Ireland’s Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget airline, will offer 1 million or 20% of tickets priced below EUR20 after resuming flights from/to Ukraine, the airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said.
“The Minister (Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov) asked us today and we gave him a commitment that out of the 5 million seats that will be offered in the first year, 20% or 1 million seats will be sold at less than EUR20,” O’Leary told Interfax-Ukraine.
He noted that the airline will be able to realize the goal if it has a low-cost base in Ukrainian airports and appropriate fee rates.
“We will need to have an inexpensive base in the airports. But this decision is up to the ministry. The minister (Kubrakov) asked if we will offer low rates and we said yes. Approximately 20% of seats will be sold at fares of EUR10, EUR14, EUR 19. This is one million passenger seats. We sell most of the tickets at EUR24, EUR29, EUR39. Now the only way to fill this number of seats is very low prices for air tickets”, – said the executive director of Ryanair.
He emphasized that Ukraine can have lower airfares than Poland, but must also ensure lower airport charges than in Poland.
As reported, Ryanair this week announced a commitment to resume flights to/from Ukraine at low fares within 8 weeks of the opening of Ukrainian airspace. The company plans to deploy up to 30 new Boeing 737 MAXs in Kiev, Lviv and Odessa at a cost of more than $3 billion. It was indicated that the airline is ready to operate up to 600 flights per week. In addition, Ryanair plans to open daily flights between Kiev, Lviv and Odessa as soon as the airports are ready for it.
It was noted that the airline plans to reach more than 5 million passenger seats per year in the first 12 months after the launch and intends to increase this number to 10 million passengers within five years.
Ireland’s Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget airline, is considering resuming a small number of flights to Ukraine by the end of this year, provided Ukraine successfully negotiates a partial opening of airspace, the airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said.
“We’re considering two plans: one when the war is over and everything opens up in one or two days. And the second, the most likely one, under which we may schedule a small number of flights as early as the end of this year,” O’Leary told Interfax-Ukraine.
He cited the experience of Israel, where aviation continues to operate. “Planes land daily in Tel Aviv, which is only 10 minutes away from the West Bank, from where missiles are launched. It was definite that it was safe to fly and they (the local government – IF-U) can protect the plane. So I see no reason why we can’t return flights (to Ukraine – IF-U),” O’Leary said.
According to his information, the Ministry of Air Transport is currently working on resuming some flights to Ukraine later this year.
“I think we should be optimistic. Now the ministry (Ministry of Recovery – IF-U) is working on resuming some flights to Kiev and Lviv at the end of this year. And if they can prove that it is safe, we will perform these flights,” said the head of Ryanair.
At the same time, he emphasized that if Ukraine fails to convince EASA – European Aviation Safety Agency and insurance companies that it is safe to perform a limited number of flights to Kiev and Lviv, the company will not be able to resume flights.
As reported, Ryanair this week announced a commitment to resume flights to/from Ukraine at low fares within 8 weeks of the opening of Ukrainian airspace. The company plans to deploy up to 30 new Boeing 737 MAX aircraft in Kiev, Lviv and Odessa at a cost of over $3 billion. It was indicated that the airline is ready to operate up to 600 flights per week. In addition, Ryanair plans to open daily flights between Kiev, Lviv and Odessa as soon as the airports are ready for it.
It was noted that the airline plans to reach more than 5 million passenger seats per year in the first 12 months after the launch and intends to increase this number to 10 million passengers within five years.
Ireland’s Ryanair, Europe’s largest budget airline, announced a commitment to resume flights to/from Ukraine at low fares within 8 weeks of the opening of Ukrainian airspace and plans to deploy up to 30 new Boeing 737 MAXs to Kiev, Lviv and Odessa at a cost of over $3 billion.
“Ryanair was Ukraine’s second largest airline until Russia’s illegal invasion in February 2022. As soon as the skies over Ukraine are reopened to commercial aviation, Ryanair will return to Ukraine, connecting Ukraine’s main airports to more than 20 EU capitals,” a Ryanair press release quoted the airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary as saying following his visit to Kiev on Thursday.
It is indicated that after the end of hostilities and as soon as the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) announces the safety of flights from/to Ukraine, the airline is ready to operate up to 600 flights per week. In addition, Ryanair plans to open daily flights between Kiev, Lviv and Odessa as soon as the airports are ready.
Executive Director of Ryanair reminded that before the war, the airline served airports in Kharkiv and Kherson and intends to return to them as soon as their infrastructure is restored after the end of hostilities.
It is noted that the airline plans to reach more than 5 million passenger seats on its flights from/to Ukraine in the first 12 months of operation and intends to grow that number to 10 million seats within five years.
“The fastest way to reshape and rebuild the Ukrainian economy is through low-cost air travel. Ryanair intends to invest heavily in Ukraine, leading the aviation recovery. In particular, (the airline) will invest up to $3 billion by deploying up to 30 new Boeing MAX airplanes at Ukraine’s three main airports in Kiev, Lviv and Odessa,” said O’Leary.
Ryanair also recalled that it has employed hundreds of Ukrainian pilots, cabin crew and IT specialists and is ready to create thousands of new jobs for Ukrainians in aviation immediately after the end of the war.
“Ukraine is a country of 40 million people, many of whom have been scattered across Europe as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion. We look forward to reuniting these families, with Ryanair’s affordable fares, as soon as it is safe to do so. Ryanair’s low fares will be critical to Ukraine’s economic recovery,” O’Leary said.
During his visit to Kiev on Thursday, he met with Deputy Prime Minister – Minister of Community Development, Territories and Infrastructure of Ukraine Oleksandr Kubrakov, as well as representatives of airports in Kiev, Lviv and Odessa.
Kubrakov emphasized that maintaining the performance of aviation infrastructure and the professional qualifications of personnel remains a vital task in war conditions.
“Meanwhile, the resumption of flights will be possible as soon as the security situation allows. However, we are already working on solutions and investment plans that will allow us to get airplanes in the air quickly,” he said, expressing gratitude for specific proposals and solutions from Ryanair, “Ukraine’s faithful partner.”
Boryspil Airport CEO Oleksiy Dubrevskiy, who was recently approved by the government in this position, added that the visit of Ryanair’s top management to Boryspil Airport is a strong signal that Europe’s largest airline sees huge potential in the Ukrainian air transportation market.
“I firmly believe that Boryspil airport will remain the main air gateway for our citizens to return to Ukraine and will continue to play a leading role in the recovery of the Ukrainian economy,” Dubrevskyy said.
Three weeks before the full-scale invasion, O’Leary announced plans for a major expansion into Ukraine “if Russia does not attack” ahead of the Open Skies agreement with the EU coming into force. It was about the deployment of 15-20 airplanes in the country in five airports of the country.
In addition, Ryanair had time to announce 13 new routes from Ukraine in the summer schedule of 2022, under which the airline planned to fly from Ukraine on a total of 90 routes.
As reported, Ukraine completely closed its airspace to civilian aircraft on February 24, 2022.
In April this year, O’Leary said Ryanair was ready to quickly resume operations in Ukraine when it was safe to fly again, having opened 30 routes and built several bases in a year. “We could be flying there (to Ukraine) in about two weeks. We are actively looking for ways and looking for where we can get back to Ukraine,” O’Leary said at the time. He specified that the company employs about 60 Ukrainian pilots and about 80 crew members, who are mostly stationed at Ryanair bases in Poland waiting for the market to open.
The world’s largest European budget carrier Ryanair has canceled all flights to and from Ukraine, in particular, from the airports of Kyiv, Lviv and Odesa, for an unlimited period, this follows from the information in its booking system.
According to one of the correspondents of Interfax-Ukraine, the company, in particular, sent him messages about the cancellation of an already paid flight for August 29, 2022.
The day after Russia launched a war against Ukraine on February 24 and closed the country’s airspace, Ryanair announced that it had suspended and withdrawn from sale flights to/from Ukraine until the end of March, pending further information from EU security authorities.
As of the morning of March 2, flights to and from Ukraine were still in the booking system for dates after March 27.
Earlier in February, before the start of the war, Ryanair removed all flights to Kharkiv and Kherson from sale.
Ryanair’s main competitor among low-cost carriers in Ukraine, Wizz Air, is still selling tickets to and from the country for the period after March 27.
The Irish low cost airline Ryanair has announced the launch of a new flight from Lviv to Manchester (the UK), which will operate twice a week from November 5, 2021.
“As Europe’s largest airline, Ryanair remains committed to rebuilding the European aviation and travel industry by resuming connections and expanding its passenger network to more than 225 million by 2026. As Ryanair hosts 55 more Boeing 737-8200 Gamechanger aircraft this year, this winter we are pleased to add this new route from Lviv to Manchester,” the airline’s press service quoted commercial director Jason McGuinness as saying.
At the moment, there are no direct flights to this direction.
As reported, Wizz Air intends to launch 26 new flights from four cities of Ukraine in 2021-2022 and expects to increase passenger traffic by 120%.
FLY, LVIV, MANCHESTER, RYANAIR
From October 2021, the Irish airline Ryanair will launch flights from Kyiv to Turin (Italy) as part of the winter schedule.
As the company’s press service said on Wednesday evening, the flights will be operated twice a week.
At the same time, due to regular changes in restrictions in connection with the coronavirus (COVID-19) disease, clients can postpone or change travel dates up to two times with zero commission until the end of December 2021, Sales and Marketing Manager for Central and Eastern Europe and the Balkans at Ryanair Olga Pawlonka is quoted as saying in the press release.
There are currently no direct flights from Kyiv to Turin.
