Passenger traffic through Ukrainian airports grows

Passenger traffic through the Ukrainian airports was up by 15.2% in December 2013 compared with December 2012. General air passenger volume through Ukraine exceeded 7% last year, Oleksandr Vilkul Vice Prime Minister said, the Information-Analytical Bulletin of the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine informs.

Analysts explain that such performance is achieved due to new carriers and large-scale infrastructure projects on reconstruction of domestic airports. The Agreement on Common Aviation Space ("Open Sky") signed by Ukraine and the EU was initialed in November, 2013. The government has succeeded in liberalizing the air service between Ukraine and countries like Georgia, Russia, the United Arab Emirates (the UAE), Spain.

Experts also note that U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) awarded Ukraine Category I according to IASA safety program last autumn. Now, Ukrainian airlines will be able to expand the geography and open the flights  to Canada, Australia and Japan. The Ukraine International Airlines plans to resume Kyiv - New York flights this spring.

The steps taken by the government allow to increase transit flights through Ukraine and contribute to the development of other sectors. The government keeps negotiating with the leaders of foreign countries for cooperation in this area.

Resumed direct long-haul flights from the Borispil International Airport (KBP, Kyiv) to India, Thailand, the Dominican Republic, and Vietnam are among the achievements of the past year, analysts point out.

Ukraine started 37 new international air routes, including 20 routes by domestic carriers and 17 by foreign companies, in 2013. New flights include Germany, Spain, Tunisia, Russia, Kazakhstan, the UAE, Italy, Poland, Austria, Slovakia, Azerbaijan, Georgia etc.