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Central Europe
November 17, 2017 www.intellinews.com I Page 14
In contrast to previous years, when the Independ- ence March clashed with counter-demonstrations from leftist groups, police sealed off the streets where the opposing marches took place in order to avert confrontation.
The anti-fascist march under the slogan of “For your freedom and ours” gathered a few thousand
Wizz Air seals $17bn deal with Airbus to expand fleet
IntelliNews Pro
Budapest-headquartered budget airline Wizz Air announced on November 15 that it had agreed
a $17bn order to add 146 new Airbus aircraft to its existing fleet of 87 in order to launch a major expansion outside Europe.
Central Europe's leading low-cost carrier said
it had signed a memorandum of understanding with Airbus for the purchase of 146 Airbus A320n- eo aircraft at the Dubai air show, with deliveries to start in 2022, with the bulk of the order expected in 2025 and 2026. The value of the transaction is roughly 14% of Hungary’s GDP last year. Wizz Air, however, is expected to get discounts from the $17bn price tag.
Airbus said it sealed the biggest commercial plane transactions in its history at Dubai, securing orders for single-aisle aircraft valued at $93bn, it was announced on Wednesday.
With the new announcement, Wizz Air’s total outstanding orders with the European aerospace company rises to 282. The deal is subject to ap- proval by Wizz Air shareholders and follows an order for 110 Airbus A321neo aircraft in 2015.
people in what was also arguably the biggest such event in recent years.
The Independence Marches, however, are yet to translate into political power for far-right in Po- land. The National Movement hardly exceeds 1-2% in the polls, while pollsters typically do not ask about support for the National-Radical Camp.
At present Wizz Air operates one of the youngest fleets of any major European airline. The average age of the 64 A320s and 23 A321 aircraft is just 4.5 years.
“We are convinced that the Airbus A320neo and A321neo will be game-changer aircraft for Wizz Air, as we continue to grow at an industry-leading rate and expand our market reach across and beyond Europe,” CEO Jozsef Varadi said.
Wizz Air has applied for operating licenses in the UK as it prepares for contingency plans should there be no agreement between the EU and the UK over flying rights after Brexit. In October it an- nounced the establishment of its UK subsidiary at London Luton, where it will add 100 jobs in man- agement, pilots and cabin crew roles. Wizz Air operates 79 routes from nine airports in the UK, covering 41 destinations.
According to Polish press reports, Wizz Air is considering launching intercontinental flights between London and the US.