Ryanair wants to carry 2 million Ukrainians in the first weeks after the resumption of flights: which cities it will fly to
The Irish low-cost airline Ryanair intends to resume operations in Ukraine after the ban on flights is lifted, primarily in Kyiv and Lviv. The company believes that the demand for flights among Ukrainians will be high, and expects to carry up to 2 million people in the first 6 weeks of operation.
This was announced by Ryanair CEO Michael O'Leary, Reuters reports. He noted:
- "In general, the company intends to reach up to 5 million passengers per year in the first 1-2 years of resumption of operations in Ukraine.
- The company intends to operate flights not only from Kyiv but also from Lviv.
- Ryanair plans to operate 6-8 flights to Ukraine from Poland.
"Once the skies are open... we can provide 2 million seats within 6 weeks. Then we would like to open bases in both Kyiv and Lviv within 12 months. After that, we could reach 2 to 5 million passengers within a year or two," O'Leary said.
At the same time, he emphasized that the company's return to other Ukrainian cities may take longer. Due to the extensive damage, it may be difficult to do so in a short time.
When might flights resume in Ukraine?
Ukraine's airspace was closed on February 24, 2022, due to Russia's full-scale invasion. Since then, all commercial flights have been canceled and airlines have left the market.
According to the Interfax-Ukraine news agency, the Ukrainian government had previously considered resuming flights in the winter of 2025. For this purpose, it was necessary to find effective insurance mechanisms that would cover the risks for airlines and passengers.
In general, resuming commercial air transportation during the war is a very difficult task that requires several key conditions. In particular:
- creation of an effective risk insurance mechanism for airlines and passengers;
- implementation of international flight safety standards in the war zone;
- readiness of airports and airlines to quickly return to work;
- coordination with international partners and aviation regulators, including the EU and the US.
As OBOZ.UA previously reported, Boryspil International Airport had previously held talks with Wizz Air. The main topic of discussion was the prompt launch of air transportation from the capital of Ukraine after the opening of the airspace.
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