I tried Wizz Air’s new, long-haul plane – with low fares and little legroom

“Finally,” exclaimed Christoph Zammert, the head of the Airbus A320-family jetliner programme, at a press event for the long-awaited delivery of Wizz Air’s first A321XLR aircraft. 

The launch took place on Tuesday, in Hamburg. It had been pushed back several times since September 2024, when Wizz Air announced plans to operate the plane. 

A decade ago, Xtra Long Range Airbuses were mostly used for transcontinental flights ferrying passengers in three-three formation, single-aisle aircraft for up to eight hours.

Today, these planes are frequently used on intercontinental routes. From 26 May, Wizz Air will take passengers on its first A321XLRs from Gatwick to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia. 

The flight will mark the first time an ultra-low-cost airline has used the model. Wizz is only the third operator in Europe, after Aer Lingus and Iberia, to use the A321XLR.

It is powered by Pratt and Whitney Geared Turbofan engines, which are recognised for having the lowest CO2 emissions for a single-aisle aircraft.

The A321XLR takes off on Tuesday for London from Airbus HQ in Hamburg (Photo: Airbus Operations GmbH 2025)

The Gatwick–Jeddah route can be expensive. A spot check by The i Paper found that a return flight in June from Heathrow on Saudi flag-carrier Saudia costs from £633. 

In contrast, lead-in prices for Wizz Air’s service start from £134.99 one-way (around £270 return) – a substantial saving, although we did find return flights with Wizz costing from £463 return in August.

With those low prices, passengers can’t expect much luxury. I experienced the back-to-basics features on Tuesday at Airbus’s Hamburg headquarters. 

Leg room and cabin toilets

Saudia’s economy equivalent seats have a generous pitch (the distance between a point on one seat to the same point on the seat in front, used in the industry as an indicator of legroom) of 34 inches, while Wizz Air’s A321XLR seats offer just 28 inches.

I’m 5’8”, and my knees were wedged up against the seat in front of me when I sat down during a tour, while the plane was grounded. Wizz Air says that costs for seats with extra legroom will be an additional £35–£55 on top of the standard ticket price, but even those seats don’t have much cushion.

Both the Jeddah route, and flights to the Saudi city of Medina, which Wizz will launch in August – with fares from £161.99 – are commonly used by pilgrims heading to Mecca. 

People familiar with this route will have seen men travelling for Hajj or Umrah changing their outfits to two pieces of plain white cloth and women changing into loose-fitting clothing that covers everything except their face and hands.

Changing into these garments marks the beginning of a state of religious purity and focus before entering the Miqat, a boundary line where the sacred state begins. 

Pilgrims booking a Wizz Air flight for this route may wish to change in the onboard toilets. They should be aware that the toilets are as small as those on a regular, short-haul aircraft.

No complimentary food and drink

There’s no seat-back entertainment on offer – evidently to save weight – or onboard Wifi.

There won’t be any complimentary food or drink included in the fare, either.

The A321XLR offers long-distant capabilities in a relatively small aircraft (Photo: Lang Peter)

Most airlines provide even their economy passengers with at least a snack after six hours in the air. On these Wizz routes, however, all refreshments must be paid for.

The reason, Wizz told us in a statement, is because “our ultra-low-cost model means we can offer passengers the lowest possible fares on our longer-range flights… Passengers have the option to purchase food and drink on board, should they wish.”

In May’s onboard cafe menu, a sandwich costs from £5. Meal deals, including a sandwich, soft drink and snack, start at £10.10, while a 500ml bottle of water costs £3. 

This pared-back approach may be expected by passengers who’ve previously flown with Wizz.

The plane I boarded was the first of 47 A321XLRs set to be delivered to Wizz by 2030. It can fly up to 4,700 nautical miles (5,400 miles) and has capacity of 239 passengers. As on Wizz Air’s other routes, all seats will be economy class.

Cabin lighting and design

The plane’s design has taken longer flight times into consideration. 

The cabin features a lighting system aimed at minimal disruption to passengers’ circadian rhythms. This system includes several settings tailored to the boarding, relaxing, sleeping and waking up stages of a flight. 

The A321XLR has a 30 per cent lower fuel burn per seat compared with previous generations of aircraft, as well as reduced nitrogen oxide emissions and in-cabin noise, according to Airbus.

The company has secured more than 500 orders for this aircraft type.

As with all Airbus aircraft, the A321XLR can operate with up to 50 per cent Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF). The manufacturer aims to have its aircraft capable of flying with up to 100 per cent SAF by 2030.

Wizz’s A321XLRs seats use recycled “Essence” material designed by the company Gen Phoenix.

Wizz Air’s passenger complaints record – and how it is improving 

The launch of this new route, on a new aircraft, comes at a time when Wizz is working to improve its reputation.

In 2024, it was ordered to pay out £1.2m to customers after the UK’s Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) intervened over the way the company handled flight disruption.

The CAA said it had received “high volumes” of complaints about Wizz Air not paying what it owed.

Wizz Air’s new craft offers low fares (Photo: Peter Lang)

Wizz fully cooperated with the CAA and put improvements in place. 

Last month, the airline announced its “Customer First Compass”, which will see Wizz invest £12bn over the next three years to ensure that punctuality, affordability, innovation and service improve for passengers. 

Speaking at a London press conference last September, József Váradi, chief executive officer of Wizz Air, pulled no punches on that topic. He said that “15, 20 years ago, I thought three hours [on a Wizz plane] would test passenger tolerance, and then we pushed it to six hours, and we are still fine”.

He added: “You kind of suffer the pain, if you wish, for the economic benefits that you are deriving from the transaction.”

Owain Jones, Wizz’s chief corporate officer, is keen to push that tolerance even further.

“We have big plans,” he told me in Hamburg, alluding to potential routes to Mumbai, which is 9 hours and 20 minutes’ flight from the UK.

In theory, the A321XLR can fly up to 11 hours non-stop, although that would require carrying less weight – and therefore fewer passengers.

Despite aspirations to reach South Asia, it is unlikely Wizz will be landing there in the next few years, given its commitment to low costs.