Wizz Air offers £80 Tel Aviv flights after British Airways cancels ‘mistake fares’ bookings

The airline is selling cheap, no frills seats from Luton Airport

Wizz Air has capitalised on BA's PR mishap (AFP/Getty)

As anger grows at the cancellation by British Airways of thousands of tickets that were sold too cheaply, a rival airline has stepped in to capitalise on BA’s misfortune.

Wizz Air, the Hungarian budget airline, is offering disappointed British Airways passengers flights from Luton to Tel Aviv for £80 each way.

The fares are for travel up to 21 July 2018 and are “subject to availability”, according to the airline.

Many passengers had booked for later in the year, however. The lowest Heathrow-Tel Aviv fare known to The Independent is £167 return with Wizz Air. BA said the fares were “manifestly incorrect” and issued refunds, along with a £100 voucher for future travel.

Bookings must be made by Sunday 25 June 2018, and customers will need to provide evidence of the cancelled BA booking.

Wizz Air’s chief corporate officer, Owain Jones, said: “Wizz Air is delighted to give new customers who’ve been left in the lurch following the cancellation of their BA flights to Tel Aviv the opportunity to break with tradition.

“We’re confident that our new customers will realise that there’s no need to pay high prices to travel to some of the most exciting destinations in Europe and beyond.”

While British Airways offers long-haul standards on its flights from Heathrow to Tel Aviv, Wizz Air is a budget offering using narrow-bodied Airbus jets.