Wizz Air flies into 2016 with record passenger numbers

Wizz Air flew into 2016 with record passenger numbers, as the burgeoning Hungarian airline continued its rampant expansion plans.

The FTSE 250 low-cost airline - the largest in central and eastern Europe - saw total capacity in the rolling 12 months to 31 December 2015 increased by 19% over the previous 12 month period, to 21,810,920 seats.

Its passenger numbers were up by 22%, to 19,179,385, increasing its load factor by 1.6 percentage points to 87.9%.

During December, the company expanded its fleet to 65 aircraft, with the arrival of its second new A321ceo to its Hungarian base at Budapest.

Wizz Air also opened its 22nd operating base at Debrecen in Hungary, and revealed plans to open its 23rd base at Lasi in Romania in July 2016.

The airline also announced 11 new routes in the month - five in Romania, three in Macedonia, two in Poland and one in Lithuania.