WIZZ Air will open its first bases in Spain this November to herald a major expansion in the country.

The Hungarian-owned budget carrier will open in Valencia on November 2, and at Madrid airport the following day.

The bases will each become home to two Airbus A321neo aircraft.

VALENCIA AIRPORT BOOST

Valencia will offer 23 routes to eight countries, increasing the airline’s capacity at the airport by 76% to 3.6 million seats.

Madrid will operate 27 routes to 12 countries, boosting capacity by 48% to 4.8 million seats.

The expansion will create more than 150 direct jobs—over 80 at each base—and is expected to generate more than 5,500 indirect jobs.

Wizz Air has already launched a recruitment drive for pilots and cabin crew based in Spain and the expansion comes in contrast to Ryanair cutting back regional services across the country.

Seven new routes will operate out of Valencia domestically, flying to Asturias, Santiago de Compostela, Santander, Bilbao and Palma de Mallorca.

Flights to Bilbao and Palma will be daily.

Overseas services will include a a direct link to Brasov (Romania) with three weekly flights while there will be daily connection to Naples.

One of its most popular routes- to Milan Malpensa- will be doubled to 14 flights per week.

The announcement was welcomed by Valencia City Council, which regards the new investment as reinforces the city’s position as one of the main tourist and economic hubs in the Mediterranean area.

The Madrid base will connect to Asturias, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela and Pisa, and there will be a boost to services including London Luton, and Rome Fiumicino.

Wizz Air currently serves 16 Spanish airports with 151 routes to 15 countries and has carried more than 15 million passengers in Spain over the past 22 years.

The airline said the new bases underline its long-term commitment to the Spanish market and support its growth strategy based on the fuel-efficient Airbus A321neo fleet.
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PARTS of the Valencia region have been put on a maximum red alert warning for high temperatures on Wednesday, as the heatwave continues.

The warning has been issued by the State Meteorological Agency, Aemet, and applies to southern coastal areas of Valencia province.

The ‘extraordinary danger level’ will be in effect between noon and 7.59pm.

RED ALERT FOR HIGH TEMPERATURES

Temperatures are expected to reach up to 42C, especially inland.

On Tuesday, the Valencian forecaster, Avamet, reported highs of 44.8C at Sumacarcer, while values at La Pobla Llarga, Gavarda, Carcer and Cotes hovered around 44C.

The southern inland area of Valencia province is under an orange heat warning for Wednesday, running between 1pm and 8.59pm, with possible highs of 42C.

The northern coast of Valencia also comes under an orange alert with a maximum of 41C while, while the northern inland area could reach 39C.

Aemet says the Alicante province comes under a ‘significant’ weather warning for the northern and southern coastal areas with maximums of 40C between 12pm and 7.59pm.

Inland areas of the Vega Baja and the Marina Alta could exceed 42C.

Tuesday’s temperatures in Alicante province saw 42.2C recorded in Pego and 41.8C in l’Atzubia, according to Avamet.

The heat is striking early on Wednesday, with temperatures of 35.3C already recorded in Altea at 9.20am.

Forecasters expect the heatwave to end on Thursday or Friday, but above average temperatures will continue.
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