As Vladimir Putin’s attack against Ukraine continues, Wizz Air is giving 100,000 free seats on its flights to Ukrainian refugees fleeing the conflict.
All continental Europe flights departing from Ukraine’s border countries, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania, will be free of charge.
Refugees who have “already started traveling and may be stuck in other regions” will be eligible for rescue fares, according to the business. All other flights have €29.99 rates, with the exception of the UAE, Iceland, and the Canaries, which have €69.99 in rescue fares.
Passengers will be required to provide their Ukrainian passport/ID card number at the time of booking and show their Ukrainian passport/ID card at the time of check-in.
Since the invasion began, the UN estimates that over 500,000 people have fled across the border.
József Váradi, Chief Executive Officer of Wizz Air, said: “Our hearts are with the Ukrainian people during this crisis. We are committed to helping as many Ukrainian refugees as possible to get to a safe place, which is why we will be offering them 100,000 free seats from the border countries and special rescue fares on all other flights.
“We have already seen great humanitarian efforts on the ground by our people across the network, and as a company, we wanted to play our part in these efforts. We would be happy to provide a safe and welcoming journey for these refugees.”
According to the firm, it has already deployed larger planes and additional flights from border nations to Europe to help support refugee migration as needed.
As a result of the invasion, Ukraine’s airspace has been restricted, and airlines such as Wizz Air and Ryanair have canceled flights to the nation.
Meanwhile, the United Kingdom has slapped penalties on Russia, including a restriction on flights by Russia’s national carrier, Aeroflot. Russia replied by banning all UK flights from entering its airspace, prompting companies including British Airways to stop flights to Moscow.
The EU has since announced that Russian aircraft are no longer permitted to operate or enter EU airspace as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
The UK Foreign Office warns: “If you are in Russia, you should be aware that it may not be possible to fly directly to the UK, or via EU countries, and should amend any travel plans accordingly. Check the latest information with your airline or travel provider.”
