Wizz Air wants to save Etiuda

After authorities of Warsaw's airport announced they will close and demolish Etiuda ramshackle terminal early next spring, suddenly a low-cost carrier appeared as the one intending to save it.

At a conference few months ago, CEO of Wizz Air Jozsef Varadi, complained about the poor passengers service conditions at the Etiuda terminal. However, the decision about closing of low-cost Etiuda, means all low-cost carriers will be moved to Warsaw airport's terminal 1 & 2, meaning that the service fee will rise from 30 to 60 zl. But the arrivals of low-cost carriers were operated also in the regular terminals.

Anyway, the fees will have to affect the ticket prices. And Wizz Air CEO, even proclaims an end to the era of low-cost flying from Warsaw. The final line is to withdraw the operations from Warsaw. Wizz Air underscores that no alternative was given to the LCCs, when announcing Etiuda's closing. For five years nothing has been done to construct an airport in Modlin, which could serve as Warsaw's secondary airport and could prove perfect for LCCs.

On its website Wizz Air even posted a petition for the passengers, who can sign a letter to the Minister of Infrastructure.

In Mr. Varadi's opinion, by closing Etiuda Polish Airports State Enterprise (which owns Warsaw's airport) is trying to support financially troubled Polish Airlines LOT, which lost several million in its low-cost subsidiary Centralwings, which finally moved to charter flights.

Wizz Air switches airports in Barcelona

Starting from January 14, 2009 low-cost carrier Wizz Air planes flying from Katowice to Barcelona will arrive at El Prat airport, which is the city's main airport. So far Wizz Air planes have landed at Girona-Costa Brava (Gerona), which served as Barcelona's LCC airport, and is 94 km away from the city.

Wizz Air's schedule includes KTW-BCN (KTW-GRO) and BCN-KTW (GRO-KTW) flights twice a week - Wednesdays and Sundays.
Photo courtesy of Wizz Air

President's plane froze

Lech Kaczyński, the president of Poland, was not able to continue its official trip through Asia, when its plane refused to ignite in Mongolia. Apparently, the temperature dropped at night to well below -10 degrees C, and it had a significant affect on the plane's ability to operate.
Several attempts to start engines proved unsuccessful, so did defrosting procedures. The TU-154M, which was made in the Soviet Union, had to go back to hangar. While the president's aides borrowed a plane from Mongolian hosts, to carry on with the trip to Japan.