The Hungarian competition authority, known as GVH, has uncovered that Wizz Air failed to disclose crucial information regarding free online check-in, leading to additional costs for passengers. The airline has acknowledged these issues and agreed to provide monetary compensation to thousands of consumers, totaling over 80 million HUF.

The investigation, initiated exactly one year ago, focused on Wizz Air's website practices between December 2022 and May 2023. It was found that passengers with return tickets could not complete the free online check-in via their mobile browsers due to the website's mobile view limitations. Consequently, these consumers were forced to pay an additional airport check-in fee of 40 EUR.

During the proceedings, GVH determined that Wizz Air's actions constituted unfair commercial practices. The airline admitted to the technical issues during the relevant period and did not contest the facts presented by the national competition authority. Prior to and during the investigation, Wizz Air began compensating affected passengers and ultimately committed to crediting them 120% of the check-in fee, with 100% of this amount available for cash withdrawal within a year.

GVH's council considered various factors during the investigation and concluded that any potential fine for the violation would be lower than the compensation and additional cooperation measures the airline had already undertaken. The authority aims to ensure that consumers who suffered from the violation receive direct monetary refunds and compensation.

In addition to confirming the violation, GVH mandated Wizz Air to implement and verify the compliance improvements it promised. The airline is also required to inform affected customers about the credits and their usability via email and its mobile application, as well as provide clear and objective information on its Hungarian website and app. GVH will conduct follow-up checks to ensure compliance, and failure to meet these requirements may result in further fines.

The national competition authority has also urged airlines to publish ticket sales information transparently and to communicate it in a clear and understandable manner for consumers.