entered the market we were three or four times cheaper compared to the incumbent carriers.

"So that would probably be the scale."

Wizz Air already has flights connecting the UK to some Middle East destinations, such as Tel Aviv and Amman.

Airbus says the A321XLR enables airlines to connect distant destinations – such as New York to Rome, London to Vancouver, Delhi to London, and Sydney to Kuala Lumpur – can carry 244 passengers and has a range of 7,560km.

So far, more than 500 Airbus A321XLRs have been sold and the plane maker is expected to announce more orders at this week's Farnborough International Air Show in southern England.