Wizz Air Abu Dhabi completes maiden flight

The airline flew to Greece from Abu Dhabi

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a joint venture between the Hungarian budget airline and Abu Dhabi state holding company ADQ. Alamy

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi completed its maiden flight on Friday as it flew from Abu Dhabi to touch down in Athens, Greece.

The airline, which operated an Airbus A321neo on its first route, took off at 12.30pm local time from Abu Dhabi International Airport, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said in a statement on Saturday.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s initial route network includes Athens, Thessaloniki, Alexandria, Kutaisi, Larnaca, Odesa and Yerevan. It is aiming to add Tel Aviv by mid-February.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between the Hungarian budget airline and Abu Dhabi state holding company ADQ, is part of Abu Dhabi's push to diversify its economy, boost tourism and enhance its air connectivity.

The airline, which taps into budget-conscious segment of travellers, aims to carry one million passengers in the first 12 months of its operations through a network of 13 destinations if Covid-19 travel restrictions ease, its managing director told The National on Thursday.

"In a situation where the restrictions are mostly removed we have targeted around the one million passenger mark after a 12-month period [and] we will do so with four to six aircraft for that passenger volume," Kees Van Schaick said. "It all depends on the speed of recovery when we can start delivering those targets."

Earlier this month, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi said it was offering Dh1 ticket on its inaugural service to Greece. More than 3,000 promotional tickets sold out in just a few hours, it added.

Meanwhile, the airline said its fares to flights on Tel Aviv- Abu Dhabi route would start at Dh99.

• 

  Wizz Air flies to a host of Eastern European destinations, including Katowice, Budapest, Bucharest (pictured), Clus-Napoca and Sofia direct from Abu Dhabi

• 

  Whether you base yourself in Buda or Pest, the Hungarian capital offers nature-filled activities, cycles along the Danube and the chance to dip in ancient thermal baths. Courtesy Pixlr

• 

  Romania's Cluj-Napoca is known for its boho cafes and summertime festivals. Courtesy Vlad Alexandru Popa

• 

  Sofia offers open-air markets, ancient ruins, golden-dome topped churches and Ottoman mosques coupled with a surprisingly laid-back vibe for a capital city. Courtesy Sofia Hotel Balkan, a Luxury Collection Hotel / Marriott

• 

  Katowice has an industrial past combined with a thriving arts scene and buzzing foodie culture. Courtesy Silesian Tourist Information System