Wizz Air to Relocate 200 Employees from Abu Dhabi Operation to Eastern Europe

Wizz Air plans to relocate almost 200 workers from its Abu Dhabi operation to hubs in eastern Europe, including Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The airline will retain between 150 and 200 staff, while the remaining workers are affected by visa restrictions and have been offered jobs with local airlines. Wizz is refocusing on central and eastern Europe and expects the grounding of Airbus jets to end in 2027.

Wizz Air Holdings Plc has announced plans to relocate approximately 200 workers from its Abu Dhabi operations to hubs across eastern Europe, including Hungary, Poland, and Romania. The budget carrier aims to keep between 150 and 200 staff, depending on the success of the relocation process Wizz Air Relocating About 200 Workers After Abu Dhabi Shutdown^[1].

The decision to relocate workers is part of a broader strategy to refocus on growing its core market in central and eastern Europe. Wizz Air suspended its Abu Dhabi operations last month to cut expenses, citing engine issues, geopolitical challenges, and regulatory barriers in the region. The airline has also been facing visa restrictions for the remaining staff, who have been offered jobs with local airlines Wizz Air Relocating About 200 Workers After Abu Dhabi Shutdown^[1].

The airline has struggled with engine-related groundings, which have limited its ability to increase capacity. As of September 2025, Wizz Air has 38 aircraft grounded due to GTF engine-related inspections, down from a peak near 60 Wizz Air says a 2027 end to engine disruption is not 'absolute guarantee'^[2]. The company expects the groundings to come to an end by the end of 2027, although there is no absolute guarantee Wizz Air says a 2027 end to engine disruption is not 'absolute guarantee'^[2].

Wizz Air's Chief Financial Officer Ian Malin has expressed frustration with the ongoing engine issues, stating that Pratt & Whitney has shown some availability of engines but that the overall turnaround time has not improved significantly. The company expects maintenance, repair, and overhaul service to increase by 30% year-over-year Wizz Air says a 2027 end to engine disruption is not 'absolute guarantee'^[2].