Wizz Air rejects allegations of hidden costs

According to the authors of the research, the pricing practices of airlines are often not transparent enough, which makes it difficult for passengers to compare prices. Wizz Air, which topped the list, calculated a total of 105,000 forints, while Ryanair, which came in second, calculated 103,000 – however, these figures also include several extras that travelers can choose from, such as baggage fees or seat selection.

In its response to Wizz Air rejected the report’s conclusions in its response to Világgazdaság, describing the methodology as professionally unfounded. The company emphasized that its operations are based on simple and transparent pricing, which allows passengers to explore destinations at the best possible price. As they wrote, the extra fees are not hidden costs, but optional, additional services that are paid only by those who use them.

The airline emphasized that check-in – if done on time and online – remains free of charge. For those who do not choose a seat, check-in opens 24 hours before the flight departure, via a mobile app or website. Wizz Air also encourages everyone to purchase their tickets directly on official platforms, thus ensuring full access to booking and passenger notifications. In the case of tickets purchased through an intermediary, passenger data is not always sent to the airline, which makes it difficult to handle the process smoothly.

However, the airline also drew attention to the fact that if you fail to check in online, the airport check-in fee can be up to 40 euros. However, with advance online booking, this can be reduced to 13 euros. All these fees and regulations can be found transparently on the airline’s official website.

Ryanair has not yet responded to Tradingpedia’s report, but the discussions once again highlight the contradictions of low-cost flights: although low base prices attract many, the total amount is often only revealed in full at the end of the booking process.