(Adds CEO comments, detail, background)
LONDON, May 29 (Reuters) - Hungary's Wizz Air is
adding new flights between Britain and Spain and opening a base
in Italy as it sees opportunities arising from the coronavirus
crisis which is forcing competitors to contract.
Wizz's expansion comes as rival airlines announce job cuts
and shrink their fleets to survive the pandemic, which for the
last ten weeks has shut down air travel, leaving them struggling
without revenues.
But Wizz has a strong balance sheet and while it has cut 19%
of its staff, it is sticking with plans to grow its fleet and
was one of the first airlines to restart flights.
"We are one of the very few airlines in Europe which can
deliver growth capacity when everyone else is cutting and
contracting capacity," Wizz Chief Executive Jozsef Varadi said
in an interview.
Wizz, Europe's no.3 budget carrier, said on Friday it was
opening a new base at Milan Malpensa after announcing on
Thursday new routes between London Luton and Spanish holiday
resorts, taking the fight directly to Luton-headquartered
easyJet.
EasyJet, the continent's second biggest budget carrier after
leader Ryanair, has a strong position flying British
holidaymakers to Spain. It said on Thursday it would cut its
aircraft numbers and axe 30% of its staff.
Varadi said Wizz would retain its primarily eastern and
central European focus, but that it would be opportunistic in
western Europe.
"Many airports are approaching us," Varadi said.
He said Wizz was continuing talks with London Gatwick about
expanding there, and that it believed its low ticket prices
meant it could stimulate demand despite forecasts that the
travel slump will last years.
Wizz, whose Abu Dhabi-based joint venture is due to start
flying later this year, is also opening new bases at Larnaca in
Cyprus, Lviv in Ukraine and Tirana in Albania.
(Reporting by Sarah Young; Additonal reporting by Marton Dunai
in Budapest; Editing by James Davey and Jan Harvey)
easyJet (EZJ)