Low-cost Hungarian airline Wizz Air has transported over 11 million passengers to and from Charleroi Airport in its 20 years of operation, the airline and airport announced on Monday.
Wizz Air's first flight was in July 2004 and was an immediate success, recalled Charleroi Airport. The increase in air traffic between Eastern and Western Europe allowed the airline to increase its services to Budapest. Just two months after its launch, the four weekly flights between Budapest and Brussels-Charleroi became a daily connection, and a route to Warsaw was also introduced.
The initial offering rapidly expanded, and Wizz Air now operates flights to 13 destinations in eight European countries, including Albania, Bulgaria, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, North Macedonia, Poland and Romania.
"In 20 years, the collaboration between Wizz Air and Charleroi Airport has gone from strength to strength. More than 11 million passengers have passed through our airport thanks to Wizz Air. Wizz Air has steadily increased its services from our airport hub. Today, it is a major carrier for Charleroi passengers," said the airport's CEO, Philippe Verdonck.
The Hungarian airline connects Wallonia to Central and Eastern Europe as well as the Balkans, highlighted Walloon Minister of Airports, Cécile Neven. "Beyond strengthening exchanges between Europeans, these routes have also brought some passengers closer to their loved ones. The airline is a significant player for both Charleroi Airport and Wallonia," she added.
