ABU DHABI— Wizz Air (W6) has delayed the return of six services to Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH), moving their planned launch from late October to January 10, 2027. The decision affects flights linking the UAE capital with Budapest, Katowice, Krakow, Sofia, Cluj and Larnaca.
The Hungarian low-cost carrier had planned to restore 20 weekly flights across the six Abu Dhabi routes as part of a wider Middle East schedule announced in September. Wizz Air now says the latest European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) security update and continued restrictions on Iraqi airspace have made the original operating plan impractical.
Abu Dhabi Routes Delayed Again Until January
The six services were scheduled to return in two stages. Budapest and Katowice were due to restart on October 25, while Krakow, Sofia, Cluj and Larnaca were planned for October 27.
The revised January 10 date applies to all six routes. The delay changes a planned 20-flight weekly programme that was expected to reconnect Abu Dhabi with several Central and Eastern European markets during the 2026-27 winter season.
The postponement also follows Wizz Air’s broader return to the region. Its September plan covered 12 routes and 49 weekly flights across the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Jordan, with about 470,000 seats planned for the winter period.
Iraq Airspace Restrictions Continue Into Winter
Wizz Air said the continued closure of Iraqi airspace is forcing aircraft to use longer routings. For Airbus A321neo aircraft operating the affected services, those routings can also require technical refuelling stops.
The airline said higher fuel prices, combined with the additional operational requirements, have made the affected Abu Dhabi routes commercially unviable under current conditions.
The decision therefore links the schedule change directly to both airspace restrictions and operating economics.
EASA’s current conflict-zone framework includes an active advisory covering Iraqi airspace, while separate advisories remain in place for several other parts of the Middle East and Gulf region.
The agency’s advisories are reviewed as security conditions change, leaving airlines to adjust schedules and operating plans accordingly.
Passenger Impact From Delayed Flights
Travellers who booked the affected flights for late October will now face a significant schedule change. Wizz Air said it will contact affected customers directly with information about their available options.
The airline’s Abu Dhabi return is also different from the former Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operation, which ended in September 2025. The latest services are part of Wizz Air’s European network rather than a revival of the locally based Abu Dhabi airline.
The delay illustrates the operational challenges airlines continue to face when rebuilding Middle East schedules. Even after announcing a route and opening bookings, carriers may need to revise launch dates when airspace restrictions alter flight paths, fuel requirements and overall operating costs.
For now, January 10, 2027 is the revised start date for Wizz Air’s six Abu Dhabi routes. The airline said it will continue monitoring regional conditions before the planned restart, Gulf News reported.
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