Wizz Air passenger numbers rise but load factors dip
reported a 3.9% year-on-year increase in passenger numbers for September on Wednesday, carrying 5.76 million passengers during the month.
The FTSE 250 low-cost carrier said that despite engine-related groundings of its more efficient Airbus A321neo fleet due to issues with Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, it managed to increase seat capacity by 4.8%, though load factors dipped slightly to 91.7%, down from 92.4% in September last year.
For the second quarter, Wizz Air saw seat capacity rise by 1.2% year-on-year to 19.11 million, while passenger numbers grew by 1.1% to 17.90 million.
The company also highlighted its ongoing expansion, as it announced new routes in the month for its Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which would operate daily services between London Gatwick and Jeddah, and Milan Malpensa and Abu Dhabi, starting next summer.
However, the airline recorded an increase in carbon emissions per passenger kilometre.
Emissions per revenue passenger kilometre rose 2.5% year-on-year to 52.3 grams, a result of the less efficient fleet mix following the grounding of newer aircraft.
At 0803 BST, shares in Wizz Air Holdings were down 1,24% at 1,350.02p.
Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.
Disclaimer & Declaration of Interest
The information, investment views and recommendations in this article are provided for general information purposes only. Nothing in this article should be construed as a solicitation to buy or sell any financial product relating to any companies under discussion or to engage in or refrain from doing so or engaging in any other transaction. Any opinions or comments are made to the best of the knowledge and belief of the writer but no responsibility is accepted for actions based on such opinions or comments. Vox Markets may receive payment from companies mentioned for enhanced profiling or publication presence. The writer may or may not hold investments in the companies under discussion.