Wizz Air’s app may contain a trap

Utazómajom was the first to report on a practice that can be easily misunderstood by less experienced travelers. The app question seems harmless at first glance, but it actually asks whether the passenger is willing to voluntarily change flights in the event of overbooking.

Overbooking – when more tickets are sold than there are seats on the plane – is not uncommon for airlines. Companies calculate on a statistical basis that some passengers will not show up for boarding anyway. However, when everyone boards, some may be left behind. In such cases, the rules first require volunteers to cancel the flight – and they are entitled to compensation of 250-600 euros in addition to the ticket price under the EU EC261 regulation.

However, the method now used by Wizz Air significantly reduces this amount. Those who allow “flexible dates” in the app will receive only 100 euros in Wizz credit instead of compensation – even if it is a longer flight, where they could otherwise receive 600 euros in cash.

The airline confirmed that the message is indeed a “preliminary survey” to identify the most flexible passengers, and they will be the first to be contacted if there is an overbooking. It is also clear that those who voluntarily agree to change flights will no longer be entitled to financial compensation under EC261.

Inattention can result in losses of up to 500 euros – so it’s worth reading each pop-up message carefully, especially when you can waive your rights with a single click.