Wizz Air April passenger numbers hit by engine recall, early Easter

(Sharecast News) - Hungary-based Wizz Air reported a fall in passenger numbers in April after it was forced to ground some aircraft for engine replacement.

Passenger numbers fell by 0.3% to 4.9 million, while the load factor was 0.6 percentage points lower at to 90.3% year on year.

The budget carrier has been forced to ground 45 Airbus aircraft as GTF engines supplied by Pratt & Whitney were recalled.

"Capacity operated during the month was nearly flat year-on-year, reflecting the impact from GTF engine-related grounded fleet," Wizz said in its monthly traffic update.

"Load factor came in slightly lower verses last year, impacted by the earlier Easter weekend causing the seasonal rise in outbound travel to fall in the prior month."

Wizz added that it had converted its entire fleet based at Luton airport to new generation Airbus A321neos a year earlier than planned as it looks to target powering 10% of its flights with sustainable aviation fuel by 2030.

Reporting by Frank Prenesti for Sharecast.com