UTair stops operating in Ukraine, WizzAir postpones

“UTair – Ukraine” director, Anatoliy Benz, informed that the company has decided to abandon its domestic flights in Ukraine and to return number of aircraft to France, reports Epravda.

“During the previous year “UTair – Ukraine” has invested 5 ATR aircraft into Ukrainian aviation market. All of the 5 aircraft were manufactured in Toulouse, France. Starting from the 1st of December, UTair will return them back to France. Unfortunately, we have decided to stop our internal operations in Ukraine” – informs Anatoliy Banz during a press-conference in Kiev. According to Anatoliy, Ukrainian customers are not ready to pay for these services.

The decision was based on the new law urged by governmental aviation authority of Ukraine, limiting the presence of any foreign air company in the Ukraine. According to the document, registered in Ukraine foreign airlines will not be allowed to operate international flights in case if the assets owned of the company are over 49%. These rules may lead to the fact that at least two foreign carriers, Wizz Air and UTair will be forced to stop its activities in the country.

As stated by governmental aviation authority of Ukraine, to continue its international routes, companies will have to operate internally for at least one year. Afterwards, the aviation authority will decide on the number of allowable international flights that will be set depending on the frequency of domestic flights.

According to the Bush, CEO of WizzAir, the document is contrary to the open market. Bush states that the procedure sets stricter rules and conditions for carriers compared with those who were before. While the aviation industry is expected that restrictions will become less and all rules will be unified EU rules, given that Ukraine is striving to meet European standards of open sky.

Source and image: Epravda