Wizz Air To Exit Abu Dhabi Operations Due To Sand In Engines And Geopolitical Tensions

Wizz Air will officially extremity operating retired of Abu Dhabi from September 1, 2025, blaming utmost godforsaken conditions, motor issues, and increasing geopolitical instability successful nan Middle East.

The Hungarian low-cost hose confirmed nan shutdown of its Wizz Air Abu Dhabi associated task aft “a broad reassessment of marketplace dynamics, operational challenges, and geopolitical developments successful nan Middle East,” according to a institution statement.

Harsh godforsaken conditions damaging Wizz Air aircraft

Wizz Air cited terrible motor degradation caused by soil and precocious temperatures successful nan region. Its Airbus A320 jets, powered by Pratt & Whitney GTF engines, person suffered from accelerated deterioration and tear owed to soil particles and utmost heat, which nan institution said tin origin engines to deteriorate up to 3 times faster than successful Europe.

“The basking and harsh climate” accrued moving costs and forced nan hose to crushed aggregate aircraft, severely affecting its expertise to present low-cost flights, according to The Telegraph.

Conflict and closures disrupt airspace

Wizz Air besides pointed to nan “growing geopolitical instability” successful nan region, particularly amid nan ongoing conflict betwixt Iran and Israel, which has led to repeated airspace closures and plummeting user demand.

Wizz Air had already suspended immoderate operations owed to information and reliability issues pursuing Iranian strikes connected a US guidelines successful Qatar, which triggered impermanent airspace shutdowns by Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait.

Wizz Air CEO comments

In a statement, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi acknowledged nan trouble of nan move, but insisted it was necessary:

“While this was a difficult decision, it is nan correct 1 fixed nan circumstances. We proceed to attraction connected our halfway markets and connected initiatives that heighten Wizz Air’s customer proposition and build shareholder value.

The operating situation has changed significantly. Supply concatenation constraints, geopolitical instability and constricted marketplace entree person made it progressively difficult to prolong our original ambitions.”

Launched successful November 2020, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi was a associated task betwixt Wizz Air Holdings and Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealthiness money ADQ, pinch nan purpose of serving nan Middle East, Africa, and Indian subcontinent. ADQ owned 51 per cent of nan venture.

Despite plans to grow to 100 craft complete 15 years, nan cognition peaked astatine 12 planes and 23 routes, pinch services mostly to Eastern Europe.

Wizz Air will now refocus connected Europe, pinch plans to grow operations successful Central and Eastern Europe, and selective Western markets for illustration nan UK, Italy, and Austria.

Flights from European hubs to nan Middle East, including routes from London to Saudi Arabia and Jordan, will proceed unaffected.

With astir 700 labor affected by nan Wizz Air Abu Dhabi exit, questions stay astir early staffing and imaginable redeployments.

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