Ukraine strives to restore air travel

Boryspil International Airport became deserted after Russia launched a special military operation in Ukraine. Photo: Reuters

Ukraine's airspace was closed after Russia's special military operation in February 2022, citing security risks to civil aviation. Anyone arriving in Ukraine must now travel by road or rail from a neighboring country. Therefore, Kiev sees the restoration of air travel as a goal to bring growth to the economy .

“While we do not want to create too high expectations, we are making every effort to restore air connectivity in Ukraine,” Rostyslav Shurma said during a discussion at the Davos Forum in Switzerland.

Shurma declined to give a timeline for when air travel could resume, but said Ukraine had an “internal roadmap and schedule,” adding that Kiev was consulting with its Israeli colleagues on technical specifications for the restoration. Israel has long experience deploying air defense systems to protect its infrastructure.

“We need to get approval from IATA (International Air Transport Association) and FAA (Federal Aviation Administration). This is not an easy case. And it depends a lot on the bold decisions of international partners that we believe we will get,” said Mr. Shurma.

The insurance program for grain shipments through the Black Sea corridor, provided by insurance broker Marsh, along with other insurers and the State Bank of Ukraine, could be used as a blueprint for restoring air travel, Marsh CEO John Doyle said.

According to Mr. Shurma, Ukraine is considering reopening Boryspil airport or another airport in the western region of Kiev, but the international airport near the capital Kiev is the top priority.

In December 2023, a technical flight of a Boeing 777-300 took off at Boryspil airport, a sign that the infrastructure is still in working condition.

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