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Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, which is a three way partnership between Wizz Air and state-owned Abu Dhabi Improvement Holding, has simply launched a brand new path to the Maldives. Nonetheless, it’s a considerably longer flight than you’d count on…
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s new path to the Maldives
On Tuesday, October 4, 2022, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi launched its new service between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Male (MLE). The route is operated by an Airbus A321neo with the next schedule:
5W7105 Abu Dhabi to Male departing 1:30PM arriving 7:50PM
5W7106 Male to Abu Dhabi departing 8:45PM arriving 1:35AM (+1 day)
The 1,876-mile flight is blocked at 5hr20min from Abu Dhabi and 5hr50min to Abu Dhabi. That’s an awfully very long time to cowl that distance, and when you take a look at the flight path, you’ll see why.
For instance, beneath is the map for the inaugural return flight from the Maldives to Abu Dhabi, which spent 5hr17min within the air. The aircraft ended up flying an precise distance of two,611 miles, almost 40% greater than the direct distance.
As a degree of comparability, Etihad Airways additionally operates this route with a Boeing 787-9, and that’s blocked at 4hr15min from Abu Dhabi and 3hr55min to Abu Dhabi. The flight to Abu Dhabi ordinarily takes 3hr30min within the air, and sometimes flies an precise distance of simply over 1,900 miles, only a bit over 1% past the direct air distance between the airports.
Why does Wizz Air take this routing to the Maldives?
As you will have guessed based mostly on the above maps, Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s flight is method longer as a result of the airline doesn’t fly direct(ish) between the 2 airports, however quite stays close to land. When departing the Maldives, Wizz Air flies alongside the coast of India and Pakistan, after which throughout the Gulf of Oman, after which over Oman, earlier than approaching Abu Dhabi.
This comes right down to Wizz Air’s Airbus A321neos not having ETOPS certification. ETOPS stands for “prolonged vary twin engine operations efficiency requirements.” That is the certification that airways require to have the ability to fly over massive our bodies of water, the place there aren’t any close by diversion factors.
Getting ETOPS certification takes some effort and may be expensive. Traditionally Wizz Air hasn’t wanted ETOPS certification for a lot of routes, on condition that each Wizz Air and Wizz Air Abu Dhabi haven’t operated many flights over massive our bodies of water.
Nonetheless, you’d assume that that is one thing the airline would think about because it appears to increase from Abu Dhabi.
- It’s disagreeable to be caught on Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s A321neos for almost two extra hours than wanted
- It’s an enormous waste of gasoline and assets generally; I’m undecided how that is per Wizz Air’s declare of being the world’s greenest airline
I’m curious to see if Wizz Air Abu Dhabi pursues ETOPS certification, or if the airline continues working the route like this.
Backside line
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi has launched flights to the Maldives, giving Etihad Airways some competitors. Whereas it’s cool to see an extremely low price competitor out there, it’s not notably cool to see how Wizz Air Abu Dhabi is working this route. As a result of the airline doesn’t have any ETOPS licensed planes, the flight takes almost a further two hours, and covers about 40% extra distance than a direct flight would.
I’m curious if Wizz Air Abu Dhabi works on getting ETOPS certification, or if the airline is simply going to maintain flying this unnecessarily inefficient routing. This looks like the sort of route it’s best to solely launch after you have ETOPS certification.
What do you make of Wizz Air Abu Dhabi’s new service to the Maldives?
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