The general manager of Wizz Air Malta, Mauro Peneda, has reduced the weight of the planned 0.33% average annual increase in airport fees in Spain for the 2027-2031 period in DORA III, emphasizing that the company’s business model relies on cost reduction through high operational efficiency.
Peneda spoke in these terms this Tuesday during the inauguration of the airline’s new base in Madrid, one day after the start of its domestic operations in Valencia, at a time of growth and expansion for the 'low cost' in the Spanish market, where it will also open a base in Santiago de Compostela starting in December.
"What we do as an 'ultra low cost' is simply to optimize all the elements of the chain that are under our control, with the maximization of the utilization of our assets and, with that, to offer the cheapest price we can," the executive said, insisting that the key lies in squeezing the company’s own resources to the maximum.
He also pointed out that macroeconomic factors can introduce a certain volatility in fares, although he believes the impact of these increases will not be "material." "It’s not something that worries us," he added in this regard.
Regarding the rise in fuel costs, Peneda said that air transport is going through one of the "most important crises in recent years" and warned that, even when the war ends, it will take time for a return to normal fuel price conditions.
At present, Wizz Air has 83% fuel coverage until April 2027 and, from that date onward, it maintains protection above 60%, although it is subject to possible adjustments.
In the Spanish market, the Hungarian airline has put 15 million seats up for sale this year, 44% more than the capacity it offered in 2025, and it plans to continue expanding its presence in the country until 2027, with growth close to 20% year-on-year in the number of seats.
The company has just closed a record summer season in Spain, with 3.8 million passengers transported on flights with origin or destination in the country, representing an increase of 51% compared with the volume of travelers in the same period of 2025.
In the first half of the year, Wizz Air moved 8.6 million passengers and operated 28,000 flights in Spanish territory, consolidating its commitment to this market.