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Low-cost carrier Wizz Air has announced it will suspend operations at its Abu Dhabi-based subsidiary from September 1, 2025, marking the end of a four-year venture in the Middle East.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture with the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ), launched in January 2021 with ambitions to shake up regional air travel using a low-cost model. However, the airline confirmed this week that it would withdraw from the UAE, citing a range of operational and market-related challenges.
Airbus A321neo A6-WZB of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi on the apron at Abu Dhabi Airport (Wizz Air Hungary Ltd., distributed under a CC BY-SA 4.0 Licence)
In a statement, Wizz Air said the decision followed a “comprehensive reassessment of market dynamics, operational challenges, and geopolitical developments in the Middle East.” The airline pointed to three main factors behind the closure:
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Ongoing engine reliability issues in harsh desert conditions,
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Geopolitical instability and associated airspace closures,
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And regulatory barriers which have limited access to key growth markets such as India and Pakistan.
Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi said the carrier had enjoyed a “tremendous journey” in the region and praised the team in Abu Dhabi, but added that changing circumstances had made it “increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions.”
The carrier will now refocus its attention and resources on its core European markets, particularly in Central and Eastern Europe, while also strengthening its presence in Austria, Italy, and the UK. The airline continues to operate other subsidiaries, including Wizz Air Malta and Wizz Air UK.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has operated a fleet of Airbus A321neo aircraft and served destinations across the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of Europe. Its first flight took off in January 2021 to Athens, Greece. Despite expanding its network in recent years, the airline has remained loss-making since its launch. Financial figures released earlier this year revealed a net loss of €39.3 million in FY2024/25, alongside growing taxation pressures in the UAE and a decline in Wizz Air Group’s overall profits.
Wizz Air’s exit from Abu Dhabi underscores the increasing difficulties some foreign low-cost carriers face in scaling operations in the Gulf region, particularly amid tight bilateral agreements and emerging regional competition.
As of now, all Wizz Air Abu Dhabi routes and locally based operations are expected to cease by September 1, with further details on aircraft and crew redeployment likely to emerge in the coming weeks.
