Wizz Air Holdings PLC (LON:WIZZ) said it will begin flying to and from Abu Dhabi International airport in the autumn, as it confirmed a definitive agreement had been reached for a joint venture with the emirate.
The FTSE 250 airline group, which had shaken hands with Abu Dhabi's state-owned development agency over an original arrangement in January, said the new Wizz Air Abu Dhabi budget airline would be based in the capital city of the UAE and fly to existing Wizz destinations in Europe, plus new routes to the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Wizz Air chief executive József Váradi said: “Today marks an important milestone on the way to establishing our new airline in Abu Dhabi.”
Mohamed Hassan Al Suwaidi, chief executive of the Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company, said tourism is a high priority in Abu Dhabi's growth strategy.
“Significant investment is going not only into our airports but also the tourist infrastructure, including hotels, resorts and cultural attractions.”
Last year Abu Dhabi welcomed 11.4mln visitors.