Wizz Air has had to do without three stranded Airbus A320s at Kyiv-Zhuliany Airport since February 2022. Now the low-cost airline has announced what will happen to the aircraft.
Their last flights were a long time ago. The Airbus A320s with the registrations HA-LPM, HA-LPJ and HA-LWY were last in the air before February 24, 2022, the day Russia started the war in Ukraine. Since the war began, the Wizz Air planes have been stranded at Kyiv-Zhuliany Airport.
And even if the war were to end tomorrow and Ukraine could reopen its airspace, the planes would not take off. Wizz Air uninstalled the planes’ engines in autumn 2023 and brought them to Poland. According to the low-cost airline’s annual report, the six engines are back in use.
Value is 20.7 million euros
Despite the war, the three planes are in good condition and show no damage, as shown by photos and information from local workers. Wizz Air has stated that the planes are regularly serviced in order to store the planes properly.
But what happens to the stranded planes, which according to the report are still worth 20.7 million euros? Wizz Air has developed scenarios that will determine the fate of the Airbus jets.
In the most optimistic case, the three aircraft should leave Ukraine as soon as possible so that they can be used again in the 2025 summer season.
Sale and dismantling threatened
In other scenarios, the value of the assets is reimbursed by insurance, the aircraft are sold in whole or in part to third parties, or they are completely written off.
The current political situation offers little hope that the aircraft will soon return to the Wizz Air fleet.