Ukraine initiates talks with US and EU regulators to restart air travel
In the photo: Deputy Prime Minister for Ukraine's Reconstruction, Minister of Development of Communities, Territories, and Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov / Photo by Mykola Tymchenko
Ukraine is officially starting negotiations with US and EU regulators about resuming passenger air travel, according to Minister of Infrastructure Oleksandr Kubrakov.
Consultations are also underway with the Civil Aviation Administration of Israel, Kubrakov shared in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Rubryka reports.
"It's impossible to conduct international flights without the approval of both European and American regulators — that's how it works. The Ukrainian side is already conveying its vision to the regulators on how the market will operate under wartime conditions, its risk assessment, approaches, and algorithms," said the minister.
According to him, it's premature to talk about exact timelines, but Ukraine will now convey its vision to the regulators and engage in official negotiations with them.
"There aren't many examples worldwide of airports operating where drones or missiles could arrive at any moment. Israel is the most successful example. We have spent and continue to spend a lot of time consulting with the Israeli Civil Aviation Administration," Kubrakov stressed.
He also noted that there were various scenarios regarding the number of airports that could be opened in Ukraine. However, it's important for Ukraine to hear the first official feedback from the regulators.
Kubrakov stressed that several European airlines were already interested and wanted to be the first to resume operations in the Ukrainian aviation market, but he declined to name them.
NYT: 12 Ukrainian pilots may be fully trained on F-16s by summer, but few will have a jet of their own
He added that negotiations are also ongoing with three Ukrainian companies.
"They also confirm that they want to fly here; this is their base airport, their base country," the official said.
As for establishing Ukraine's own national aviation operator, the Ukrainian minister stressed that this was not a priority during the war but that it would need to be revisited later.
Earlier, Deputy Head of the Presidential Office, Rostyslav Shurma, revealed that Ukraine was making efforts to restore air routes from Kyiv and Lviv.
Restoring Air routes
The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation has published an April forecast for the aviation industry until 2029. They believe that restrictions on flights over Ukraine, Russia, Belarus, and Moldova will remain in place for almost seven more years.
At the same time, the Ukrainian state air operator "Ukraerorukh" stated that the airspace would be opened immediately after the end of hostilities and Ukraine's victory.
Previously, the Air Force skeptically assessed the possibility of resuming civilian aviation flights in Ukraine during the state of war.
It was also reported that the Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair is considering resuming a few flights to Ukraine by the end of 2023, subject to successful negotiations for the partial reopening of airspace.
As reported by Rubryka, the leadership of Europe's largest airline, Ryanair, arrived in Ukraine on July 20. The delegation negotiated with the management of the international airport "Boryspil" about resuming flights after the end of the war.
