Wizz Air Hungary, Malta or UK? Which rules apply

In short: the start of the flight number tells you the operating carrier: W6 = Wizz Air Hungary, W4 = Wizz Air Malta (both EU airlines, EU261), W9 = Wizz Air UK (British, UK261). On a flight departing the EU it makes no difference – EU261 always applies. On flights into the EU from outside it, EU261 applies only to W6 and W4 flights.

The Wizz Air airlines

Airline	Licence	Status
W6 Wizz Air Hungary	Hungarian (EU)	the original airline of the group, licensed in Hungary
W4 Wizz Air Malta	Maltese (EU), since 2022	from 2023 some of the bases outside Hungary (e.g. Italy, Austria, Romania, Albania) moved to it
W9 Wizz Air UK	British, since 2018	London bases (Luton, Gatwick)
5W Wizz Air Abu Dhabi	United Arab Emirates	its locally based flights ended on 1 September 2025

Which one operates my flight?

The flight number prefix: on your boarding pass and booking – W6, W4 or W9.
The booking confirmation: under EU rules (Article 11 of Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005), the airline must tell you the operating carrier at the time of booking, and must also inform you if it changes.
Occasionally a flight is operated by an aircraft of another airline in the group. The airline that actually operated the flight is responsible for compensation.

Which rules apply to which?

Flight	W6 / W4 (EU)	W9 (British)
From an EU airport to anywhere	EU261	EU261
From Switzerland, Norway or Iceland to the EU	EU261	EU261
From the UK to the EU (e.g. London Luton–Budapest)	EU261 and UK261 (claim once)	UK261 (£220 / £350 / £520)
From outside Europe (e.g. Dubai, Tel Aviv, Jeddah) to the EU	EU261	not covered

The amount depends on the distance: €250 up to 1,500 km, €400 between 1,500 and 3,500 km (and for flights within the EU over 1,500 km), and €600 above that. The compensation checker works it out for your flight.

Claiming from Wizz Air

For all three Wizz Air airlines you submit the claim in the same place: in the wizzair.com Help Centre, on the Contact page under ‘Make a claim’. Wizz Air says it replies within 30 days, and you can follow the status of your claim in your WIZZ account. For the wording you can use our complaint letter template.

Don’t want to write letters, argue or go to court with Wizz Air?

The first reply to a claim is often a template: extraordinary circumstances, a voucher instead of money, or weeks of silence. If the airline holds its ground, it is up to you to go to the enforcement body or to court. If you would rather not do that yourself, leave it to AirHelp: they take over the correspondence, provide the evidence and, if necessary, take the airline to court.

Do it yourself

Free, and you keep the full amount – our letter generator writes the claim letter.
You handle the correspondence, the evidence and the deadlines.
If you are turned down, you take it further: enforcement body, small claims, court.

AirHelp does it

No work and no risk for you, nothing to pay upfront.
Fee only if successful: 35%, at most 50% if it goes to court.
If successful you receive at least 65% of the compensation (at least 50% after court action).

Check compensation Leave it to AirHelp

We receive a commission for successful claims submitted through our AirHelp links; it costs you nothing extra. Details

Frequently asked questions

Is compensation also due on a Wizz Air Malta flight?

Yes. Wizz Air Malta flies under a Maltese licence and is an EU airline, so EU261 applies to it exactly as it does to Wizz Air Hungary: to all its flights departing the EU, and also to its flights arriving in the EU.

I flew Wizz Air from London to Budapest – which rule applies to me?

It depends on the operating carrier. If the flight number starts with W6 (Wizz Air Hungary, an EU airline), EU261 applies and – because the flight departed the United Kingdom – the British UK261 as well; you can only claim once under one of them. If it starts with W9 (Wizz Air UK), only the British UK261 applies, in pounds: £220 / £350 / £520.

What happened to Wizz Air Abu Dhabi?

On 14 July 2025 Wizz Air announced that it would end its Abu Dhabi-based operations from 1 September 2025 and withdraw from the joint venture. Earlier flights from Abu Dhabi to Europe operated by Wizz Air Abu Dhabi (5W) were not covered by EU261, because they were not operated by an EU airline and departed from outside the EU.

How long does Wizz Air take to reply?

Wizz Air says it replies to compensation claims within 30 days. If it does not reply, or rejects your claim and you disagree, see national enforcement bodies and other ways to enforce your claim.

Sources: Transport Malta (2022); Wizz Air Holdings announcement (14 July 2025); Regulation (EC) No 2111/2005. Status: 10 November 2026. For information only, not legal advice.