Wizz Air (W6, Budapest) is in talks with airports across Europe to take over slots from airlines at risk of bankruptcy, chief corporate officer Owain Jones told Reuters as the low-cost carrier seeks opportunities to expand amid mounting financial pressure on the sector.
"We are always negotiating deals with airports. That's part of our business," Jones said on the sidelines of the World Aviation Festival in Lisbon on October 13, 2026. Responding to comments made by Ryanair Holdings CEO Michael O'Leary, he added: "He likes to think they're the only ones doing that."
O'Leary told Reuters in September that Ryanair was already in talks with airports, concerned that capacity could be cut if more airlines went bankrupt. He predicted that higher jet fuel prices would accelerate failures among loss-making carriers and drive further consolidation in Europe. He also forecasted that rival airlines would raise fares by 10% to 20% in summer 2027 as they pass on higher fuel costs, but promised that Ryanair would not introduce a fuel surcharge.
The competition for slots and market share is particularly pronounced in Central and Eastern Europe. Ryanair has launched new routes to the Baltic countries and plans to double its passenger numbers in the region over the next five years, following airBaltic's filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in September.
Jones reiterated that Central and Eastern Europe remains Wizz Air's core market, but said the airline was also pursuing opportunities in other profitable European markets. Wizz has scaled back its Middle Eastern operations to concentrate on its core markets and is looking to expand further in Italy and establish new bases in Spain.
