Wizz Air could return to Ukraine within six weeks: what are the conditions

Low-cost airline Wizz Air is ready to return to Ukraine and promises to do so as soon as the ceasefire is in action. The company plans to resume 30 routes within six weeks. The post-war plans also include the reopening of bases in Kyiv and Lviv and the service of up to 5 million passengers a year.

Wizz Air CEO József Váradi noted that the process of resuming flights would be quite fast. The details were reported by Reuters.

Wizz Air has a clear plan to resume flights to Ukraine immediately after the announcement of the cessation of hostilities.

As soon as the situation allows, the airline will begin the process of restoring routes. According to Váradi, flights will resume in about a month and a half after the official opening of Ukraine's airspace.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency estimates that it will take six to eight weeks to safely reopen Ukrainian airspace.

József emphasized that within six months after the end of the war, Wizz Air will fully reopen its bases in Kyiv and Lviv and operate 60 routes.

Before the war, in 2021, the low-cost airline was in third place in the Ukrainian market with a share of 10.1%.

Representatives of Ryanair also said they would start flights to Ukraine after the war ends.

In January, Wizz Air lowered its full-year net profit forecast for the second time in six months as it struggles with rising costs associated with the shutdown of about 20% of its fleet due to engine problems and economic uncertainty.

However, Váradi expects the economic situation to improve and capacity to grow by about 20% in fiscal 2025 thanks to the expected delivery of 50 new Airbus aircraft between April 1, 2025 and March 31, 2026.

It was also reported that the Latvian airline AirBaltic has also developed a plan to resume flights to Ukraine. However, the main prerequisite for this is the opening of airspace - the national air carrier of Latvia is ready to return as soon as it is safe.

In addition, Zelenskyy named the airport that could be the first to start operating - Uzhhorod International Airport.

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