Wizz Air has been named the second-best airline in Central Europe at the 2026 Skytrax World Airline Awards, as the low-cost carrier continues to expand its network and invest in improving the passenger experience.

The awards, often described as the “Oscars of the aviation industry”, have recognised airline performance since 1999 and are based on an independent global passenger satisfaction survey.

Airlines can be nominated for the awards without paying entry or registration fees, with the results intended to reflect the views and experiences of travellers.

Wizz Air said the Central Europe ranking recognised the contribution of its more than 10,000 employees, representing more than 100 nationalities, across its pilot, cabin crew, operational and office teams.

“Being voted the second-best airline in Central Europe by passengers is an achievement that belongs first and foremost to our people,” Wizz Air Chief Commercial Officer Ian Malin said.

“I want to thank every member of the Wizz Air team, especially our pilots and cabin crew, who represent us in front of our customers every day, for their professionalism, energy and care.”

“I also thank our passengers for choosing Wizz Air and for recognising the progress we are making,” he added.

“Their trust motivates us to keep improving while staying true to our purpose, making air travel affordable and accessible to more people.”

The recognition comes as Wizz Air operates more than 1,000 routes across almost 50 countries with a fleet of 273 aircraft.

The airline carried 68.6 million passengers in 2025 and operated close to 335,000 scheduled flights, connecting communities, families, businesses and holidaymakers across Europe and beyond.

The award comes during the implementation of Wizz Air’s €14 billion Customer First Compass transformation programme, a three-year investment aimed at improving different stages of the customer journey.

The programme is built around four areas covering its product offering, pricing, service and communication, with the airline seeking to improve operational performance, expand digital and self-service options, introduce new products and strengthen customer support before, during and after flights.

After the first year of the programme, Wizz Air reported an average flight completion rate of 99.5 per cent, while expanding its fleet and launching more than 345 new routes.

The airline has also introduced services including WIZZ Class, WIZZ Link and Disruption Assistance, alongside further improvements to the MyJourney feature in its mobile application.

Wizz Air said these changes had been made while it continued to offer some of the lowest fares in Europe.

The award comes shortly after the Cyprus Mail interviewed Wizz Air network director Andras Szabo about the airline’s expansion in Cyprus.

Szabo said the September launch of the Larnaca-Madrid route reflected Wizz Air’s belief that Cyprus could attract more year-round travel, rather than relying mainly on its traditional summer season.

He said passenger demand remained the main factor in decisions on new routes and additional capacity, while airport charges were also important because keeping costs low allowed the airline to offer lower fares.

Wizz Air has almost 40 destinations from Larnaca and has increased frequencies on routes to Barcelona, Thessaloniki and Yerevan, while restoring its Athens service with two flights a day.

The airline also added 57,500 seats from Larnaca for August and September as part of its response to demand.

Szabo said Cyprus remained an important Mediterranean market for Wizz Air and that the airline would continue looking for opportunities where it saw sustainable demand.

The Madrid route, which began operating three times a week on September 24, followed the airline’s existing Larnaca-Barcelona connection and was presented as a way of strengthening links between Cyprus and Spain.

Wizz Air has also expanded its Pilot Academy to candidates in Cyprus, with a recent open day in Nicosia attracting dozens of people interested in pursuing careers as pilots.

The airline said some successful applicants from the initiative would begin their training in October.

“We offer a clear, guided pathway to a career in aviation, from the very first application all the way to the flight deck through high-quality training and a defined employment prospect at Wizz Air,” Szabo said in the Cyprus Mail interview.

The Skytrax award therefore comes as Wizz Air seeks to combine network expansion with improvements to reliability, customer service and digital support.

The airline said the recognition reinforced its commitment to listening to passengers, investing in its employees and providing an increasingly reliable, simple and affordable travel experience across its expanding network.