European pop icon INNA, best known for her 2008 smash hit ‘Hot’, has released a Wizz Air-themed song as part of a collab with the Hungary-based low-cost airline.
The 39-year-old singer, born Elena Alexandra Apostoleanu, released the “feel-good summer anthem” Wizz Away on June 12, with the accompanying music video, perhaps unsurprisingly, filmed in front of a Wizz Air airplane at Bucharest Otopeni Airport.
“‘Wizz Away’ captures one of my greatest passions: traveling,” INNA commented after the song was released on Friday evening. “Every new place brings me inspiration, energy, and stories that stay with me wherever I go. I wanted this song to reflect the sense of freedom, excitement, and adventure that comes with discovering the world and embracing new experiences.”
Hopeful that the song will become the track of the summer, the collab could be a clever marketing stunt for Wizz Air, which, in recent years, has struggled to maintain momentum in its battle with arch-rival Ryanair.
Founded in 2003 by József Váradi, the budget airline quickly grew to become the largest low-cost carrier in Eastern and Central Europe. However, a highly publicized expansion into Abu Dhabi threw the airline off course, and, late last year, Váradi announced the Persian Gulf venture was to be shuttered.
Váradi is now concentrating on Wizz Air’s core European market, although, earlier this year, Wizz Air submitted an application with the US Department of Transportation (DOT) for permission to operate transatlantic flights between the UK and the United States.
The application could be purely speculative, and the airline hasn’t announced any concrete plans to launch low-cost transatlantic flights.
Despite ongoing issues with the Pratt & Whitney engines that power its fleet of Airbus A320neo aircraft, the airline continues to try to differentiate itself from rival budget carriers. Last week, the airline announced it would become the first ultra-low-cost airline in Europe to launch high-speed Starlink internet across its fleet, beginning in 2027.
The deal could prove a game-changer, with Ryanair dismissing the idea of installing Starlink, or any other in-flight Wi-Fi service for that matter, on its aircraft. EasyJet has yet to join the in-flight Wi-Fi pack, although Wizz Air faces competition from Eurowings and Vueling, which will also offer Starlink in the coming years.
