Ryanair may launch flights to Ukraine's Kharkiv

Head of Commercial Department at Kharkiv Airport Vladyslav Ilyin says the airport is now in talks with Europe's largest discount air carrier, Ryanair, that may launch its flights to the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv in the next year or two.

"We also communicate with other low-cost air carriers, for example, with Ryanair, one of the basic requirements of which is to serve as many short daily flights as possible," he told the Center for Transport Strategies (CTS), answering the question of whether the company is negotiating with other airlines, besides Wizz Air.

Read alsoBulgaria Air to open Odesa – Sofia route Feb 2"Unfortunately, Kharkiv loses because of its geographical position. For example, if Katowice – Lviv flight time is about an hour, it takes an hour longer to get to Kharkiv. The same situation is with other destinations in Europe," he added.

However, the return of Wizz Air is a positive signal for Ryanair and for other airlines.

"I think, there is a very good chance that Ryanair aircraft can fly to Kharkiv, if not this year, then the next," Ilyin said.

Read alsoDirect flights from Lviv to Georgia's Batumi to start early in JuneUkrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan earlier said that negotiations with Ryanair were in the final stage and the company might enter the Ukrainian market in January-February 2018.