- Wizz Air attended the first ever General Assembly of the Alliance on Monday 14 November

- Alliance will prepare European aviation industry for hydrogen and electric aircraft

- Further demonstrates Wizz Air’s continued commitment to reducing carbon emissions

Wizz Air, Europe’s fastest growing and most environmentally sustainable airline globally , is pleased to announce it has joined the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA), a voluntary initiative launched by the European Commission to pave the way for next-generation sustainable aircraft. On 14 November, Wizz Air joined public and private partners at the General Assembly hosted by EUROCONTROL and spearheaded by the Directorate-General for Defence Industry and Space (DEFIS) of the European Commission. 

Wizz Air joins AZEA alongside a range of public and private aviation stakeholders, united by the shared mission to decarbonise the industry by facilitating the successful commercialisation of hydrogen and electric aircraft. To achieve this, AZEA members will work together to identify barriers to advancing zero-emission aircraft, establish recommendations and a roadmap to address them, and promote investment projects. 

Within AZEA, Wizz Air will share information with members on the expected challenges and solutions for achieving zero emission aircraft from an ultra-low-cost carrier perspective. Ultra-low-cost carriers are well placed to lead the transition to a more sustainable aviation industry given their high seat density and load factor, low fuel consumption and modern and tech-driven fleet, leading to significantly lower carbon footprint per passenger kilometre compared to other airlines. Participation in the AZEA’s meetings will provide Wizz Air with a much deeper understanding of how operating zero emission hydrogen aircraft could positively impact the airline’s future business model, and ultimately, eliminate the sector’s climate impact.

Joining AZEA is further demonstration of Wizz Air’s continued commitment to sustainability and supports its target to reduce carbon emissions intensity per passenger kilometre by 25% by 2030. Cutting-edge technology, such as hydrogen, will play a key role in advancing Wizz Air’s long-term sustainability strategy. 

Johan Eidhagen, Chief People and ESG Officer of Wizz Air, said: “We are pleased to have joined AZEA, and look forward to working with its members to collaborate on the ongoing research and development required for hydrogen aircraft operations. It is imperative that all stakeholders in the aviation ecosystem – from airlines and airports to regulators and fuel providers – coordinate to ensure the infrastructure is ready for the deployment of this technology on a large scale. At Wizz Air, we remain ambitious in our sustainability strategy and are committed to invest in cutting-edge technology, paving the way to more sustainable air travel. We are and will continue to be the greenest choice of flying.”

About Wizz Air    

Wizz Air, the fastest growing European ultra-low-cost airline, operates a fleet of 172 Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. A team of dedicated aviation professionals delivers superior service and very low fares, making Wizz Air the preferred choice of 27.1 million passengers in the Financial Year F22 ending 31 March 2022. Wizz Air is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the ticker WIZZ. The company was recently named one of the world's top ten safest airlines by airlineratings.com, the world's only safety and product rating agency, and 2020 Airline of the Year by ATW, the most coveted honour an airline or individual can receive, recognising individuals and organisations that have distinguished themselves through outstanding performance, innovation, and superior service. Wizz Air has also been recognised as the „Most Sustainable Low-Cost Airline” within the World Finance Sustainability Awards 2022 and the „Global Environmental Sustainability Airline Group of the Year” by the CAPA-Centre for Aviation Awards for Excellence 2022.

About the Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation

The Alliance for Zero-Emission Aviation (AZEA) is a voluntary European initiative of private and public stakeholders initiated by the European Commission to prepare the entry into commercial service of hydrogen-powered and electric aircraft. The ambition of the Alliance is to provide solutions to the challenges of zero-emission aviation and pave the way for the next-generation of sustainable aircraft. Enabling the deployment of cuttingedge technologies in the field of zero-emission flight will set standards and make the European aeronautical industry more resilient.

For more information:

Daria Sergeeva, Sustainability Communications Manager, Wizz Air: daria.sergeeva@wizzair.com

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