Israel’s Central District Court has approved a settlement in a class-action lawsuit against Wizz Air Hungary, ordering the airline to compensate 27,000 passengers with a total of approximately €330,000. Filed in early 2019 by attorney Guy Reshef, the suit alleged the company misled customers by failing to disclose during flight bookings that checking in at the airport would incur a higher fee than online.
Wizz Air denied the claims, arguing that Hungarian law applies to the case and that it complies with both Hungarian and Israeli regulations, providing clear and comprehensive information on service fees for online and airport purchases.
The parties reached a settlement agreement without admitting liability, stipulating that Wizz Air will pay each of the 27,472 eligible passengers €12. The compensation will be proactively credited as an electronic voucher to the accounts used for their bookings.
Additionally, the airline committed to updating its booking process, adding a notice on the form about potential fee changes if services are purchased at the airport. Eligible account holders will receive an email detailing the voucher’s purpose and usage options, valid for five years from issuance.
Judge Yael Toister-Israeli approved the settlement, saying, “This resolution is fair and efficient, as the respondent will proactively compensate each relevant passenger directly to their personal account. The compensation, valid for five years from issuance, can be used for flight tickets and additional services.”
Attorneys Aviel Flint and Shaked Shturfer, who represented the plaintiff, said, “We’re pleased that after six years of proceedings, Wizz Air agreed to correct its website misrepresentations and compensate the public with a significant payout directly to group members.”