Hungarian low cost carrier Wizz Air is considering complaining to the European Union over government aid granted to troubled state carrier Malév.
József Váradi, chief executive of Wizz Air, has complained in an interview to local media that this is the second time the state has granted assistance to Malév. The airline was renationalised last spring and recapitalised with state money, which Váradi considers unlawful state aid in violation of European Union state aid regulations.
"In fact this is another extravagant state aid, now to the tune of €90 million, which is prohibited by European Union law," the airline said.
He added that there was no sense in spending taxpayers’ money on an "investment" that lacks economic rationale. The airline said the state aid to Malév was "clearly discriminative, distorts competition and offers no advantage whatsoever for passengers, either."
Wizz Air carried 9.6 million passengers in 2010, 23% more than in 2009. Its revenues grew by 23% year on year.