Wizz Air is a low-cost airline with its main headquarters in Budapest, Hungary and its major flight hub at Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport. It was founded in 2003 and made its first flight from Katowice, Poland to London-Luton in May 2004 – taking advantage of the recent joining of Hungary and Poland to the EU. Wizz Air flies to many secondary and regional airports in an effort to provide the lowest cost service in Central and Eastern Europe.
A few million people per year travel on Wizz Air, which offers 150 routes to and from 12 airports. In 2019, just 72% of its flights were on time – so it’s relatively common to see Wizz Air delay compensation claims. If you’ve experienced a flight delay or cancellation while travelling with this airline, here’s what you need to know to claim compensation from Wizz Air.
The first step is to determine if you are eligible to claim Wizz Air compensation. Here are the basic requirements:
If you fulfill the above criteria, the next step is to determine the reason for your flight’s delay or cancellation. That’s because if it was due to circumstances outside the airline’s control, you may not be eligible for Wizz Air compensation. These are called “extraordinary circumstances” and include:
The airline is not responsible for delays or cancellations due to these reasons. However, if one of the following is the reason, you may be entitled to Wizz Air flight compensation:
These are not considered extraordinary circumstances, and EU 261 holds airlines accountable for these types of delays and cancellations. Keep in mind that airlines wont always admit the correct reason for the delay, so even if you think it falls under extraordinary circumstances, it’s worth getting a second opinion. For example, an airline may claim that the mechanical error was not under its control, but this is only true if the airline can prove that the error was a result of a manufacturing flaw. You may still be entitled to Wizz Air delay compensation, even if the airline claims you are not.
Now it’s time to determine the amount of compensation you may be entitled to. For Wizz Air delay compensation, you’ll need to determine if you arrived at your destination at least 3 hours later than originally planned. If your flight leaves your origin airport 3 hours late or more, but still arrives at your destination less than 3 hours late – by making up time in the air, for example – you may not be eligible.
Filing a Wizz Air flight delay compensation claim is based on arrival time, and it gets even more specific than that. Your flight is determined to have “arrived” at the time when it opens at least one of its doors. So if you’re sitting on the tarmac, keep an eye on your watch and cross your fingers. You may still technically arrive more than 3 hours late!
Officially arrived 3 hours late or more? Your Wizz Air delay compensation depends on the length of your flight and the length of your delay:
| Delay Length | Flight Length | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 3 hours or more | Less than 1,500km | € 250 |
| 3 hours or more | Between 1,500km and 3,500km | € 400 |
| 3-4 hours | More than 3,500km, between an EU and non-EU airport | € 300 |
| 4 hours or more | More than 3,500km, between an EU and non-EU airport | € 600 |
If it all sounds complicated, don’t worry. Flight Refund is here to help you with all your eligibility questions. Start the process to make a delayed flight claim and we’ll be in touch.
It’s more straightforward to determine your eligibility for cancelled flights: if your flight was cancelled with less than 14 days notice, you’re most likely entitled to Wizz Air cancelled flight compensation, as long as it wasn’t due to one of the extraordinary circumstances listed above.
As with delayed flight compensation, the amount you could receive depends on the length of your flight:
| Flight Length | Amount Owed |
|---|---|
| More than 3,500km | € 600 |
| 1,500km–3,500km | € 400 |
| Less than 1,500km | € 250 |
Of course, you’re only entitled to claim compensation from Wizz Air if the airline cancelled your flight. If you miss your flight or change your plans, you won’t be covered.
Another important note about cancelled flights is that you will always be entitled to a Wizz Air cancelled flight refund. Regardless of the reason for the cancellation, you can request a refund for the amount of your ticket as part of your flight passenger rights in the EU. The Wizz Air cancelled flight compensation that is provided by EU 261 is in addition to your ticket refund.
Make a cancelled flight claim with TravelRefund today, and we’ll help you figure out what you’re entitled to.
Have you ever had a valid ticket for your flight, only to be told there isn’t enough space for you? Unfortunately this is a common tactic, especially as today’s airlines look to maximize their profits as much as possible. If you were bumped off a Wizz Air flight due to overbooking, this reason likely does not fall under extraordinary circumstances – overbooked flights are nearly always the fault of the airline.
Why do airlines purposefully sell more tickets than there are seats on the plane? They generally assume that not all passengers will show up – and when they don’t, they will have passengers available to fill those empty seats, so the flight profitability is maximized. Sometimes this strategy backfires and the result is an overbooked flight. If you’re the one getting bumped, you can claim Wizz Air compensation.
Keep in mind that there are legitimate reasons Wizz Air can deny you boarding, even if the flight isn’t overbooked. If the flight staff thinks you are sick, inebriated or don’t have the right documents to enter your destination, they may not let you on the flight. If you’re denied boarding for one of these reasons, you may not be entitled to Wizz Air compensation.
Do you know the other passenger rights that are provided by EU 261? It isn’t all about getting your compensation. The act also provides passenger rights for the time you have to spend waiting for the next flight or waiting to be routed back to your origin point. While you wait, you’re entitled to:
If your flight was cancelled, you don’t have to wait around for the next flight. If it doesn’t work for you, you can take the Wizz Air cancelled flight refund and then file for compensation as well. If your flight was delayed, Wizz Air can insist that you take the next flight out, as long as your delay is no longer than 5 hours. If you are delayed more than 5 hours, you can refuse the next available flight. Then you are entitled to:
EU 261 goes beyond providing Wizz Air flight compensation – it’s a comprehensive law that was designed to protect all air passenger rights and relieve some of the stress and cost of delayed and cancelled flights for customers. You’re smart to take advantage of all the benefits the law provides.
You don’t need much to make a Wizz Air compensation claim, but you should always save:
In addition, if you are already at the airport when your flight is delayed or cancelled, always get the reason in writing from the airline. Even reasons that seem to fall under extraordinary circumstances may be open to interpretation in the courts. For example, there may be high winds at your destination airport, but not high enough to prevent landing – and the real reason for your flight delay is a mechanical failure. These are the situations that TravelRefund will get to the bottom of.
It’s easy to claim compensation from Wizz Air using TravelRefund. We’ll review all your information and let you know if we think you have a case. Then we’ll get in touch with the airline and continue all communication on your behalf. This is the tough part – airlines often slow down the process or come back with false excuses about why the delay or cancellation wasn’t within their control. There might be multiple appeals as the airline hopes you will forget about your Wizz Air compensation claim.
Having a partner like TravelRefund who won’t give up on your claim makes it much easier. We’ll fight for you throughout the process and even take your claim to court if needed. Under our no cure, no pay system, you only pay if we win.
Still have questions? We can answer all your questions about Wizz Air compensation claims. Contact us today.