ATW 2020 WIZZ AIR Airline of the Year

摘要

It's a rare airline CEO who can declare 2020 is his company's moment. Wizz Air co-founder and CEO Jozsef Varadi is probably unique in being able to see the COVID-19 catastrophe as an opportunity to further grow and strengthen now and in the future. The Budapest-based ultra-LCC was founded in 2003 with a mission to ensure that everyone, everywhere, can fly at the lowest prices possible. By democratizing air travel in Central and Eastern Eu- ropean (CEE) markets, Wizz stimulated local economies, boosted employment rates, and spurred growth in regional tourism. As it entered 2020, Wizz was already Europe's fastest-growing airline and one of its most financially successful with one of the world's youngest fleets, averaging less than five years. But the strength of its management and strategy became fully apparent as the pandemic struck, closed borders and stripped the global air transport industry of revenue and demand for travel. The ATW board of editors who selected the 2020 Airline of the Year made their decision in November 2019, before the outbreak. It was, even then, a notable decision because it made Wizz Air the first ultra-LCC to win the top accolade in the ATW Awards' 46-year history.