Wizz Air is set to resume flights to Abu Dhabi later this year, just weeks after closing its UAE-based joint venture (JV) as part of a network realignment focused on core European markets.
Schedules on the airline’s website show that Wizz Air Hungary will launch Abu Dhabi flights from Larnaca, Cyprus, on Nov. 15 and from Sofia, Bulgaria, on Nov. 17. The Larnaca route will operate four times per week using Airbus A321ceos, while the Sofia service will be 3X-weekly with A321neos.
The flights mark the carrier’s return to the UAE capital following the Sept. 1 closure of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a JV with Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ launched in 2021.
The Hungarian ULCC announced in July that it would exit the venture, citing engine issues, supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability and limited market access that made it “increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions.”
The relaunch of flights from Larnaca and Sofia represents a scaled-back re-entry into Abu Dhabi, with operations now managed under Wizz Air Hungary’s air operator certificate. The airline previously operated both routes under its Abu Dhabi unit but suspended Sofia services in June and Larnaca at the end of August.
The decision to close the Abu Dhabi subsidiary followed ongoing engine reliability issues affecting Wizz Air’s A320neo-family fleet—particularly in what CEO József Váradi described as “hot and harsh environments.” Those conditions, he said, prompted a shift toward “benign network opportunities” across Europe.
Before its closure, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operated 12 aircraft—eight A321ceos and four A321neos—accounting for about 9% of seat capacity at Abu Dhabi International Airport, behind Etihad Airways and Air Arabia Abu Dhabi. The airline carried 3.5 million passengers in 2024, up 20% year-on-year.
As reported by Aviation Week on Oct. 7, Wizz Air does not expect all its Airbus A320neo-family aircraft to return to service until the end of 2027, according to CFO Ian Malin. The carrier has 38 aircraft grounded.
He also reiterated that Wizz Air’s strategy is now focused on consolidating strength in core markets, mainly Central and Eastern Europe. The airline in September confirmed plans to scale back operations in Vienna and in July said it intended to reduce its A321XLR order from 47 to no more than 15 aircraft.
Wizz Air has been contacted for comment on the planned return to Abu Dhabi.
Related Content
