Wizz Air Abu Dhabi receives green light from UAE aviation body

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has officially received its Air Operator’s Certificate (AOC) from the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA).

Receiving the AOC is the last step in the regulatory processes for starting operations. It is an official confirmation from GCAA that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is in compliance with all the requisite conditions to fulfil its responsibilities and to operate safely and efficiently.

It took eight months for the airline to receive its AOC, with Wizz Air showcasing its operational capabilities to GCAA during special demonstration flights conducted onboard the Airbus A321 Neo aircraft.

This aircraft type is also the first of its kind in the Middle East and therefore the UAE authorities simultaneously certified the use of the aircraft as well during Wizz Air’s AOC process.

Read: Wizz Air to delay Gulf startup if Abu Dhabi doesn’t reopen soon

“The issuance of the AOC marks the most important milestone for us as we have now received all regulatory approvals to operate the airline. We will offer our customers ultra-low fares, a quality inflight product by our excellent cabin crew and will make the lowest possible environmental impact along the way,” said Kees Van Schaick, managing director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.

Read more: Wizz Air begins flights connecting Abu Dhabi and Budapest

“Our new airline, majority owned by our partner ADQ, will bring a lot of value to Abu Dhabi airport and the emirate of Abu Dhabi. We are very grateful for the professionalism and co-operation shown by the GCAA in getting to this stage and we will ensure that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a worthy addition to the established UAE national airlines,” added Van Schaick.

Bloomberg reported that the launch destinations for the new airline would include Athens, Alexandria in Egypt, Larnaca on the island of Cyprus, Odessa in Ukraine, the Armenian capital Yerevan, and Kutaisi, Georgia.

Wizz Air’s CEO Joszef Varadi said that the plan for the airline is to expand to six Airbus SE A321neo aircraft within six months once it is operational.

He also added that the airline aims to possibly have 100 aircraft serving GCC markets over the next 15 years.

Read also: Wizz Air targets 100 aircraft serving GCC markets by 2035