Central European budget carrier Wizz Air has reached a firm agreement to establish a new operator in Abu Dhabi, which will commence services in autumn this year.

The airline is tying up with Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Company to set up the Middle Eastern operation.

It states that it has commenced the process of obtaining an air operator’s certificate and licence from the United Arab Emirates General Civil Aviation Authority.

Wizz Air describes the definitive agreement as a “major milestone”, adding that Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will bring “low fares paired with a high-quality on-board experience”.

It has yet to unveil its network but promises a range of routes to destinations in the Middle East, Europe, Asia and Africa.

The airline adds that it is to embark on a recruitment programme for the carrier over the next few months.

Wizz Air is an exclusive Airbus A320-family operator but has still to outline fleet plans for the Abu Dhabi operation.

“[Our] mission feeds into Abu Dhabi’s diversified economic strategy as we aim to stimulate traffic by creating demand to the benefit of growing Abu Dhabi’s touristic and economic diversity,” says Wizz Air Holdings chief Jozsef Varadi.

Wizz Air adds that the decision aligns with a Dhs50 billion ($13.5 billion) accelerator programme in the emirate, known as Ghadan 21.

Source: Cirium

The European Commission is launching an in-depth state-aid investigation into a series of agreements between Ryanair and Beziers airport in France. This follows a preliminary investigation launched after a complaint that the airport's operating practices were incompatible with EU single-market rules. The Commission says the complaint covers "marketing and airport services agreements concluded between Ryanair and the Beziers airport operators" from 2007 to today, adding: "At this stage, the Commission has concerns that the agreements in question may give Ryanair an undue economic advantage vis-a-vis its competitors that might amount to incompatible aid in favour of Ryanair." Also under investigation is whether the airport has itself benefited from unfair support from local public bodies. Beziers airport was owned by and managed by the local chambers of commerce from 2007 to 2011, and then taken over by a syndicate made up of local and regional public authorities. It served more than 250,000 passengers last year.

Source: Cirium

Israeli flag-carrier El Al is looking to take cost-saving measures after predicting a deepening financial impact on its operations from the coronavirus outbreak. El Al is forecasting a $50-70 million cut in its revenues for the first four months of this year, January-April. This includes a reduction of $40-50 million for the airline’s first quarter – a substantial increase from the $30 million it had estimated in mid-February. El Al’s first-quarter revenues in 2019 amounted to $429 million, with net losses of $55 million. It says it is taking steps to offset the decline and is estimating a $25-45 effect on its results for January-April 2020, including $15-30 million in the first quarter. The airline says it has been reviewing services to the Asia-Pacific region, to match capacity with demand, suspending flights to Beijing and Hong Kong and adjusting operations to Bangkok, following guidelines from the Israeli health ministry. “[We] continue to monitor regularly other developments in the world in connection with the coronavirus and examine the implications for activities,” it adds. El Al points out that the outbreak is a “changeable event” that is out of the company’s control, and the airline remains subject to decisions by authorities in various countries.