Wizz Air Abu Dhabi plots limited 1Q21 launch

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi (WAZ, Abu Dhabi Int’l) has announced that it would launch on January 15, 2021, following a series of delays caused by the ongoing COVID-related travel restrictions. The low-cost carrier will initially limit its network of scheduled flights out of Abu Dhabi Int’l to Athens Int’l. On February 4, 2021, it will launch services to Thessaloniki. Initially, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi planned to launch on October 1, 2020, with its network comprising flights to Athens, Alexandria Borg el Arab, Kutaisi, Larnaca, Odesa, and Yerevan. It received its Air Operator’s Certificate with a delay on October 20 but could not launch due to the prevailing travel restrictions. It now said that it remained committed to the announced network and it will launch all routes “as each destination joins the ‘green countries’ list”. The start-up, a 30/70 joint venture between Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADQ) and Wizz Air Holdings, has so far taken deliveries of three A321-200NXs. It will be the third unit operating under the Wizz Air brand, after Wizz Air (W6, Budapest) and Wizz Air UK (W9, London Luton), as well as the second low-cost carrier based out of the UAE’s capital after Air Arabia Abu Dhabi (3L, Abu Dhabi Int’l).