The whirlwind rate of vaccination in Israel and the United Arab Emirates has motivated the new airline, launching tomorrow, to change its plans and offer flights to Tel Aviv as early as next month.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, the new low-cost carrier of the UAE, expects to start operating a route to Tel Aviv on February 12, as the company confirmed today. “The airline will be launched tomorrow, January 15, with a debut flight to Athens, as announced, and we plan to expand our routes next month, in accordance with travel restrictions,” said Kees Van Schaick, Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.
Inaugural flights on the second route to Thessaloniki are scheduled for February 4, and the third destination of the new airline will be Tel Aviv, subject to entry restrictions. The company is set to offer four weekly flights on this route, gradually increasing to a daily flight, with fares scheduled to start at 99 AED (around 27 USD).
Wizz Air offers passengers a wide range of advanced hygiene and safety measures. All passengers are required to wear masks at all times during the flight, and the flight crew are also required to wear gloves. Upon boarding, the crew distributes wet wipes, all magazines have been removed from the plane, all Duty Free purchases are contactless, and passengers must adhere to the new social distancing guidelines when boarding and disembarking. The company also recommends that passengers complete online and ahead of time all check-in procedures and purchase of extra services, such as additional luggage, to reduce interaction at the airport.
“We are living in a dynamic environment. Just because entry restrictions are removed in one destination, it doesn’t mean that it is the same in the other country. So we are monitoring the situation daily,” said Kees van Schaick. “With an increase in vaccination programs in the GCC and Israel, we hope that more countries will be added to the green list. Short-haul will recover first and the GCC is a priority for us.”
With a fleet including four new A321NEO aircraft, the airline aims to quickly expand its network from Abu Dhabi to destinations within a five-hour flight radius. The company’s network will later expand to 8-hour flight time, with the airline augmenting its fleet to include Airbus A321XLR aircraft. “Within the next 10 years, we expect to increase our fleet to 50 aircraft to improve connectivity from Abu Dhabi,” said Schaick.
“Low-cost penetration is currently at 5 percent in Abu Dhabi, hence we expect growth prospects to materialize. “We will offer the lowest fares in the market, but also quality product,” according to Schaick.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to launch the Tel Aviv route on February 12
