Budapest-based budget carrier Wizz Air has reduced its projected passenger recovery estimate by 25 per cent in light of a resurgence of COVID-19 throughout Europe and the re-imposition of travel restrictions and quarantine requirements.
The low-cost carrier had previously revealed its ambitious intentions to have 80 per cent of its fleet back in the air by the end of the European summer.
In a notice on the London Stock Exchange, Wizz Air has now revised its predicted flying capacity for the second quarter of the 2020-21 financial year – running from July to September 2020 – to 60 per cent of pre-COVID levels, a 25 per cent reduction on its previous prediction.
Further, the airline stated it will likely carry on through the third quarter of the financial year again at 60 per cent of its pre-COVID capacity.
The news comes as the UK revealed the latest editions to its ‘quarantine list’, which will restrict access into the UK from these countries, and require a 14-day self-quarantine period for all individuals entering from these countries.
The latest countries to be added to the quarantine list include Switzerland, Czech Republic and Jamaica.
Portugal is now expected to be added to the list also, as its recorded COVID-19 numbers exceed the UK’s threshold. Portugal spent just two weeks on the UK’s ‘safe’ list.