Wizz Air to offer Israel's first direct flight to Abu Dhabi
The airline will offer four round-trip flights a week in February, and then begin daily flights starting in March.
By ZEV STUBWizz Air to offer Israel's first direct flight to Abu Dhabi.(photo credit: Courtesy)
Wizz Air's new Emirati subsidiary will offer Israelis their first direct flight to Abu Dhabi starting February 12, the budget air carrier announced Thursday.The airline will offer four round-trip flights a week in February, and then begin daily flights starting in March. Tickets are already on sale on Wizz Air's web site, with fares starting at NIS 89, the company said. Most flights listed on the web site are about NIS 199 each way, with surcharges for checked luggage.Since Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced their normalization agreement, Israeli airlines El Al, Israir, and Arkia have all launched regular flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai, as has government-owned flydubai. This is the first route from Israel to the UAE's capital city and second-most-populous city, which is about a 90-minute drive from Dubai. Other routes are expected to be launched by Etihad and Emirates Airlines soon.Wizz AIr noted that it has begun enhanced hygiene measures for sanitized travel on all flights. The Abu Dhabi route will use four brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft, giving it the lowest environmental footprint among its competitors in the region, it added.Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a new joint venture between Wizz Air and state-owned ADQ, one of the Gulf region's largest holding companies. The airline's first-ever flight is scheduled for Friday, January 15, with a flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Athens. The airline will add a route to Thessaloniki on February 4, with more European destinations expected in the coming months.
