Gdansk Rebiechowo Airport

Second tier LCCs playing major role in reshaping European aviation (Part 2)

This second in a special two-part CAPA report looks beyond the headline-grabbing "big three" European LCCs to provide updates on more than 20 secondary low-cost operators. Part II reviews the progress at Monarch, NIKI, Pegasus Airlines, SkyExress, Smart Wings, Sun Express, Sverigeflyg, Thomson Airways, Transavia.com, TUIfly, Wind Jet and Wizz Air, following on from Part I which reviewed Air Southwest, Anadolujet, Atlastjet Airlines, Belle Air, Blue Express, Blue Air, bmibaby, CLICK4SKY, Flybe, Germanwings, Iceland Express and Jet2.com.

Iceland - discount competition for the original transatlantic discounter

The LCC Iceland Express launched four times weekly Keflavík-New York Newark service on 01-Jun-2010, with the carrier reporting that bookings on the route have been "very good". Owned by the Icelandic investment company Fengur, a sister company of Fons Eignarhaldsfelag, which took over the original owner, Northern Travel Holding, Iceland Express appears to have escaped the meltdown of the Icelandic financial services sector.

Wizz Air's fleet expansion plans lift off

Wizz Air is going against the industry trend of capacity cuts and network and fleet contractions as it continues its rapid expansion recently, signing a Memorandum of Understanding for 50 A320s valued at USD3.8 billion at the Paris Air Show this month. The LCC’s most recent aircraft order takes its total order for the aircraft to 132 and well on its way to realising its target of doubling its fleet to 42 aircraft by 2011 and 82 aircraft by 2014.

Wizz Air expands its Prague services

Wizz Air is set to increase its line up of services departing from Prague International Airport, adding routes to Liverpool and Oslo Torp, while also increasing the frequencies of its remaining services from Prague.

Ryanair in talks to purchase up to 400 aircraft to secure mid-term growth – “no loyalty to Boeing”

Aircraft prices are under pressure as both Airbus and Boeing reported “negative orders” in Jan-09, as airlines cancelled more orders than they placed. This could create the conditions for another massive counter-cyclical order by Ryanair.

Airport investment in Poland to take off

By comparison with its neighbours, it is perhaps surprising that airport privatisation has not really yet gained ground in Poland.

The Polish Airports State Enterprise (PPL) operates Warsaw Frederic Chopin Airport, Rzeszow - Jasionka Airport and Zielona Gora - Babimost Airport. In addition, it owns shares in commercial law companies, such as the airports in Bydgoszcz, Gdansk, Katowice, Krakow, Poznan, Szczecin, Szczytno-Szymany and Wroclaw.