Wizz Air to exit Abu Dhabi

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air said it plans to suspend all locally based flight operations out of Abu Dhabi as geopolitics and operational developments test its margins.

Wizz Air’s decision to end operations out of its hub in Abu Dhabi, effective September 1, comes as it aims to focus on its core markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Hungarian company said.

As a result of the shutdown, flights operated by Wizz Air Abu Dhabi on various routes - including those to and from Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan - will be cancelled.

Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said the company has had “a tremendous journey in the Middle East.” But, he added, “the operating environment has changed significantly.”

“Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability, and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions,” Váradi said.

Wizz Air said the move would free up resources that would be redeployed to “regions with greater long-term potential for sustainable growth and profitability.”