Wizz Air Abu Dhabi delays launch due to pandemic, offers 120 per cent credit refund

The UAE's sixth airline has postponed operations until October 16

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has received its air operator certificate from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority. Alamy

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between the Hungarian budget airline and Abu Dhabi state holding company ADQ, has delayed its launch date.

The low-cost airline was due to begin flying from the UAE capital on Thursday, October 1, with six new routes set to connect Abu Dhabi with Europe and Egypt.

Citing the pandemic, the airline has delayed its start date by two weeks, with the first flight now scheduled for Wednesday, October 16.

Travellers who had booked tickets for flights arriving or departing Abu Dhabi in the first two weeks of October, will be refunded 120 per cent of their fare if they opt for Wizz Air credit.

"Due to prevailing Covid-19-related travel restrictions, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi informs its passengers that it will postpone the launch of its operations by two weeks to October 16, 2020," a spokesperson for the airline told The National.

The airline is planning to fly to Alexandria in Egypt, Greek capital Athens, Kutaisi in Georgia, Larnaca on the southern coast of Cyprus, the Black Sea port city of Odessa in Ukraine and Armenia's capital Yerevan. Tickets were already on sale with one-way fares on the budget airline starting from Dh129.

Passengers who are affected by the delay in operations will automatically be credited with 120 per cent of their original fare amount on their Wizz account.

This can be used to pay for any Wizz Air flight or service for up to two years. Travellers who do not wish to rebook their flight or use the Wizz Air credit, can apply instead for a cash refund instead, and will be given 100 per cent of their fare value.

"Although it is beyond the airline’s control, Wizz Air sincerely apologises for the inconvenience caused," added the spokesperson.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi took delivery of its first Airbus A321 Neo at Abu Dhabi International Airport last week.

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The six cities Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will fly to

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will launch flights to Greece's Thessaloniki on February 4, 2021. All images courtesy Unsplash

Budapest is also on the radar for Wizz Air Abu Dhabi. Getty Images

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will fly to Egypt's Alexandria.

Poland's Katowice is the capital of the Silesian province and has a blossoming food scene, plenty of greenery and a backdrop of Beskidy mountains.

Sofia offers open-air markets, Ottoman mosques and lots of natural scenery. Getty Images

The rooftops of Cluj-Napoca, the largest city in Transylvania and the second-largest in Romania. Dan Tautan / Visit Cluj

Wizz Air will fly to Bucharest direct from Abu Dhabi.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is set to fly to Israel from February.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will fly to Athens, from January 15 with one-way fares from Dh129.

Flights to Larnaca in Cyprus are also on the radar.

Ukraine's Odessa is famed for its Black Sea coastline and is set to join the Wizz Air Abu Dhabi network.

Yerevan is a growing contender on Europe's adventure travel circuit and another destination that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi plans to fly to. Unsplash

Georgia's Kutaisi also features in the Wizz Air Abu Dhabi network.