Interview: Wizz Air CEO on Why Smiles Are the Only Perk Low-Cost Carriers Can Afford
Photo Credit: A Smiling Flight Attendant on a Wizz Air aircraft. The smile was free, but those bags were probably extra. Wizz Air
Skift Take
Vararadi seems to follow Baldanza’s example for Ultra-Low Cost Carrier success with Spirit to the letter, creating new flyers with little more than low fares and a smile.
Speaking at the World Low Cost Airlines Congress in London, Wizz Air, CEO Joszef Varadi, explained why in the long-run, for the short-haul market, maintaining low costs and low fares is key to the survival of an airline.
“Cost is critical,” Varadi said. “This is a business which is becoming a commodity. Short-haul flying is a commodity. This is like the Wall-Marts, the Aldis in the UK. That's my background, the business I came from. If that's the case the business must remain focused on costs because otherwise you will have a problem sooner or later.”
A Smile Does Not Cost Money
Varadi believes Wizz Air’s ultra low-cost model should be flyer friendly, but it mustn’t be wasteful.
“We have always said that a smile does not cost money, and we have always approached the customer experience side of the business in a positive way. We don't have to make the corrections that Ryanair has recently been making,” Varadi said. “We remain focused on the customer experi
