Airbus plane operated by Wizz Air, PHOTO: Max Walter / Dreamstime.com
Low-cost airline Wizz Air has been fined 500,000 euros by Italy's Antitrust Authority for unfair commercial practices in promoting the “Wizz All You Can Fly” annual subscription.
According to the Italian Competition and Market Authority (AGCM), the air operator presented the product as an “unlimited” service, without providing clear information about the actual restrictions of the sold subscription, writes boardingpass.
The sanction was given as a result of the finding of violation of the legislation on fair commercial practices and the use of some clauses considered abusive in the framework of the “Wizz All You Can Fly” annual subscription.
The subscription, sold for 599 euros (499 euros in the initial, promotional phase), promised unlimited access to international flights. However, the AGCM found that the public presentation of the product was misleading. The subscription was described by Wizz Air as a way for customers to fly at a fixed price on all international routes operated by the company.
Then, in promotional materials, the company omitted important details about the limitations that apply to subscribers, according to AGCM.
The Italian authority also found that the pre-contractual information was incomplete and unclear, in particular with regard to booking windows, the number of seats available for subscribers on each flight and other restrictions on the use of the service.
Also, certain clauses in the initial version of the contract were considered abusive.
These clauses gave the air operator the right to unilaterally modify the terms and conditions of the service or even to suspend it completely, without specifying valid reasons and without ensuring adequate protections for customers, the Italian authority also stated.
The AGCM report also shows that the rules imposed by the company made it difficult to get a prorated refund and limited the right of withdrawal in the event of service suspension or termination, including when the affected airport was the customer's preferred hub.
All these clauses generated a significant imbalance between the rights and obligations of consumers, the Italian institution concluded.
Illustrative image – Airbus plane operated by Wizz Air, PHOTO: Max Walter / Dreamstime.com
