Wizz Air will stop flying to a holiday hotspot loved by Brits within months. The budget airline announced it would cancel all flights to Abu Dhabi from September 1, 2025, and it would refund all customers with pre-existing bookings.
The low-cost airline operated in the hotspot for six years with hopes of expanding into the Middle East, but geopolitical instability has made this impossible. It said this had led to repeated airspace closures around Abu Dhabi, hitting demand, while the impact of the hot environment in the Middle East impacted engine efficiency, making it hard for the carrier to operate its low-cost model.
In a statement, Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi said: “Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has faced increasing operational challenges over the past year, including engine reliability constraints, particularly in hot and harsh environments; geopolitical volatility, which has led to repeated airspace closures and disruptions across the region; and regulatory barriers, which have limited our ability to access and scale in key markets.
“Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability, and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions. While this was a difficult decision, it is the right one given the circumstances.”
The company said it would instead concentrate on its “core strength and focus in central and eastern Europe and select western European markets”.
Shares in the London-listed airline were down about 62% over the last two years.
It has been plagued by issues with a key supplier Pratt & Whitney, which announced plans to recall its engines over fears of failure, leading led to Wizz Air having to ground some of its aircraft, from a fleet of around 280.
The airline originally opened in Eastern Europe and expanded into Italy, Britain, and Austria before launching in Abu Dhabi.