Wizz Air sees potential in A321XLR with UK branch in Abu Dhabi

CHIANG MAI, Thailand – Once deliveries begin next year, the first Airbus A321XLRs to join Wizz Air’s fleet will likely be based at its subsidiaries in Abu Dhabi and the UK.

Speaking at Routes Asia 2023 on 16 February, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi senior commercial manager Krislen Keri said the two AOCs presented the biggest opportunity for the group to expand its network further east. Wizz Air has ordered 47 A321XLRs, the first of which is expected to join its fleet by the end of 2024.

“While Budapest may have an opportunity to use XLR, we believe the most opportunities are in Abu Dhabi and the UK,” Keri said.

“We’ll analyze and see where it fits best – we haven’t ruled anything out at the moment – but we’re sure the first shipments will be to Abu Dhabi and the UK.”

The long-range model is still undergoing EASA certification, but is scheduled to enter service next year.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between Hungary’s Wizz Air and Abu Dhabi’s state-owned holding company ADQ, offers more than 1.7 million seats in its network by 2022 and currently operates flights to 25 destinations. Capacity will more than double to 4 million seats by 2024, Keri said.

On February 14, ULCC launched a new daily service from Abu Dhabi (AUH) to Medina, Saudi Arabia, and plans to begin serving Antalya, Turkey in June. Services to Salalah, Oman are also being restored.

Other destinations added to its roadmap in recent months include Samarkand in Uzbekistan and the Maldives.

“We intend to connect the farthest points of our network via XLR,” Keri said. “Obviously, Europe is in the pipeline, but most importantly, the Asian region is also in the pipeline. We are looking at destinations in Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent as well as Central and West Africa.”

The airline offers one-stop connectivity opportunities through its network in Abu Dhabi, but its main focus will remain on point-to-point traffic, Keri said. However, he added that the company is exploring how to better emphasize self-service connectivity options to passengers.

Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has a fleet of eight A321neos and is targeting 20% ​​year-on-year growth. The XLR ordered will carry 239 passengers for a flight time of up to eight hours.