Captain Andre Ludwig’s Journey: Why He Chose to Fly with Wizz Air Romania

Since its beginnings in 2003, Wizz Air has grown from a vision into a 243-aircraft strong, forward-thinking airline. Starting with its first Airbus A320-200, the fleet now includes A321s, A321neos and the latest A321XLR aircraft.

Operating to 190+ airports across more than 800 routes, Wizz Air is powered by over 9,000 employees — from pilots and cabin crew to engineers and office staff. With over 250 new aircraft on order, attracting skilled captains and first officers remains a top priority.

In Romania, Wizz Air operates from 13 airports with 228 routes to 85 destinations in 27 countries. Over 1,600 people work for the airline here, including German-born Captain Andre Ludwig, who has spent almost seven years flying in Romania. He describes Wizz Air as “young, dynamic, positive and dedicated.”

Captain Andre Ludwig’s journey

Wizz Air Andre’s fascination with flying began at just three years old, visiting the flightdeck on a family holiday. Although financial challenges initially led him to train as an automotive engineer, his passion for aviation never faded. With family support and a loan, he enrolled in flight school — and never looked back.

After experience with legacy airlines, Andre joined Wizz Air through the Direct Entry Captain Program, which he praises for its fairness and transparency:

“Whoever comes prepared and knows what we’re asking for can become captain. There’s no prejudice.”

This program allows First Officers who have accumulated 3,500 flying hours to directly jump into the Captain’s seat and was a key reason why Andre applied. Unlike other airlines with unclear timelines, Wizz Air offers a clear path: pass the interview, complete training, and step straight into the left seat.

Why choose Wizz Air?

For Andre, practical perks played a big role. Flying from Bucharest gave him direct connections to his German hometown, making it easy to see family. Wizz Air offers excellent network links between Romania and many European destinations, which he says pilots really value.

Wizz Air’s growth and stability were also decisive:

“The company is stable. Financially, it’s growing. The business model works.”

Pilots return home after each shift, with no layovers — a lifestyle change Andre embraced after years of living out of a suitcase.

“It’s nice to be home every day. Even though Romania isn’t my original home, it feels like it now.”

Life as a Wizz Air pilot

Andre was “extremely happy” to be accepted into the Direct Entry Captain program, proud that Wizz Air recognized his potential. Based at Bucharest Băneasa, he works with a diverse team of colleagues and now trains other captains.

He highlights the young Airbus fleet as a major plus:

“Having this young fleet, we rarely have technical issues. This means it’s very comfortable for us as pilots”

His roster typically includes one return flight a day, occasionally up to two short return flights. Andre works on a 14/7 schedule – 14 days on followed by seven days off – which he describes as offering an excellent work-life balance.

Living in Romania

Before joining Wizz Air, Andre had never visited Romania. He approached the move with curiosity and was “very positively surprised.” English is widely spoken in Bucharest, and he found the city vibrant and welcoming, with plenty of things to do.

Wizz Air supported his relocation through a specialist company that arranged paperwork, accompanied him to official appointments, and provided hotel accommodation for the first month. He quickly found an apartment and settled into life in Bucharest with ease.

Join the Wizz Air pilot team

Seven years on, Andre says he wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Wizz Air and Romania to other pilots:

“It’s really fun. It never gets boring. The company and base are growing — there are plenty of career opportunities.”

His own career has progressed rapidly: he’s now a line trainer and part of the recruitment team. He particularly values Wizz Air’s fixed roster and confirmed staff travel benefits.

“I didn’t know how long I’d stay, but this is the longest I’ve been with any airline in my 15-year career. That says a lot.”

Wizz Air also fosters a “just culture”, encouraging learning without blame.

“We all make mistakes. Instead of punishment, we focus on learning from them.”

Starting your journey

Wizz Air will host Virtual Open Days for pilots on November 12th, where you can learn more about the recruitment process, salaries, rosters, and retention bonuses.

Wizz Air pilot benefits include:

Basic salary increase for Captains after each 1,000 hours flown with Wizz Air

Fast career progression (Safety Captain, Instructor, Management Pilot)

Travel benefits on Wizz Air flights

World-class training on a modern Airbus fleet

A financially secure, growing airline with one of Europe’s greenest operations

Indefinite contract with loss of licence, travel and life insurance
Ready to apply? Visit onedoor.wizzair.com to start your pilot journey

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