Wizz Air has announced that it has now fully complied with the deed of undertaking signed with the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority last year following disruptions to its service in the summer of 2022.
As part of the agreement with the UK Civil Aviation Authority in July 2023, Wizz Air made several commitments regarding the handling of claims for costs incurred following a flight disruption.
The CAA has conducted checks on a random sample of claims and has confirmed that Wizz Air is fully compliant with the agreement.
Background
In July 2023, Wizz Air signed a deed of undertaking with the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to address disruptions and commit to handling claims effectively.
The overarching aims of the agreement were compliance with regulatory standards and ensuring that passenger rights were upheld.
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Wizz Air UK MD Comments
A recent review by the CAA on a random sample of claims has now confirmed Wizz Air’s full compliance with the agreement.
Wizz Air UK Managing Director, Marion Geoffroy, said: “We are pleased the Civil Aviation Authority has recognised the significant steps Wizz Air has taken to improve performance for our customers.”
“Like all airlines in Europe, we faced unprecedented operating challenges in the summer of 2022 but the improvements we put in place have led to a better customer experience and our performance in 2023 was among the strongest in the industry.”
“We are seeing a significant uptick in our customer satisfaction scores and we remain fully committed to continuing to improve our operations in 2024 and beyond.”
UK CAA Comments
Speaking on the carrier’s compliance in the matter, Paul Smith, Consumer Director at the UK Civil Aviation Authority, said: “This is good news for passengers and our concerns have been validated by the outcome of our actions.”
“While we welcome the steps taken by Wizz Air after falling short in its treatment of disrupted passengers, airlines should routinely look after passengers and uphold their rights when flights are delayed and cancelled.
“Passengers have every right to expect their claims to be resolved quickly, efficiently and in line with the regulations. These outcomes will now provide Wizz Air’s passengers with a better experience,” he concluded.
The regulator’s action covered claims made for flights due to depart from or arrive into a UK airport on or after 18 March 2022.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority also worked closely and in cooperation with Wizz Air to improve its policies, procedures and passenger communications.
UK passengers should now be better informed about their rights and options when faced with disruption.
Proactive Measures and Independent Commitments
Prior to the agreement with the CAA, the airline had proactively taken steps to enhance customer experience.
The airline launched initiatives to reduce cancellations and improve overall service quality. This commitment underscored the carrier’s understanding of the importance of passenger satisfaction in the competitive airline industry.
Performance and Operations
Wizz Air has made a substantial investment of £90 million in 2023 to enhance performance and operations. The result is an impressive flight completion rate of 99.24%, positioning Wizz Air as one of the industry leaders.
Additionally, the airline has streamlined its refund process, with 90% of claims processed within five days, a significant improvement from the previous year.
Structural and Organisational Changes
Wizz Air also strategically revamped their operations in 2023. This involved adding spare aircraft capacity, increasing staffing at airports, and optimizing crew rosters to make schedules more resilient.
The implementation of a new AI-based tool leveraged technology for forecasting and mitigating disruptions, ensuring a smoother passenger travel outcome.
Technological and Service Enhancements
Understanding the importance of customer satisfaction and support, Wizz Air also prioritized enhancements to its customer experience.
The introduction of a fully automated refund process streamlined the claims procedure, allowing call center agents to focus on complex cases.
The 24/7 online support with the new chatbot, Amelia, and the addition of the customer service channel on Twitter (@AskWIZZ) demonstrate the airline’s adaptability to modern communication channels, ensuring passengers can easily access assistance.
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