Ryanair ready to take over Ukraine's air transport when the war is over
Ryanair has pledged to return with low-fare flights to/from Ukraine within 8 weeks of reopening Ukrainian airspace.
Ryanair
Ryanair, Europe's largest airline, held an important meeting in Kiev today, together with the Deputy Prime Minister for the Restoration of Ukraine and Minister of Infrastructure, Oleksandr Kubrakov, during which unveiled massive investment plans over $3 billion to rapidly rebuild Ukraine's aviation industry once the war is over and EASA will declare that flying to/from Ukraine will be safe again. Ryanair also held meetings with major Ukrainian airports-Kiev, Lviv, and Odessa-at Boryspil International Airport today at the invitation of airport CEO Oleksiy Dubrevskyy.
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During the visit, Ryanair senior management and the airport reviewed the condition of the airport terminals, baggage claim and passenger check-in and boarding areas, checkpoints and aprons, noting the excellent state of the airport infrastructure and its operational readiness to resume flights when it is safe to do so. Ryanair congratulated the efforts of Boryspil International Airport employees to preserve and maintain the operability of the airport's infrastructure during the war.
Michael O'Leary, CEO of Ryanair Group, was inspired by the dedication of employees at Boryspil Airport, who are working with determination and efficiency for the resumption of air traffic when the war ends. The ceo stressed that: "Ryanair remains a committed partner in reconstruction and investment in Ukrainian aviation. Today we have seen that under the most difficult conditions of the war, the team at Boryspil Airport demonstrates its professionalism and is fully prepared for the resumption of flights as soon as possible."
Ryanair has pledged to return with low-fare flights to/from Ukraine within 8 weeks of reopening Ukrainian airspace. In this way, Ryanair aircraft will operate 600 weekly flights from the main airports in Kiev, Lviv and Odessa, connecting these cities to more than 20 EU capitals. In addition, Ryanair plans to open daily domestic flights between Kiev, Lviv and Odessa as soon as the airports are able to handle them.
Ryanair expects to offer, in the first 12 months after the end of the war, more than a capacity of 5 million seats to/from and within Ukraine, which will become more than 10 million within 5 years. Ryanair, the Ukrainian government, and its major airports have committed to rapidly rebuild Ukrainian aviation, and Ryanair will base up to 30 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft worth more than $3 billion at Ukraine's 3 major airports, offering citizens and visitors access to Europe's lowest airfares as Ukraine rebuilds its economy in a post-invasion environment.
Speaking from Kiev today, Ryanair's Michael O'Leary said:
"Ryanair was Ukraine's second largest airline before the illegitimate Russian invasion in February 2022. Once the skies over Ukraine are reopened to commercial aviation, Ryanair will return to flying to Ukraine connecting Ukraine's major airports with more than 20 EU capitals, and we are working closely with the Ukrainian government to rebuild Ukraine's aviation, industry and economy.
The fastest way to rebuild and restore the Ukrainian economy will be low-fare air transportation. Ryanair plans to invest heavily in Ukraine and lead the aviation recovery by investing up to $3 billion, basing up to 30 new Boeing MAX aircraft at Ukraine's three main airports in Kiev, Lviv, and Odessa. Having already served Kharkiv and Kherson airports before the invasion, Ryanair will return to serve these airports as well, as soon as the infrastructure is restored.
Ryanair remains committed to reconstruction and investment in Ukraine. We currently employ hundreds of Ukrainian pilots, cabin crew, and IT professionals, and we will look to create thousands of new aviation jobs for Ukrainian citizens when Ukraine's skies are reopened. Ukraine is a country of 40 million people, many of whom have been dispersed to Europe in the past year. We hope to reunite these families through Ryanair's low-fare connections to Ukraine's major airports as soon as it is safely possible to do so. Ryanair's low-fare connections will be critical to the reconstruction and recovery of the Ukrainian economy, and we will invest heavily in partnership with the Ukrainian government and Ukraine's major airports as we grow to carry up to 10 million passengers a year to/from Ukraine once European and Ukrainian regulators allow us to do so."
Summing up the results of the meeting, Oleksandr Kubrakov, Minister of Communities, Territories and Infrastructure Development of Ukraine, noted:
"Maintaining the operability of the air transport infrastructure and the professional skills of personnel remains vital for us under wartime conditions. In the meantime, resumption of flights will be possible as soon as the security situation allows. However, we are already working on solutions and investment plans to enable aircraft to get up in the air quickly. I am grateful for the leadership in the resumption of our air sector, for the proposals and specific decisions of Ryanair, a loyal partner of Ukraine."
Oleksiy Dubrevskyy, CEO of Boryspil Airport, said:
"The visit of Ryanair's top management to Boryspil Airport is an important signal that Europe's largest airline sees huge potential in the Ukrainian air transport market. We, meanwhile, are ready to move from strategic planning to specific operational actions when the airspace is open and safe for civil aviation. I firmly believe that Boryspil Airport will remain the main port of call for the return of our citizens to Ukraine and will continue to play a leading role in the recovery of the Ukrainian economy."
