Wizz Air delays Abu Dhabi return to January 2027 amid airspace concerns

Dubai: Wizz Air has postponed the planned restart of six Abu Dhabi routes from late October to January 10, 2027. This could leave passengers  in a lurch, especially those who booked based on Wizz Air’s September announcement.

The airline had announced on September 10 that it would restore flights between Abu Dhabi and six European cities from October 25 and 27, as part of a wider return to the Middle East. The routes included Abu Dhabi-Krakow, Katowice, Sofia, Cluj, Larnaca and Budapest.

The decision follows the latest security assessment by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), with Wizz Air citing continued restrictions on Iraqi airspace as a key reason for delaying the services.

"Wizz Air confirms that it has postponed the launch of selected routes to Abu Dhabi (KRK, KTW, SOF, CLJ, LCA, BUD) scheduled to begin in late October, to 10 January 2027 as a result of EASA's latest security update," a Wizz Air spokesperson said.

The airline said the continued closure of Iraqi airspace means flights would have to take longer routes and make technical refuelling stops when operated by Airbus A321neo aircraft.

"Combined with current fuel prices, this makes the affected routes commercially unviable under present conditions," the spokesperson said.

The development comes weeks after Wizz Air announced its return to the UAE, with the airline originally planning 32 weekly flights across eight UAE routes, including six to Abu Dhabi and two to Dubai.

The latest decision highlights the difficulty airlines face in rebuilding international schedules even as airports in the region remain operational.

EASA has maintained conflict-zone advisories covering Iraq, Iran, Lebanon and parts of the Gulf. Its latest Jordan advisory was also extended to October 16, with the agency citing renewed security risks and the potential for missile overflights, interception activity and falling debris.

Wizz Air said its Jordan flights had also been affected.

"Jordan airspace has been put on the 'do not operate' list by EASA's latest CZIB, therefore flights to Jordan have been suspended until 25 October," the spokesperson said.

The airline said affected customers would be contacted about their options and that it would continue monitoring conditions ahead of the revised launch date.

The postponement comes as several international airlines continue to stagger their return to the Middle East, despite a gradual recovery in regional aviation.

Singapore Airlines has pushed back the resumption of its daily Dubai service to October 24, while Cathay Pacific has extended its Dubai and Riyadh suspensions until January 31, 2027. British Airways plans to resume Dubai services on November 3, while Abu Dhabi services remain suspended until the winter 2027-28 season.

The Lufthansa Group is also taking a phased approach, with Lufthansa services from Munich and Frankfurt to Dubai scheduled to resume from October 25 and 26 respectively. SWISS plans to restart Zurich-Dubai services on October 27, while Austrian Airlines is due to resume Vienna-Dubai flights in December.

For passengers who booked Wizz Air flights based on the previously announced October restart, the latest change means Abu Dhabi services on the six affected routes are now scheduled to begin on January 10 rather than late October.

The airline's decision also shows a broader issue for travelers who need to take note: an announced flight resumption is not necessarily a guarantee that a route will operate as planned.

For passengers with bookings, Wizz Air said affected customers would be informed directly about their available options.