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

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DUBAI, Aug 19 (Reuters) – European budget airline Wizz Air (WIZZ.L) has suspended plans to resume flights from the Russian capital Moscow to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates, amid growing criticism over the stimulus decision this month.

In Friday’s statement postponing flights until further notice, Wizz Air made no mention of the social media backlash, which included calls to boycott the airline, but only referred to ” industry supply chain limitations”.

On Twitter, the airline had responded to criticism by saying the flight would be handled by its Abu Dhabi company, which is a UAE-registered carrier operating under Gulf state regulations.

Other carriers from the United Arab Emirates operated to Russia, he added.

London-listed Wizz Air has a 49% stake in Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, whose planes carry the name and brand of the European airline. Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund, ADQ, holds 51%.

This month, Wizz Air said flights between Abu Dhabi and Moscow would resume from October. On February 27, he had suspended all fighting with Russia after the invasion of Ukraine.

Wizz Air also holds Airline Operator Certificates (AOC) in Great Britain and Hungary.

European carriers have ceased operations with Russia, while Russian airlines are barred from European Union airspace under Western sanctions over the dispute, which Moscow calls a “special military operation”. “.

The UAE did not impose sanctions on Russia and instead said it sought to maintain a neutral stance.

(Story refiled to correct syntax in fourth paragraph)

Written by Alexander Cornwell; Editing by Clarence Fernandez

Our standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

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