Will Ukrainians fly again? Boryspil Airport held negotiations with Wizz Air on the resumption of flights

Boryspil International Airport has held talks with Wizz Air about a possible quick launch of flights after the reopening of the airspace. The Ukrainian authorities plan to resume air traffic by the end of winter 2025, but this depends on resolving security and risk insurance issues.

The airport wrote about this on one of its social networks. From February 11 to 13, 2025, a delegation from the international airport held talks with the European low-cost airline Wizz Air at the company's headquarters in Budapest.

The main topic of discussion was the prompt launch of air transportation from the capital of Ukraine after the airspace was reopened. According to Boryspil Airport's press service, the meeting discussed key aspects of the upcoming resumption of flights, including

• operational readiness of the airport – the technical condition of the infrastructure, airfield, terminals, and aircraft maintenance equipment;

• certification requirements – maintaining the necessary standards for a quick return to work;
• staff qualifications – ensuring that employees are properly trained to handle passengers and cargo;
• airline readiness to return – defining plans and conditions for the fastest possible resumption of routes.

Airport CEO Oleksii Dubrevskyi, who headed the delegation, said that these talks are another important step towards the restart of flights.

"Every day we are working to be ready to start receiving flights, handling passengers and cargo, and reconnecting Ukraine and Ukrainians with the world. And to do it all efficiently and safely," he said.

Mr. Dubrevskyi also emphasized that the readiness of airlines is a key factor in the return of air traffic. According to him, Wizz Air CEO Jozsef Varadi confirmed that the company has a clear and large-scale plan to return to the Ukrainian market. At the moment, Wizz Air has not made any official statements regarding the negotiations.

When flights to Ukraine may resume

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 Interfax-Ukraine, the Ukrainian authorities are considering resuming flights by the end of winter 2025. To do this, it is necessary to find effective insurance mechanisms that will cover the risks for airlines and passengers.

What is needed for the safe resumption of flights

Resumption of commercial air transportation in time of war is a very complex task that requires several key conditions to be met. These include

• establishment of an effective risk insurance mechanism for airlines and passengers;
• implementation of international safety standards for flights 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.

Back in October 2024, the Ministry of Communities and Territories Development of Ukraine presented a roadmap for the gradual opening of airspace under martial law. Prior to the full-scale invasion, Wizz Air was one of the main low-cost carriers in Ukraine, operating flights to more than 30 European cities.

Not only Ukrainian travelers but also the economy depend on its return, as low-cost carriers contribute to the recovery of tourism and international business. If the negotiations with Wizz Air yield a positive result, it could send a strong signal to other airlines, such as Ryanair and SkyUp, which are also interested in returning to the Ukrainian market.

As OBOZ.UA reported earlier, although the end of the war in Ukraine is still on the horizon, the issue of launching civilian flights is being discussed more and more often. But the most important thing in this matter is safety, so Uzhhorod airport may become the first airport to resume operations.

Only verified information is available on our Telegram channel OBOZ.UA and Viber. Do not fall for fakes!