Coordination under strain as Wizz Air lands in Galicia
Coordination, continuous work and loyalty are some of the key ingredients for achieving better air connectivity, as all parties involved in Wizz Air’s arrival in Galicia stressed on Thursday. However, the creation of its base at Santiago Airport could put other established routes in the region at serious risk, particularly those operating from Vigo.
Among the ten destinations the Hungarian carrier will serve, three have a special connection with Peinador thanks to the genuine “air bridge” that Binter has operated from the Vigo terminal. From February, they will compete against the prices and added capacity at Lavacolla.
New Canary Islands routes from Santiago
From 1 February, Wizz Air will fly to Tenerife-North (Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays), Gran Canaria (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays) and Fuerteventura (Tuesdays and Sundays), with tickets already on sale from €29.99. Flying the 239-seat A321Neo, currently the most efficient aircraft on the market, allows the airline to undercut substantially any other alternative on fares.
The BNG-led administration in Compostela rejects suggestions that this marks a breakdown in Galician airport coordination, arguing that subsidies would only apply to international connections. However, there will be no public tender for these grants. “That is not our idea; we have other negotiation processes set out in the Contracts Law, and we conduct negotiated procedures without publicity,” explained Miriam Louzao, addressing the lack of transparency surrounding subsidies intended to back the 900,000 seats Wizz Air will offer at Lavacolla.
Binter’s contrasting model at Vigo
The model contrasts markedly with the differentiated approach Binter has implemented in Vigo. The connection launched in spring 2018 was the company’s first to the Spanish mainland, and it has gradually increased its presence there, moving 471,928 passengers through Peinador Airport with one notable feature: it has always operated without public subsidies.
Neither in A Coruña, where it arrived in December 2021, nor in Asturias, Cantabria or Vitoria does it fly “to market”. Its 132-seat E195-E2 aircraft receive no municipal support, yet eight years on, it has reached 100 monthly flights on this connection. The company’s aim was to keep growing, increasing its fleet capacity for Vigo by almost 50%.
On 21 July, during the Farnborough Airshow, it announced the purchase of five new aircraft, with options for four more. “The new aircraft will join the fleet with the aim of continuing to consolidate the airline’s commitment to its external programme,” a spokesperson told FARO, adding that the routes and destinations they will serve are still being studied and finalised. In addition to mainland connections, these could cover inter-island services when high demand requires it. Among its plans could be opening a third route, as it has done from Santander.
It is worth remembering that Binter offers free connections to Fuerteventura and the rest of the archipelago’s terminals, meaning this route, or those to Lanzarote, also compete directly. According to the same sources, “the company continues to commit to an aircraft type suited to its competitive positioning, offering excellent differentiated service and the best value for money, steering clear of the prevailing low-cost models” such as Wizz Air and its high-capacity aircraft. In Binter’s case, the cabin layout offers two seats per row, with more space between rows and a cabin bag included in the fare.
A familiar face behind Wizz Air’s strategy
This situation is well known within the ultra-low-cost carrier about to make its Galician debut. The current head of routes, Samuel Ferrera, was Binter’s network chief between October 2021 and September 2025, a period in which the Canarian airline expanded across virtually the whole of Spain. In fact, it operates in more peninsular provinces than Ryanair or Iberia, sitting only behind Vueling and Air Nostrum.
In that role, he had “full responsibility for short, medium and long-term planning horizons, network strategy and route and schedule planning,” as stated in his LinkedIn profile. In those final months, Binter achieved for the first time double daily flights at Peinador, currently counting around 13 frequencies to its two main bases. Market data and the lack of competition after Ryanair’s departure left a gap that, from his new position, he can now fill with even more capacity.
Asked about a possible London-Luton route, for which permission was sought this summer, Ferrera said “all Galician airports are attractive” and did not rule out its introduction in the future. Wizz Air’s international debut from Lavacolla will involve two almost unprecedented routes: Warsaw-Modlin and Rome-Fiumicino, both backed by the Xunta with €200,000 in destination advertising funding.
What’s happening in the Canaries – straight to your phone
News, weather alerts and practical updates – direct from the islands, in English. We live here and know what’s going on – before the international media catch up. Everything lands on our WhatsApp channel – no middlemen, no algorithm. Curated for families, expats and travelers.
