Wizz Air Abu Dhabi to keep ticket prices low in 2024
Dubai: Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is aiming to rein in costs in order to keep airfares low and retain its status as an ultra-low-cost carrier for upcoming peak travel periods, a top airline official said on Thursday (Dec 21). This renewed commitment comes as the global aviation industry suffers from supply chain constraints and capacity shortages.
The airline – a joint venture between ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings PLC - more than doubled the number of operated flights and passengers carried this year, with a completion rate of 99.6 per cent.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi operated more than 15,000 flights, carrying 3 million passengers, with more than 1.5 million point-to-point passengers to Abu Dhabi this year, according to Johan Eidhagen, CEO and Managing Director of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi.
“We experienced a 150 per cent passenger growth year-on-year, making us the fastest-growing airline in the UAE,” said Eidhagen. “This indicates that more and more customers are adopting the low-cost model,” he said. The airline also launched seven new routes this year and moved to its new base in Abu Dhabi International Airport’s new Terminal A.
Commenting on airfare trends for the next year, Eidhagen said, “If I look at the past year, we grew at an incredible 150 per cent (passenger growth). This meant that we were putting quite a lot of capacity into the markets, which has kept fares at an extremely low level compared to most other operators.”
“We do know that we need to keep our costs low to become more efficient so that we can continue to keep our fares low. So, next year, while, of course, as a business, we are always trying to maximize our revenue, etc., we do know that to be able to grow and support keeping the fares low. We still have that capability,” he explained.
Eidhagen said Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s forward bookings into January – February look promising, with strong bookings in December. “There will be some last-minute bookings, December will be a very strong month for us,” he added.
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