ByZEV STUB, JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Updated:

Wizz Air's new Emirati subsidiary will offer Israelis a direct flight to Abu Dhabi starting April 18, the company announced in a press release on Tuesday.

The airline will offer round-trip flights with fares starting at NIS 89, the company said. Most flights listed on the web site are about NIS 199 each way, with surcharges for checked luggage.

The flights were originally intended to begin in late February, but because of corona they were delayed until April. As Israel is a 'green country,' vaccinated and recovered Israelis will not have to quarantine upon arrival.
Since Israel and the United Arab Emirates announced their normalization agreement, Israeli airlines El Al, Israir, and Arkia have all launched regular flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai, as has government-owned flydubai. This is the first route from Israel to the UAE's capital city and second-most-populous city, which is about a 90-minute drive from Dubai. Other routes are expected to be launched by Etihad and Emirates Airlines soon.

Wizz Air noted that it has begun enhanced hygiene measures for sanitized travel on all flights. The Abu Dhabi route will use four brand-new Airbus A321neo aircraft, giving it the lowest environmental footprint among its competitors in the region, it added.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is a new joint venture between Wizz Air and state-owned ADQ, one of the Gulf region's largest holding companies. The airline's first-ever flight is scheduled for Friday, January 15, with a flight from Abu Dhabi International Airport to Athens. The airline will add a route to Thessaloniki on February 4, with more European destinations expected in the coming months.