Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a low-cost airline from the United Arab Emirates, to start operations in the autumn
Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company (ADDH) announced on Monday that it has concluded a definitive agreement with its partner Wizz Air Holdings, Europe's greenest and fastest growing airline, to jointly establish Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. The low-cost airline will launch operations at Abu Dhabi International Airport in the autumn of 2020. The agreement is a major milestone in the launch of low-fare flights combined with a high-quality in-flight experience to a variety of destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi's recruitment activities will begin in the coming months. The agreement will create new job opportunities, boost the economy and attract more visitors to Abu Dhabi. The announcement is also in line with the Abu Dhabi Government's 'Ghadan 21' accelerator programme, which is driving the development of the emirate through investment in business, innovation and people.
According to the official Emirates news agency, following the agreement, the airline's development team has already started the process with the UAE's General Authority for Civil Aviation to obtain the Air Operator's Certificate and License. ADDH CEO Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi said: “Tourism is a very high priority in Abu Dhabi's growth strategy. Significant investment is being made not only in our airports but also in the tourism infrastructure, including hotels, resorts and cultural attractions. Last year, the emirate reached a record 11.35 million visitors and a key factor in this is connectivity to enable tourists to visit Abu Dhabi easily and economically. Our partnerships with Wizz Air and others will help elevate the UAE capital as a highly competitive regional and international destination for both business and leisure travellers”.
József Váradi, CEO of Wizz Air, said that this operation highlights his “long-term commitment to providing an airline business model that is more economically and operationally efficient, as well as more environmentally sustainable, and to driving the development of aviation in Abu Dhabi”. “We look forward to welcoming new passengers on board our young, green and ultra-efficient fleet very soon”.
Wizz Air is the largest low-cost carrier in Central and Eastern Europe and operates a fleet of 121 Airbus A320 aircraft, equipped with 180 seats, A321 aircraft with 230 seats and its new A321neo aircraft with 239 seats, from 25 bases to over 700 routes, connecting 155 destinations in 45 countries. Wizz Air flies in Spain from Madrid, Barcelona, Zaragoza, Malaga, Alicante, Tenerife, Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Valencia, Santander, Ibiza and Palma de Mallorca to various cities in Austria, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, Georgia, Macedonia and Lithuania.
A team of approximately 5,000 aviation professionals at Wizz Air strive to provide superior service and very low fares that make Wizz Air the preferred choice for over 37 million passengers in the last 12 months. The company is listed on the London Stock Exchange under the name WIZZ and is included in the FTSE 250 index and the TTSE All-Share.
