Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to launch in H2 2020

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will take to the skies in the second half of 2020.

The announcement followed a definitive agreement between Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADDH) and European carrier Wizz Air Holdings to co-establish Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, official news agency WAM reported.

According to the outline deal announced in December last year, the airline will be 51 per cent Abu Dhabi owned, and will commence flying with a fleet of three new Airbus SE A321neos, increasing to 50 planes over 10 years.

Read: Wizz Air to launch new discount carrier in Abu Dhabi

The low-cost airline, set to launch its operations at the Abu Dhabi International Airport later this year, will offers low fares coupled with quality in-flight experiences across multiple destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

In addition, it will focus on establishing routes to markets in which Wizz Air has existing, high growth operations, such as Central, Eastern and Western Europe.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s recruitment activities are expected to begin in the coming months, which will embolden the capital’s  economy.

The announcement is also in line with Abu Dhabi’s Dhs50bn accelerator programme, Ghadan 21, aimed to foster the emirate’s development via investments in business, innovation and people, the statement said.

“Tourism is a high priority in Abu Dhabi’s growth strategy. Significant investment is going not only into our airports but also the tourist infrastructure, including hotels, resorts and cultural attractions,” said Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, CEO, ADDH.

“Last year the emirate achieved a record high of 11.35 million visitors and a key driver for this is the connectivity that enables people to visit Abu Dhabi easily and affordably. Our partnerships with Wizz Air and others will help elevate the UAE’s capital as a highly competitive regional and international destination for leisure and business travellers alike.”

Jozsef Varadi, CEO, Wizz Air Holdings, added: “The joint venture agreement with Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company to form Wizz Air Abu Dhabi underpins our long-term dedication to bringing an economically and operationally highly efficient as well as environmentally most sustainable airline business model to boost Abu Dhabi’s aviation development.”