Hungarian based Wizz Air plans to operate twice as many aircraft as it currently has in central and eastern Europe by 2038, allocating 35 new aircraft to Poland.
the growth is likely to be at the expense of flag carriers, or new business, rather than Ryanair’s market share.
According to data analysis firm IBA, low-cost carriers have 59pc of the aviation market in Poland, up from 31pc in 2021, of which 37pc is held by Ryanair and 22pc by Wizz, easyJet and others.
Ryanair plans to double its business in Poland and expand across eastern Europe over the next decade, competing with rival Wizz Air in the budget airline market.
Poland, with its rising disposable incomes and a demand for travel, is an attractive market for both airlines as western European markets mature.
Low-cost carriers, including Ryanair and Wizz Air, have captured a significant portion of the aviation market in Poland, which is expected to continue growing.
József Váradi said “we are looking at double-digit growth year-on-year, over the next seven or eight years”
Michael O’Leary said: “Today we have 64 aircraft in the region. We assume that in 10 years we will at least double the fleet. If today in the region here we have about 30 million passengers, we assume that there will be 60m.”
He said Ryanair aims to strengthen its presence at eastern European airports, negotiating special deals to secure lower fees and keep costs down.
Ryanair and its subsidiary Buzz primarily focus on regional airports in Poland, while Wizz Air operates mostly from Warsaw’s main airport.
