Doncaster airline Wizz Air says 90% of its crew are now vaccinated

Europe’s fastest growing airline and which has a major base at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, had imposed a December 1 deadline requiring flight and cabin crew to be vaccinated or get regularly tested at their own cost, unless they recently recovered from COVID-19.

The requirement underpins the airline’s commitment to protecting the health and safety of its passengers and employees.

Following an announcement in September to introduce COVID-19 vaccines for all its flight and cabin crews, the airline said its vaccination rate is ahead of the average vaccination rate in most of its markets.

The policy does not mandate vaccination, however crew members who are not vaccinated will have to cover the cost of their own testing. Unvaccinated crew members, who can provide medical proof of exemption, will be able take antigen/PCR tests on a regular basis.

The decision to require crew to have the vaccine reflects research which demonstrates it as the best form of protection against COVID-19.

Wizz Air has also organised regular webinars and one-to-one consultations with virologists to educate staff about vaccines and answer any questions employees might have.

Johan Eidhagen, Chief People Officer of Wizz Air Group said: “We are pleased to announce that 90% of our flight and cabin crew members are already vaccinated. At the start of the pandemic, we led the industry with our stringent health and safety measures, as we fully understand the responsibility to protect crew and passengers onboard by mitigating the risks of COVID-19, and we recognise the crucial role that the vaccine plays in this.”