Wizz Air has pushed back the launch of its new base at Cardiff airport until next summer.
The low-cost carrier announced plans for the base in December 2020, with nine routes to destinations including Alicante, Faro, Larnaca and Tenerife having been set to launch in March this year.
Lockdown restrictions initially forced the launch to be postponed until May, and Wizz Air has now confirmed that the new base will not launch until summer 2022.
In a statement the carrier said:
“As a result of the ongoing Covid-19 related travel restrictions, and ever changing quarantine measures in place across the UK and Europe, it is with regret that we have had to take the difficult but responsible decision to further postpone the opening of our new Cardiff base until summer 2022 to give our customers, employees and business partners certainty during this difficult time.
“This has not been an easy decision and we understand the disappointment our customers in South Wales will be feeling.
“Despite the ever changing and inconsistent government travel regulations, with three new bases and over 60 new routes in the UK announced in the past year alone, together with the arrival of four brand new A321 neo aircraft, Wizz Air remains committed to long-term growth in the UK, creating hundreds of direct new jobs while also stimulating the tourism and hospitality industries.
“We apologise for the inconvenience this further delay might have caused to our customers. We remain dedicated and look forward to opening our fourth UK base at Cardiff Airport and to welcoming passengers onboard our young and green aircraft fleet next summer.”
In June Wizz Air had announced plans for its first domestic UK flights, with services to Jersey from both Cardiff and Doncaster.
But just a month later the carrier suspended both routes before they had even started.
