Wizz Air suspends relaunch of Russia-UAE flights as criticism mounts

A Wizz Air Airbus A320 at Luton Airport, Luton, Britain, Might 1, 2020. REUTERS/Andrew Boyers

DUBAI, Aug 19 (Reuters) – European funds provider Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) has suspended plans to renew flights from the Russian capital of Moscow to Abu Dhabi within the United Arab Emirates, amid mounting criticism over the relaunch choice this month.

In Friday’s assertion deferring the flights till additional discover, Wizz Air made no point out of the social media backlash, which included some calls to boycott the airline, however referred solely to “business provide chain limitations”.

On Twitter, the airline had responded to criticism by saying the flight could be run by its Abu Dhabi enterprise, which is a registered provider within the United Arab Emirates working in keeping with the Gulf state’s laws.

Different UAE carriers had been working to Russia, it added.

London-listed Wizz Air holds a 49% stake in Wizz Air Abu Dhabi whose plane carry the European airline’s identify and branding. Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund ADQ owns 51%.

This month, Wizz Air mentioned flights between Abu Dhabi and Moscow would resume from October. On Feb. 27, it had suspended all fights with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

Wizz Air additionally holds airline working certificates (AOCs) in Britain and Hungary.

European carriers have ceased operations with Russia, whereas Russian airways are banned from European Union airspace as a part of Western sanctions for the battle, which Moscow calls a “particular army operation”.

The UAE has not imposed sanctions on Russia and as a substitute mentioned it sought to keep up a impartial place.

(The story is refiled to repair syntax in fourth paragraph)

Writing by Alexander Cornwell;
Modifying by Clarence Fernandez

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