Dubai, Jul 14 (AP) Low-cost carrier Wizz Air said on Monday that it plans to suspend all locally based flight operations out of Abu Dhabi as geopolitics and operational developments test its margins. Zayed International Airport, in the Emirati capital, has long been overshadowed by its successful Dubai neighbour, the world's busiest for international travel. Also Read | Donald Trump Attends FIFA Club World Cup Final at MetLife Stadium, Praises 'Great Work' by Friend and FIFA President Gianni Infantino. Wizz Air's decision to end operations out of its hub in Abu Dhabi, effective September 1, comes as it aims to focus on its core markets in Central and Eastern Europe, the Hungarian company said in a post on X. The announcement follows last month's 12-day war between Israel and Iran, which shook the region and sent airlines scrambling amid airspace closures. In a statement, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said the company has had “a tremendous journey in the Middle East”. But, he added, “the operating environment has changed significantly”. Also Read | Grok Not Replying on X Again? Users Claim Elon Musk's AI Chatbot Has Stopped Responding, Second Such Incident in July. “Supply chain constraints, geopolitical instability, and limited market access have made it increasingly difficult to sustain our original ambitions,” Váradi said. Wizz Air's Abu Dhabi subsidiary, created in partnership with the government-owned Abu Dhabi Developmental Holding Co., was its first operation established outside of Europe. Abu Dhabi's airport authority didn't respond to a request for comment. Zayed Airport has been far outshone by Dubai International Airport. Last year, 92.3 million passengers travelled through Dubai, compared to 28.8 million for Zayed. Wizz Air's profits already had been falling before it decided to exit its Abu Dhabi operations and before an unprecedented Iranian strike on a US military base in neighbouring Qatar that shocked travellers in the region. The Arab Gulf states have long been viewed as a safe haven from the violence and instability in the broader Middle East. Last fiscal year, Wizz Air reported a 41.5 per cent year-on-year nosedive in net profits – from 365.9 million euros (USD 427.8 million) to 213.9 million euros (USD 250 million) – though revenue increased by 3.8 per cent to 5.3 billion euros (USD 6.2 billion). Wizz Air said the move would free up resources that would be redeployed to “regions with greater long-term potential for sustainable growth and profitability”. The airline's departure comes as the federation of seven sheikhdoms looks to encourage tourism and for other ways to diversify its economy beyond reliance on hydrocarbons. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)