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LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) - Wizz Air could cut
capacity by 10% from next month due to the drop in demand caused
by the coronavirus epidemic, it said on Wednesday, extending
measures that have already seen the low-cost carrier axe
two-thirds of flights to Italy.
"Subject to further impact on demand from COVID-19 (the
virus), we are considering further adjusting network capacity in
the magnitude of 10% in the first quarter of financial year
2021," it said.
The Central and Eastern Europe-focused airline said it was
difficult to predict the extent and duration of the outbreak and
its impact on its new financial year, which begins next month.
Chief Executive Jozsef Varadi said: "Our ever-disciplined
attitude to cost enables Wizz Air to partly offset some of the
headwinds due to the COVID-19 outbreak, which have driven a
temporary decline in demand and an increase in the cost of
disruption as we put the well-being of passengers and crew
first."
Airlines have been suspending flights and modifying services
in response to the virus outbreak.
Cancellations were initially focused on mainland China - the
source of the outbreak - but have since been extended to other
regions that have seen clusters of cases, including Italy.
Wizz Air's rivals easyJet and Ryanair have
also cancelled flights into and out of Italy.
Shares in the London-listed carrier, which have fallen 23%
in the last two weeks, were flat in early deals.
(Reporting by Paul Sandle; Editing by Jan Harvey and Mark
Potter)
easyJet (EZJ)
