Wizz Air to suspend Moldova flights, citing security

BUDAPEST –

Airline Wizz Air stated on Monday it could droop flights to the Moldovan capital Chisinau from March 14 on account of issues concerning the security of its airspace, a choice Moldova’s civil aviation authority described as sudden and regrettable.

Wizz Air stated in an announcement it could lay on further flights from the Romanian metropolis of Iasi as replacements, together with a brand new service to Berlin, and extra flights to Barcelona, Milan Bergamo, Bologna, Rome Ciampino, Rome Fuimicino, Dortumand, Larnaca, London Luton and Treviso.

Flights to Budapest and Prague won’t get replaced and people inbound to Chisinau might be reallocated to different locations within the Wizz Air community, it stated.

“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 stated.

Moldovan Foreign Minister Nicu Popescu stated on Wednesday that his nation was ready for a “full spectrum of threats,” given fears Russia may intensify makes an attempt to destabilize the nation that’s reeling from the warfare in neighbouring Ukraine.

Tensions between Russia and Moldova have grown in latest months as Russian missiles aimed toward Ukraine have entered Moldovan airspace and authorities have blamed the Kremlin for fueling anti-government protests, one thing it denies.

Moldova’s civil aviation authority stated Moldovan authorities had been knowledgeable by electronic mail of Wizz Air’s determination, including the airline had sought approval for its summer time flight schedule on Feb. 14, and obtained it on Monday.

“After analyzing 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 publish on the Moldovan authorities’s official Telegram channel stated.

It stated the civil aviation authority and the ministry of infrastructure and regional growth had been in “constant cooperation” with Wizz Air representatives and knowledgeable them of the procedures in place to make sure aviation safety.

The aviation authority would take “all necessary actions” to return Wizz Air to Chisinau airport as quickly as attainable, and to draw different low-cost airways.

Reporting by Gergely Szakacs and Alexander Tanas, writing by Max Hunder and Elaine Monaghan. Editing by Jane Merriman and Barbara Lewis