Wizz Air cuts most flights from city airport

A budget airline will stop flying to nine destinations from Cardiff Airport this winter due to the routes not being "commercially viable".

Wizz Air will stop flying to Alicante, Corfu, Heraklion, Faro, Larnaca, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Sharm el-Sheikh and Tenerife from 19 September.

The move will mean its base at the airport will be closed for the winter months, with all staff offered redeployment to other parts of the UK.

Managing director Marion Geoffrey said it would "not be commercially viable" to continue to routes this winter.

She said while the routes had proven popular during the summer, the "challenging macro-economic environment" left them with "no option but to pause these routes until next spring".

It will, however, continue to offer its winter flights to Milan, Italy and Bucharest in Romania from Cardiff.

Wizz Air said it intends to increase operations from Cardiff next spring.

As for those booked on to winter flights, they will be offered a full refund or flights from another airport.

The company announced its new base at Cardiff Airport in December 2020 - a move that created 40 new jobs.

At the time, it had plans to increase the annual capacity of Cardiff Airport by more than 350,000 seats.

However it reported growing losses of £381 million in the first quarter of this year, which it said was down to the effect of fuel costs and recent airport disruption.

It said rising demand and ticket prices should ensure a "material operating profit" in the second quarter.

Cardiff Airport has been owned by the Welsh government since March 2013.

Minister for Climate Change Julie James, said while it was "unfortunate timing" the aiport board remained positive about its recovery from the pandemic and there was still "significant demand for travel".

"My officials will continue to maintain a close and open dialogue with the airport board and despite this announcement I remain positive for the airport's recovery and eventual growth," she said. 

Welsh Conservative spokeswoman for transport Natasha Asghar said: "This is incredibly disappointing news for Cardiff Airport, which has already seen falling passenger numbers and continues to make a loss.

"Wales needs an airport that will attract airlines in order to boost the economy and show Wales off to the world.

"Labour ministers need to monitor the situation and provide urgent clarity as to when the services will resume and what alternative routes are being planned from other airlines".