Low-cost airline Wizz Air is using artificial intelligence to trim fuel consumption and overhaul customer service, in a move that highlights how the aviation sector is turning to data-driven automation to cut costs and improve operational performance.
The Hungary-headquartered airline, listed on the London Stock Exchange, said AI now helps monitor weather patterns and calculate the optimal speeds and altitudes for its aircraft — saving an average of 4kg of fuel per flight.
“AI in the middle of our operations has been a significant step forward,” said Michael Delehant, Chief Commercial and Operations Officer at Wizz Air.
“How do you constantly manage a web of never-ending movements, day and night? It’s 24/7, all weekends, no time off. AI makes that possible.”
With tens of millions of passengers flying on its network each year, and routes from nine UK airports including Gatwick, Luton, Birmingham and Edinburgh, Wizz Air has positioned itself as one of Europe’s most ambitious budget carriers.
The introduction of AI-based flight optimisation forms part of Wizz Air’s wider environmental and efficiency strategy. The company claims to have one of the lowest carbon footprints per passenger kilometre among European airlines, thanks to its modern Airbus fleet and aggressive efficiency targets.
The new system analyses weather, wind and route data in real time, allowing pilots to make small in-flight adjustments that, collectively, deliver substantial savings across thousands of journeys each year.
“These are marginal gains that add up,” Delehant said. “Saving just a few kilos of fuel per flight makes a big impact when you operate thousands of legs a week. It’s good for the bottom line and for the planet.”
Beyond operations, Wizz Air is also leaning on AI to improve its customer service experience — a long-standing pain point for the airline.
Consumer group Which? recently ranked Wizz Air second from bottom in short-haul economy airline satisfaction, with a customer score of 51%, just above Ryanair’s 49%.
To address these concerns, the carrier has invested in expanding its English-speaking call centre teams and launched a new AI-powered chatbot, Amelia, which can handle thousands of passenger queries within hours, a process that previously took human agents days or weeks.
Delehant stressed that automation was being used to augment, not replace, customer service roles.
“The way we look at AI is not about replacing jobs,” he said. “There’s a lot of fear across industries that AI will replace us — but really, it’s about making us more bionic.”
The airline, which carried over 60 million passengers in 2024, continues to pursue rapid growth across Europe and the Middle East. Wizz Air says embedding AI into core systems helps it maintain low fares while coping with the complex logistics of running thousands of short-haul flights.
Industry analysts note that integrating AI into flight operations is becoming standard among major carriers — but for a budget airline such as Wizz, which operates on razor-thin margins, the potential efficiency gains are especially critical.
“Wizz Air’s adoption of AI signals a broader shift in the low-cost sector from simply being cheap to being smart,” said Ben Hollingsworth, aviation analyst at CAPA Centre for Aviation. “It’s about using data to achieve efficiencies that support both profitability and sustainability.”
In addition to AI investment, Wizz Air is experimenting with premium-style features aimed at attracting business travellers.
In December, the airline will test a “blocked middle seat” option, allowing passengers to pay extra for additional space.
“There’ll be no big seats or champagne,” Delehant said. “But for entrepreneurs and small business owners who want more room without paying business-class prices, this is a way to travel comfortably and affordably.”
While Wizz Air has faced criticism over flight cancellations and refund delays, its pivot to automation represents a wider effort to repair its brand reputation and improve resilience.
From predictive maintenance and real-time crew scheduling to AI-driven customer interfaces, the company is deploying advanced technology across its ecosystem to balance cost leadership with service reliability.
Delehant said the changes would “set the airline apart” in an increasingly competitive market.
“We’re building an airline that’s fast, flexible and future-ready,” he said. “For us, AI isn’t a gimmick — it’s the foundation of how we’ll run a better, smarter airline.”