Wizz Air Abu Dhabi was formed through a joint venture between Wizz Air Holdings and ADQ, Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, with the objective of delivering affordable air travel across the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent. ADQ holds a majority 51% stake, while the remaining 49% is owned by Wizz Air Holdings.
Wizz Air has announced plans to halt all operations of its Abu Dhabi-based airline from September 1, 2025, as it realigns its strategic focus toward its primary European markets.
According to the airline, this decision comes after a thorough review of the regional market landscape and operational constraints in the Middle East. These include ongoing engine performance issues exacerbated by high temperatures, which have affected service reliability. Geopolitical instability has led to frequent airspace disruptions and declining travel demand, while regulatory challenges have limited the airline’s ability to expand in critical markets.
Wizz Air noted that these factors have made it unsustainable to uphold its low-cost operating model in the region.
In line with this revised strategy, the airline intends to withdraw from the Wizz Air Abu Dhabi venture and reallocate assets to high-growth areas in Central and Eastern Europe, as well as select Western European countries such as Austria, Italy, and the UK.
Launched in November 2020 with two Airbus A321neo aircraft, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi had ambitious plans to grow its fleet to 50 aircraft over the coming years.
