Low prices at the expense of employees

The arrival of Wizz Air in Luxembourg this summer is very bad news from a social point of view. This low-cost airline is notorious for its openly anti-union and anti-social practices. It should also be noted that this Hungarian airline will not create any jobs or hire any employees in the Grand Duchy, nor will it pay any social security contributions or taxes here.

Not only will Wizz Air not contribute to Luxembourg’s social system, but it will even jeopardize it with a particularly aggressive pricing policy that could prove socially disastrous for employees in the sector. Its extremely low sales prices mean that Wizz Air will systematically fly at a loss – in fact, its official sales prices are even lower than the airport taxes it has to pay for each flight.

It is also worth noting that Wizz Air’s CEO has been known to boast that his company is “a company without unions”. The same Joszef Varadi is also said to have encouraged his company’s pilots to work beyond tolerable fatigue limits. Remember, these limits are supposed to ensure the safety of passengers and crew. In Romania, the company was even taken to court for discrimination after firing employees for joining a union.

Trade unions strongly condemn these harmful practices and are concerned by the arrival of such a company at Luxembourg airport.

It is high time to put an end to social dumping practices. After this year’s national elections, European elections will be held in 2024. In this context, the arrival of Wizz Air is already an opportunity for political parties to take a stand in favour of strong social systems and the protection of employees, by advocating a change of course that turns its back on the liberalization policy in the European aviation sector.

Press release from OGBL, LCGB and ALPL,
July 21, 2023