DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Low-cost carrier Wizz Air said on Monday that it plans to suspend all locally based flight operations out of Abu Dhabi as geopolitics and operational developments test its margins.
Zayed International Airport, in the Emirati capital, has long been overshadowed by its successful Dubai neighbor, the world’s busiest for international travel.
Wizz Air’s decision to end operations out of its hub in Abu Dhabi, effective Sept. 1, comes as it aims to focus on its core markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Hungarian company said in a post on X. The announcement follows last month’s 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which shook the region and sent airlines scrambling amid airspace closures.
In a statement, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said the company has had “a tremendous journey in the Middle East.” But, he added, “the operating environment has changed significantly.”
“Supply chain constraints,