This week, just nine months after launching routes from Cardiff Airport, budget airline Wizz Air officially withdrew from the Barry base. The Hungarian-owned airline launched a dedicated operation with 40 cabin and pilot-related crew at the Welsh Government-owned airport in April 2022.
When it first launched owners spoke of their hopes of eventually introducing new routes from the Welsh base, but just three months later cancelled the majority of its services for six-months, before eventually announcing it was completely withdrawing from the airport citing "the challenging macro-economic environment and high operational costs".
This is undoubtedly a huge blow for the airport, already struggling with falling passenger numbers and recovering from the covid pandemic which stifled overseas travel. The airport is struggling so much that earlier this year it's own CEO admitted it was a "long way" from being profitable.
