After Doncaster, the low-cost airline Wizz Air UK is closing another base in the United Kingdom with Cardiff. According to company information, however, it should only be a temporary closure over the winter of 2022/23, because they want to return to Cardiff in spring 2023.

The above base is being discontinued because a “difficult macroeconomic environment” is expected in winter. A limited number of flights will be operated from the Welsh capital, using aircraft based at other airports. The temporary closure of the base will take place on September 19, 2022.

The measure means that flights to Alicante, Lanzarote, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife South, Corfu, Heraklion, Faro, Larnaca and Sharm El Sheik are suspended. The destinations Milan-Malpensa and Bucharest are to be offered in the 2022/23 winter flight schedule. The aircraft comes from Italy and Romania.

"While this is an incredibly difficult decision for the airline, it was made as far in advance as possible to minimize last-minute cancellations and maximize customer rebooking opportunities," Wizz Air said in a statement. “We continue to value our close working relationship with Cardiff Airport and plan to resume operations at the airport next year. We've already put our entire Cardiff summer schedule up for sale and are launching two new winter routes. It takes time to build a sustainable operation on a grassroots level and we are ready to build the Cardiff operation for the long term.”

"It is disappointing and frustrating for our customers whose travel plans are being disrupted by Wizz Air's reduction in operations at Cardiff Airport over the winter, which we understand is due to economic factors," said Cardiff Airport Chief Executive Spencer Birns.