You will have to wait a bit longer to board the purple plane
Wizz Air has postponed the launch of several planned routes to Abu Dhabi, with services originally scheduled to begin in late October now delayed until January 10, 2027.
The airline said the decision was made in response to the latest aviation safety guidance from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), as the continued closure of Iraqi airspace has affected flight routes and operating costs.
The delayed services include planned connections between Abu Dhabi and cities in Poland, Bulgaria, Romania, Cyprus and Hungary.
In a statement to The National, Wizz Air said longer flight paths caused by the closure of Iraqi airspace would require technical refuelling stops for the A321neo aircraft operating the services.
“The continued closure of Iraqi airspace requires longer routings and technical refuelling stops for the A321neo aircraft operating these services. Combined with current fuel prices, this makes the affected routes commercially unviable under present conditions,” the airline said.
Wizz Air’s winter expansion on hold
The Abu Dhabi services were part of a wider expansion announced by Wizz Air, which planned to restore 12 routes and 49 weekly flights to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Jordan during the winter season.
From Abu Dhabi, the planned routes and dates were:
- Budapest – four flights per week from 25 October
- Katowice – five flights per week from 25 October
- Cluj – two flights per week from 27 October
- Krakow – three flights per week from 27 October
- Sofia – three flights per week from 27 October
- Larnaca – three flights per week from 27 October
The programme was expected to provide around 470,000 seats across services connecting the region with nine European cities.
The latest delay comes as airlines continue to adjust their operations across the Middle East amid ongoing airspace restrictions and regional security concerns.
Wizz Air has also suspended flights to Jordan until October 25, after the country’s airspace was included on EASA’s latest conflict-zone information bulletin under its “do not operate” guidance.
The airline said affected passengers would be contacted directly about their options and that it would continue to monitor the situation ahead of the revised January launch date.
Wizz Air’s return to Abu Dhabi
The planned routes form part of Wizz Air’s broader return to the UAE after Wizz Air Abu Dhabi ceased its locally based operations.
The Abu Dhabi-based subsidiary operated from the capital for five years before announcing in July 2025 that it would suspend all locally based services, citing operational challenges and geopolitical instability.
Wizz Air subsequently announced plans to resume a number of services operated by its European business, including flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
The latest postponement means travellers will now have to wait until January 2027 for the affected Abu Dhabi routes to launch, subject to any further changes to aviation safety guidance and operating conditions.
For further information, visit wizzair.com
