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Minister of Infrastructure Volodymyr Omelyan has told the Obozrevatel news outlet that Ryanair, the Irish-based low-cost air carrier, may not launch its operations in Ukraine in 2017.
"If the negotiations are deliberately delayed, while they [Ryanair] distribute the routes for their aircraft for the whole year, we will say that Ryanair will come next year," Omelyan said.
"But they will definitely come," the minister said.
He also stressed that negotiations with Ryanair should be restored and continued.
Read alsoGroysman comments on Ryanair’s potential base in Ukraine until Hostomel terminal launched"There is a clear mandate of the Prime Minister and support of the President of Ukraine, so I hope that in the near future they will continue because there is no way we can further pull the cat by its tail," Omelyan said.
As UNIAN reported earlier, July 10 Ryanair announced its withdrawal from Ukraine claiming non-compliance by the officials of the Boryspil Airport with the agreement previously reached with the Ministry of Infrastructure of Ukraine. Four new routes from Kyiv and another seven from Lviv have been canceled.
Boryspil CEO Pavlo Ryabikin said that he had not yet signed a cooperation agreement with Ryanair, considering it advisable to host Ryanair at the Antonov International Airport near Hostomel instead of Boryspil.
Read alsoGroysman explains why Ryanair snubs at UkraineAccording to Ryabikin, had the deal been signed, his airport would have under-received some UAH 2 billion annually. He called the contract with Ryanair financially unfavorable for the company and refused to sign it until the airport's requirements were taken into account.