Wizz Air has just announced the suspension of its Abu Dhabi operations as part of a strategic realignment, citing multiple reasons such as market dynamics, operational challenges and geopolitical fluctuations in the Middle East.
The airline is exiting its Abu Dhabi joint venture, seeking to refocus on the more stable and profitable Europe. In a market filing, the London-listed Wizz Air announced that it is going to suspend all locally based operations of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi from September 1.
Wizz Air to exit Abu Dhabi operations: Impact on tickets already bought
József Váradi, CEO of Wizz Air, noted in a statement on social media: “Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions.”
Wizz Air is aligning its focus on its core markets and on programmes that enhance the airline’s customer proposition and build shareholder value. In the recent past, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has faced a number of increasing operational challenges, including
- engine reliability constraints, especially in hot and harsh conditions
- geopolitical fluctuations, leading to repeated airspace closures and operational disruptions, and affecting consumer demand
- regulatory barriers
Wizz Air Passengers holding existing bookings beyond August 31, 2025, shall be contacted directly on their email. You can get options for refunds or travel arrangements. Customers booking through third-party entities are requested to contact their agents.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi update: No impact on others flights of Wizz Air group
Wizz Air is operating cheap flights from Abu Dhabi to a number of destinations across the globe, including Salalah in Oman, Cairo in Egypt, Yerevan in Armenia, Baku in Azerbaijan, Beirut in Lebanon, Medina in Saudi Arabia, and Tashkent in Uzbekistan.
The suspension of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operations has been blamed on three factors, already highlighted in this article. The airline is famous for ensuring a more flexible, reliable and affordable experience for its customers.
In 2024, Wizz Air operated more than 19,000 flights, offering more than 4.4 million seats and carrying more than 3.5 million point-to-point passengers, contributing to Abu Dhabi airport’s traffic. It carried more than 1.2 million international passengers to Abu Dhabi.
Wizz Air’s promotional airfare starting from Dh79 has been immensely popular among UAE tourists and residents alike. The airline also introduced the region’s first flight subscription models, that got sold out a couple of times in less than 48 hours.
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