Ukraine pauses aviation localization

Ukraine’s Justice Ministry agreed to suspend the implementation of new aviation rules pending talks with foreign carriers including discount operator Wizz Air, which had said the changes might force it to quit the country, informs Bloomberg.

Ukraine will consult with stakeholders on the rules, which were proposed on Oct. 24 and would require carriers with bases there to be more than 50 percent locally owned and to offer domestic flights with international ones, the ministry said.

Ukraine’s flag carrier, Ukraine International Airlines, known as UIA, which has reported $90 million in losses so far this year, is the only airline that could comply with the new requirements in their current form, Wizz Air said on Nov. 20, though the regulations would apply only to new routes and not be retroactive, according to the State Aviation Service.

Ukraine’s aviation regulator is headed by Denys Antoniuk, who was director of route and alliances development at UIA before being appointed to the post on March 12.

Source and image: Bloomberg