Wizz Air closes Abu Dhabi subsidiary to focus on core European markets
Wizz Air has announced it is suspending operations at its Abu Dhabi (AUH) base from September 1, 2025.
The Budapest-based low-cost carrier has mentioned three main reasons for this decision in an official statement published on its digital channels on July 14, 2025.
Wizz Air Holdings PLC (“Wizz Air”) today announces a strategic realignment that reinforces the Company’s core strength and focus in Central and Eastern Europe and select Western European markets. This decision follows a comprehensive reassessment of market dynamics, operational… pic.twitter.com/KHYIvyIaWJ— Wizz Air (@wizzair) July 14, 2025The first of these is the fact that engine reliability issues, made worse by the hot weather conditions, have prevented the carrier from achieving the desired operational performance.
The other two relate to the challenging political and regulatory conditions in the region.
The carrier cited geopolitical instability and military conflicts, which have led to repeated airspace closures, and regulatory barriers which, Wizz Air alleges, have prevented it from fulfilling its growth plans in several markets.
Wizz Air set up its Abu Dhabi base in 2020, through a joint venture with a local partner, the government-owned Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ), which has a 51% share of the business.
As part of its withdrawal from the region, Wizz Air is also exiting this joint venture in order to focus its resources on continuing to grow in its core European markets.
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The airline has committed to rebooking or providing travel alternatives to customers that have booked flights for dates from September onwards and has advised those that book through intermediaries to contact them in order to be offered alternatives.
According to the ch-aviation database, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operated a fleet of 10 Airbus A321 aircraft (two of which were the “neo” version”) The Wizz Air subsidiary operated a network covering the Middle East, Central Asia and parts of Europe from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH). The post Wizz Air closes Abu Dhabi subsidiary to focus on core European markets appeared first on AeroTime.
Wizz Air has announced it is suspending operations at its Abu Dhabi (AUH) base from September 1, 2025. …
The post Wizz Air closes Abu Dhabi subsidiary to focus on core European markets appeared first on AeroTime.
