Khaleej Times, Tuesday, Feb 28, 2023 | Sha'ban 08, 1444
UAE airline to suspend flights to European city, citing security reasons
Emirates:
Airline Wizz Air said on Monday it would suspend flights to the Moldovan capital
Chisinau from March 14 due to concerns about the safety of its airspace, a
decision Moldova's civil aviation authority described as sudden and regrettable.
Wizz Air said in a statement it would lay on extra flights from the Romanian
city of Iasi as replacements, including a new service to Berlin, and more
flights to Barcelona, Milan Bergamo, Bologna, Rome Ciampino, Rome Fuimicino,
Dortumand, Larnaca, London Luton and Treviso.
Flights to Budapest and Prague will not be replaced and those inbound to
Chisinau will be reallocated to other destinations in the Wizz Air network, it
said.
"Safety of the passengers and crew remain Wizz Air's number one priority and
following the recent developments in Moldova and the elevated, but not imminent,
risk in the country's airspace, Wizz Air has made the difficult but responsible
decision to suspend all flights to Chisinau from the 14th of March," it said.
Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu said on Wednesday that his country was
prepared for a "full spectrum of threats", given fears Russia could intensify
attempts to destabilise the country that is reeling from the war in neighbouring
Ukraine.
Tensions between Russia and Moldova have grown in recent months as Russian
missiles aimed at Ukraine have entered Moldovan airspace and authorities have
blamed the Kremlin for fuelling anti-government protests, something it denies.
Moldova's civil aviation authority said Moldovan authorities had been informed
by email of Wizz Air's decision, adding the airline had sought approval for its
summer flight schedule on Feb. 14, and received it on Monday.
"After analysing the risks, government agencies have determined that flights in
the national airspace can be carried out safely by following a number of
procedures, and they regret Wizz Air's sudden decision," a post on the Moldovan
government's official Telegram channel said.
It said the civil aviation authority and the ministry of infrastructure and
regional development had been in "constant cooperation" with Wizz Air
representatives and informed them of the procedures in place to ensure aviation
security.
The aviation authority would take "all necessary actions" to return Wizz Air to Chisinau airport as soon as possible, and to attract other low-cost airlines.