Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between the Hungarian budget airline and Abu Dhabi state holding company ADQ, has delayed its launch date for the second time due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The low-cost airline, which was due to begin flying from the UAE capital on October 1, has postponed the start date for its first flight to November 15, it confirmed to The National on Sunday.
The airline has continued to delay its maiden flight due to travel restrictions related to the Covid-19 pandemic, such as closed borders or quarantines in markets where flights are scheduled to operate, it said.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi was scheduled to begin operations on October 16, which was pushed back from its initial start date of October 1, due to the pandemic.
Passengers who are affected by the delay in operations will automatically be credited with 120 per cent of their original fare amount on their Wizz account.
Travellers who do not wish to rebook their flight or use the Wizz Air credit, can apply instead for a refund, and will be given 100 per cent of their fare value back through the original method of payment used.
Customers who booked through a travel agency or an online travel booking platform will need to contact those vendors directly for rebooking or refunds.
Wizz Air Abu Dhabi took delivery of its first Airbus A321 Neo at Abu Dhabi International Airport earlier this month.
The airline will become the UAE's sixth carrier after Air Arabia Abu Dhabi, a joint venture between Sharjah-based Air Arabia and Etihad Airways that began operations in July.
Global airlines are calling for Covid-19 testing before departure on international flights as an alternative to government-imposed travel restrictions such as quarantines, which the industry says is denting air travel demand.
Tests that are fast, highly accurate, affordable and easy to administer are expected to be available in October and should be adopted by governments as a globally-accepted standard, the International Air Transport Association (Iata) said last week.
If you go
The flights
Emirates (www.emirates.com) and Etihad (www.etihad.com) both fly direct to Bengaluru, with return fares from Dh 1240. From Bengaluru airport, Coorg is a five-hour drive by car.
The hotels
The Tamara (www.thetamara.com) is located inside a working coffee plantation and offers individual villas with sprawling views of the hills (tariff from Dh1,300, including taxes and breakfast).
When to go
Coorg is an all-year destination, with the peak season for travel extending from the cooler months between October and March.
Bert van Marwijk factfile
Born: May 19 1952
Place of birth: Deventer, Netherlands
Playing position: Midfielder
Teams managed:
1998-2000 Fortuna Sittard
2000-2004 Feyenoord
2004-2006 Borussia Dortmund
2007-2008 Feyenoord
2008-2012 Netherlands
2013-2014 Hamburg
2015-2017 Saudi Arabia
2018 Australia
Major honours (manager):
2001/02 Uefa Cup, Feyenoord
2007/08 KNVB Cup, Feyenoord
World Cup runner-up, Netherlands
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
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Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
