By KYIV. Jan 18 (Interfax-Ukraine) – Ukraine is making significant efforts to resume flights from Kyiv and Lviv, Deputy Head of the Office of the President of Ukraine Rostyslav Shurma said at a panel discussion at the Ukraine House in Davos on Thursday.
“I can say that we are working very intensively to restore air traffic in Ukraine… We will definitely do everything possible to implement this,” he said.
According to Shurma, the presence of reliable logistics and transport links, especially air links, are fundamentally important elements of the country’s business and investment activities.
“If investors and businessmen cannot comfortably and quickly get to the places they need, they will not come and do nothing,” he stated.
Asked whether the Ukrainian authorities are really considering opening airports in Kyiv (Boryspil International Airport) and Lviv, he said that both airports are being considered, but the “main focus” is on Boryspil.
Regarding the possibility of resuming air traffic in the summer, Shurma said that he was not ready to give specific dates.
“Look, we have an internal roadmap and schedule. You’re right, but I don’t want to give any specific deadlines… If it were just up to us. Perhaps I would be ready to publicly commit to but I think that the share of our homework here is no more than 20%,” he said, adding that the possibility of resuming air traffic in Ukraine depends on the decisions of international partners, independent regulators, and insurance companies. In addition, the success of this decision will depend, in particular, on Ukraine’s ability to ensure the physical safety of flights.
“Our team and the military are working closely with Israeli colleagues to study their experience. We are absolutely confident that we will succeed,” he said.
He added it is equally important to obtain approval from the European regulator IATA and find reliable insurance mechanisms so that lessors can provide aircraft without fear.
“And here we face the same task: to create the right risk instruments so that airlines can fly to Kyiv, which we plan to open,” concluded Shurma.
In mid-2023, Irish Ryanair announced that it did not rule out resuming a small number of flights to Ukraine, subject to the country’s successful negotiations on the partial opening of airspace.
The Ukrainian airline SkyUp Airlines also announced its intention to be among the first to resume flights from Ukraine as soon as it is allowed.
