Wizz Air will be offering new flights from Cardiff airport from this winter, including a resumption of services to Italy. The announcement from Cardiff Airport comes just weeks after Wizz Air announced the cancellation the majority of its flights from the Welsh capital.
The new flights will take passengers from Wales to Bucharest and Milan - resuming the airport's service to Italy which last operated in 2019. The flights to Bucharest will be the first ever direct air link between Wales and Romania.
The new routes will start from October 30 2022. Tickets are now on sale starting from £20.99 for a one-way ticket.
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Marc Watkins, aviation development manager at Cardiff Airport, said: "It's very exciting to add a new country to our network map that has never been flown from Cardiff before, following Wizz Air's decision to launch flights to Romania. Undoubtedly there will be plenty of people using the route to visit family and friends, but Romania is also an undiscovered ski gem."
Poiana Braşov is the most popular Romanian ski resort and is only a two-hour drive from Bucharest - a city also known for its architecture and rich history, as well as the popular Dracula Castle. Milan needs no introduction as a holiday destination, drawing tourists from all over the world with its fashion, history, food and the historic San Siro football stadium.
The new flights will leave for Bucharest on Tuesdays at 5pm and Saturdays at 5.50pm, and return flights will leave Bucharest on Tuesdays at 4.40pm and Saturdays at 3.30pm. Flights to Milan will leave on Wednesdays and Sundays at 7pm and will return from Milan on Wednesdays and Sundays at 5.15pm.
The announcement will likely get a sceptical response from many holidaymakers who saw their flights cancelled after the ultra-budget airline's August announcement. Wizz Air was also placed under investigation by the Hungarian government just days after announcing the cancellations.
The Hungarian ministry of justice is looking into reports that the airline failed to provide information and help to customers affected by delayed and cancelled flights, and that it failed to provide accommodation and replacement flights. The Hungarian government had already clashed with Ryanair over a windfall tax on airline profits.
Passengers in Cardiff were left waiting at the airport for hours in early August waiting for their flight to Corfu to take off - before being told it was cancelled. Some passengers reported the plane was effectively turned "off and on again."
The announcement also sits against a backdrop of Cardiff Airport, which is owned by the Welsh Government and operated by an arm's length company, claiming it is performing better than expected post-pandemic. However, its recovery has been significantly behind that of other UK airports.
Cardiff Airport carried just over 122,000 passengers in July 2022, a figure 55% of the 2019 pre-pandemic total. In comparison, Heathrow, Gatwick and Manchester - the UK's three biggest airports - saw numbers closer to 82%.
Marco Zeraschi, owner of the famous Marco's Cafe on Barry Island made popular by Gavin & Stacey, is a prominent member of the Welsh Italian community. He said: "Flights to Italy from your doorstep. Many of my family and friends have missed this destination from Wales and flying from Cardiff Airport is a dream."
Madalina Ciinaru, head of the Bucharest Office of the British-Romanian Chamber of Commerce, said: "I’m glad Wizz Air continues to remain loyal to its promise to offer low fares and diverse travel options in Europe, especially adding Cardiff to its offerings, thus providing an alternative route and encouraging trade between the two countries. We strongly encourage our members to travel to their home country or to visit friends or families in Cardiff and utilise the new Wizz Air service."
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