Wizz Air Chief Jozsef Varadi says it is “rationalizing” the Airbus A321XLR program following the decision by budget carriers to suspend operations in the Middle East.
The airline will be running Wizz Air Abu Dhabi Division from September 1st.
Wizz began delivering 47 A321XLRS in the first quarter, but Operation Abu Dhabi was one of the reasons to order the type.
In its first quarter briefing, Varadi said that airlines will instead focus on the European market, with streamlining the A321XLR “ensure a fleet suitable for network design.”
Varadi adds that the revision means carriers need to reduce their growth rate to a “level that supports demand” for future networks.
“This will require a change in the delivery schedule for the aircraft,” he said, adding that the airline has also retired many older A320 family jets to make it viable.
Wizz Air has 236 aircraft at the end of June, including the 157 A321neos – the first XLR, following 10 introductions during the quarter.
Varadi says the carrier is “pursuing all the paths” to restore aircraft to flight based on issues with the Pratt & Whitney GTF engine.
Although there were still no 41 services at the end of June, the trend has improved, with an average annual average of 35 years old.
Wizz Air adds that it holds more than twice the expected spare engine, usually due to shorter time intervals than expected at powerplants.
The company says the recent selection of more GTF engines for its fleet will allow it to access spare powerplants and “accelerate” the return of grounded jets to service.
Varadi said the company wants to focus on operations in “environmentally benign” regions. Carrier cited the reliability of the engine as one of the reasons for Abu Dhabi's withdrawal.
“We believe our central and Eastern European markets meet both these criteria,” he says. “That's why we developed an initiative that focuses on these markets and guides network design.”
Wizz Air's first quarter operating profit fell 38% to 27.5 million euros ($32.3 million), while revenue rose 13% to 1.43 billion euros. This is due to lower profits due to engine grounding and higher airfare fees and depreciation costs.
