Wizz Air Denies Accusations of Stranding Ukrainian Refugees in Budapest Over Bag Size Dispute

 Wizz Air has refuted claims that it unjustly stranded a group of Ukrainian refugees at Budapest Airport over a disagreement regarding their luggage. The incident, which involved refugees fleeing the war-torn region of Sumy in Ukraine, has sparked controversy, with allegations that the airline attempted to charge the passengers extra for baggage that had already been paid for and other baggage met the airline's size requirements.

The refugees, en route to the UK, found themselves stranded after Wizz Air staff reportedly refused to allow their luggage on board without additional fees.

Bag Clearly Fits - Although Wizz Air Staff Wanted To Charge

 The airline, however, has defended its actions, stating that the passengers arrived at the boarding gate with three large carry-on bags, despite having purchased a service for a “10kg checked-in bag,” which required the bags to be checked in prior to reaching the gate.

A Wizz Air spokesperson responded to Global247news, saying, “Their luggage exceeded the allowed size for a standard carry-on bag (max. size 40 x 30 x 20 cm, as stated clearly on the Wizz Air website). They were informed by screening agents that these exceeded the allowed size and would require an additional fee to bring them on board. The passengers were given time to decide how to proceed, but they chose to act uncooperatively and obstructed the boarding process for other passengers.”

The spokesperson added that after the passengers allegedly continued to act aggressively, the decision was made to deny them boarding. “Following gate closure, the passengers continued to act aggressively towards our staff, who remained calm and respectful throughout the incident. We do not tolerate any aggressive behaviour towards our staff or passengers.”

However, an eyewitness account from Simon Coombes, a Welshman from Pontypridd who was present at the airport, directly contradicts Wizz Air's narrative.

Coombes, who was waiting for his Ryanair flight nearby, observed the entire incident and disputed the airline’s claims.

“The Wizz Air statement is not factually correct. I witnessed it all. The passengers tried to explain that they were told by staff at self-check-in to take the bag to departures. The remaining bags were of correct size and fitted the baggage size test frames,” he said.

Coombes described the behaviour of the Wizz Air staff as “abrupt” and “untruthful,” noting that the staff member insisted a bag didn’t fit into the baggage frame when it clearly did. He emphasised that the refugees were not aggressive and did not block other passengers, calling the airline's statement “total fabrication.”

Global247news reporters who investigated further also confirmed that the bags in question fit within the airline’s size requirements, contradicting Wizz Air's claims. The reporters even replicated the situation using the same type of travel bag, which was deemed acceptable by a Wizz Air operative.

Wizz Air Operative confirms to British Global247news reporter the bag fits and no extra charge required.

Moreover, video footage of the incident has emerged, showing the refugees interacting calmly with the airline staff, who allegedly refused to engage with them or answer their questions. The footage, now sent to Wizz Air for a response, appears to support the refugees' version of events and further calls into question the accuracy of Wizz Air's official statement.

Petra Of Wizz Air Who Blatantly Looks Out Of Window As Refugees Try To Explain.  - Video Evidence Shows Passengers Were Not Aggressive Despite Wizz Air Claims. 

At the time of publication, Wizz Air has yet to respond to the video evidence or address the discrepancies in their account of the incident. The situation has drawn significant attention, with calls for the airline to compensate the refugees for their ordeal.

Simon Coombes has offered to provide testimony in a UK court if the matter escalates to legal action, reinforcing his belief that the refugees were unfairly treated.

A reply from Wizz Air is expected in due course.

Although, since publication, many Ukrainian's have come forward to express and describe their poor experiences, travelling through Budapest en route to safety in the UK, via Wizz Air.

Some feel it's a racist issue at the Hungarian Airport, as Hungary is the only European Country to support Russia in the ongoing conflict, judging by the ignorance and rudeness of the staff to the Ukrainians it appears plausible and Global247news continues to investigate those claims. 

We await response from Wizzair regards the video evidence prior to publication.