Budget airline Wizz Air on Wednesday announced the arrival of its first Airbus A321XLR (Extra Long Range) aircraft, which will be joining its UK fleet at London Gatwick on March 31, 2025.
The Airbus A321XLR will offer an extended reach, allowing the airline to connect to distant destinations, beginning with the launch of a direct route from London Gatwick to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
The new direct route to Jeddah is set to revolutionise the travel experience for passengers flying from the UK, enabling them to access remote locations at much lower fares.
Tickets for the Gatwick-Jeddah route are already on sale on the airline’s website and app, starting from just £134.99. The new service will last nearly seven hours.
The company said that it plans to leverage the new aircraft’s extended range and efficiency to operate more long-haul routes.
Besides the new Gatwick-Jeddah connection, Wizz Air will also base another A321XLR in Italy, where it will launch a daily flight between Milan Malpensa and Abu Dhabi starting June 2, 2025.
The Airbus A321XLR is expected to have a carbon intensity at least 30 per cent lower than other airlines operating on the same routes.
“The Airbus A321XLR is the most cost-efficient aircraft in its class. Its enhanced range capability allows Wizz Air to connect the farthest destinations in its network, while also providing opportunities for further expansion, connecting more cultures, economies and continents,” Wizz Air Chief Executive Officer (CEO) József Váradi said.
“We are excited to offer unbeatable fares to our customers on the new route from London Gatwick to Jeddah,” he added.
Váradi also noted that since opening their base at London Gatwick in 2020, the airline has seen “ambitious growth”, making it a natural choice to operate their first Airbus A321XLR from this airport.
Since establishing its second UK base at Gatwick in October 2020, Wizz Air has rapidly expanded its operations there, now boasting five Airbus A321neo aircraft, operating flights to 26 destinations in 17 countries, and employing 259 staff.
According to the announcement, the close collaboration with the London Gatwick team has played a crucial role in this success, with Wizz Air recently celebrating the milestone of welcoming seven million passengers through the airport.
In addition to its expanding routes and aircraft fleet, Wizz Air mentioned that it has made significant investments in its operations and customer services.
As a result of this investment, the airline’s flight completion rate so far in 2024 sits at 99.5 per cent in the UK, with 100 per cent completion in February and May.
Additionally, the on-time performance for UK flights has improved by 11 per cent, and flight cancellations have decreased by 28 per cent.
London Gatwick’s CEO, Stewart Wingate said that “We’re delighted that Wizz Air has decided to operate its first A321XLR based in the UK from London Gatwick.”
“Wizz Air has grown consistently since opening its base here in 2020. This new type of aircraft will allow us to provide a wider range of routes and increase our capacity, offering our passengers even more travel opportunities”, he added.
Wingate added that the development would be essential for the further growth of Gatwick’s intercontinental network, supporting the airport’s goal to “offer more choice for passengers” and work towards its vision to be the airport “for everyone, whatever your journey.”
