Budget airline Wizz Air is set to expand its “all you can fly scheme” to thousands more members after its popularity with passengers.
József Váradi, the chief executive of the budget airline, has said that the airline plans to open up its scheme to a further 15,000 members in the coming weeks after all its passes sold out within two days when it launched in August.
However, the scheme has been met with some backlash from environmental campaigners over concerns that it could contribute to more pollution from its jets.
The Wizz Air scheme costs €599 (£496) per year and allows customers to book a maximum of 72 hours in advance as a standby deal with a flat price of €9.99 (£8.30) for each flight, plus fees for any extras like baggage.
Under the scheme, passengers can take up to three flights a day, allowing the airline to fill seats on flights that Wizz Air knows it will never completely fill.
Váradi said there has been a “huge demand” for the scheme, which would suit those who travel often, regularly commute on certain routes, or have the flexibility to book last minute for cheap options.
“We are working on an ‘all you can fly’ 2.0 and we should have some news within weeks,” Váradi said, according to The Telegraph.
“We are creating a real gain for the consumer that also benefits our business. It’s a win-win.”
However, some environmental groups have criticised the scheme. Alethea Warrington, senior campaigner at the climate charity Possible, calling the scheme “grotesque and deeply stupid”.
Anna Krajinska, UK director at Transport & Environment, told The Independent: “What an egregious example of just how little the aviation industry cares about the climate.
“Flying isn’t some buffet for people to gorge themselves on, it has serious implications for the planet. But we aren’t powerless to tackle this irresponsible corporate behaviour.
“By taxing aviation fairly, through fuel tax and increasing Air Passenger Duty, schemes like this simply wouldn’t fly and we would protect both people and planet by shifting travel to more sustainable modes like rail.”
Noting Wizz Air’s claim to have one of the lowest emission intensity rates in the European aviation industry, Váradi said that this is “just propaganda”.
“People want to travel. The real question is how do they do that with the lowest impact on the environment,” he said.
“You go to these COP meetings discussing carbon emissions and when you look around the airport you see hundreds of private jets.
“Whereas we just got recognised as having the lowest carbon footprint of any airline in Europe.”
Simon Calder, travel correspondent at The Independent said when the scheme was announced: “As long as the passenger is occupying a seat that would otherwise be empty – which is Wizz Air’s firm plan – the marginal impact is the small amount of fuel burnt to fly the extra weight of the person and their baggage.
“So it is less damaging than buying a ticket normally, which creates demand and informs airlines’ decisions about future flight planning. But the question for every traveller should be: is your journey really necessary?”
Váradi explained that while there were some initial concerns that the airline could lose out on the benefits of full-fare bookings, filling empty seats has proven useful.
“You’re going to cannibalise existing traffic because people would have paid more for tickets, but they’re also taking up empty seats which you would have flown empty,” he added, according to The Telegraph.
“We needed to understand how customers would behave and how that would affect booking profiles, but it’s profitable and we think it’s a great deal for consumers and for us.”
The Independent has contacted Wizz Air for comment.
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