Wizz Air halts flights to Ukraine neighbor Moldova amid risks

Low-cost carrier Wizz Air Holdings Plc will suspend all flights to and from Moldova’s capital of Chisinau from March 14, citing “elevated but not imminent” security risks in the country bordering Ukraine. 

Moldova’s Civil Aviation Authority confirmed the Hungarian-based company’s decision and said the country’s air space remains safe, with some special procedures that need to be respected by carriers, given the proximity to a conflict zone. 

“Wizz Air’s decision has created uncertainty,” the authority said in a statement on its website that referred to a notification received from the company. “After analysing the risks, the Moldovan authorities established that commercial flights can be safely operated by applying a series of procedures. We regret Wizz Air’s sudden decision.” 

Wizz Air plans to increase the number of flights from different European cities to the eastern Romanian city of Iasi, which is closest to Chisinau, to help people reach the destination in Moldova, it said in an e-mailed statement.