WizzAir: Cork to Krakow

The carrier: WizzAir

Upside
Cheap fares and long destination tally lifts Wizz Air into the first tier.

Downside
Route map is more or less restricted to east-west routes. Delays and cancellations are announced at the last minute and left unexplained.

About
In June of 2003, six airline pros joined forces with Jozsef Varadi (the current CEO of WizzAir) to start WizzAir; within three months, WizzAir was ready for takeoff.

Polish-Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air has joined the big leagues. With an impressive destination tally and a whopping 10 UK airports served, Wizz is one of Europe's first tier of budget airlines. On a fare by fare basis, Wizz offers among the very cheapest airfares in Europe.

Wizz Air's route map ranges across western and central Europe, and its routes are mostly set up on an east-west axis, not a north-south one.

Baggage
* Carry-on: One item up to 10 kg and one personal item.
* Checked: Up to 20 kg of luggage and each piece of luggage is charged at the rate of €7.5. Over this limit, you will be charged €10 per kg. If you check luggage after booking you will be charged €15 for each piece.

Seating
Wizz operates on the first-come first-serve basis at check-in. Seats with extra legroom are €5 in advance or at the airport for €10.

Tip
Opt for "pre-boarding", when you book on-line or via the call center, by paying a nominal fee (ranging from €2.5 to €5). In this case, you’ll be called to board before other passengers. Wizz-bang!
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Departure: Cork, Ireland (ORK)

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Arrival: Krakow, Poland - Krakow (KRK)

Krakow Airport, the gateway to Poland's most important tourist city, is very friendly to low-cost airlines. We count almost a dozen that fly in or out of Krakow; among these, easyJet and Ryanair fly the most routes. Krakow Airport is located 11 km (7 miles) west of the city.

Transportation: The train link between the airport and the Krakow train station costs PLN4 (€1.10; $1.60) and takes 15 minutes; the bus link costs PLN2.50 (€.70; $1) and takes 40 minutes. Note that the airport train station is a short distance away from the airport; a bus connects the two.
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