The carrier is also undergoing regulatory procedures to launch flights to Pakistan
The UAE’s ultra-low-cost airline Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is going through regulatory procedures to start India flights.
“We are looking at the Indian Subcontinent as there is very high demand. We are super excited if we get into that market as we are currently going through the regulatory normal process and as soon as that is closed we will be able to announce routes,” said Johan Eidhagen, officer and managing director for Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.
As reported by Khaleej Times earlier, the airline is also undergoing regulatory procedures to launch flights to Pakistan.
The Abu Dhabi-based national carrier serves 24 destinations and its parent company flies into Abu Dhabi from 11 destinations. Set to launch this summer, it will commence operations to Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan and relaunch flights to Larnaca, Santorini and Sohag, Egypt.
It is currently operating eight aircraft and aims to double in a year. Last year, it carried 1.2 million passengers and aims over two million in 2023.
“Most of the markets that we are going into have a massive demand for low-cost travel. India is a very competitive market with some good players already in it but there is a still capacity to add to that, especially for Wizz Air. This would easily fill a big portion of our growth,” Eidhagen told Khaleej Times in an interview on the sidelines of the Arabian Travel Market 2023.
The national carrier, he said, is not just looking at new destinations but also doubling down on existing frequencies to serve not just 3-4 times a week but daily frequencies.
Replying to a query about whether Wizz Air Abu Dhabi would target big tier-1 cities in India, Eidhagen said they go after “not just large ones but try to find cities that are under-served.”
It also targets cities and countries that are within 5-6 hours of a radius of Abu Dhabi and UAE with strong capacity and openness in regulations.
The ultra-low-cost carrier is quite popular for its discount ticket sales of Dh179. The airline will introduce these ultra-cheap airfares and other similar massive discounts for India and Pakistan routes as well once it gets the go-ahead to launch operations.
“If people really want a good offer, they can join Wizz Discount Club, which gives access to promotions year-round and exclusive discounts for Club members. Some of the promotions are exclusive to club members. People can get not just Dh179 tickets but even lower prices,” he said.
“People in UAE love discounts and we are [the] discount king. They can also subscribe to the Wizz Air newsletter so they will be the first to receive information on new sales and promotions.”
He added that no specific number of seats are allocated during promotions but different seats can have different pricing.
“The best way to get the deal is not to wait too late but plan as early as possible. Plan your travel up to six months or so ahead of time. But try at least 2-3 months before when fares are, on average, cheapest,” he added.
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Waheed Abbas is Assistant Editor, covering real estate, aviation and other business stories that directly affect the lives of UAE consumers. He frequently reports human interest stories, too.
waheedabbas@khaleejtimes.com