Ukraine considers phased opening of Ukrainian skies to flights – Reuters

Ukraine's State Aviation Administration is exploring the possibility of gradually and partially reopening airspace to civil aviation, with Lviv in the country's west potentially becoming the first city to resume airport operations.

Source: Reuters

Details: In a written comment to Reuters, Ukraine's State Aviation Administration noted that it was considering a gradual and partial opening of the airspace to civil aviation "provided the risks are assessed and reduced to an acceptable level, and additional security measures are implemented". No specific timeframe was provided, though.

Crispin Ellison, senior partner at Marsh McLennan Insurance Company, stated that for nearly a year, Ukraine has been in discussions with European aviation authorities and airlines about resuming air travel.

"If regulators agree it is safe to open it and a political decision is made, the insurance industry is ready to support the recovery efforts," Ellison said, referring to a possible launch in 2025.

Ellison emphasised that securing airspace is a significant challenge, noting that considerable efforts have been made to address this issue, although he did not provide further details.

Lviv Oblast, bordering Poland, has been less affected by Russian attacks compared to other regions of Ukraine, though Russian forces have targeted its gas infrastructure and conducted drone and missile strikes. Lviv Airport, which has two terminals, was capable of handling up to 3,000 passengers per hour before the war.

Ellison stated that Marsh McLennan is assisting the Ukrainian government in developing an insurance programme to cover commercial aviation risks. The company already provides insurance for vessels transporting cargo through the Black Sea corridor.

The discussions involve the aviation sector, he added: "National carriers, low-cost and Ukrainian airlines (are) all expressing an interest and looking at whether they do this".

Background:

• Civil aviation flights over Ukraine were fully suspended on 24 February 2022.
• Ukraine’s Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, along with the directors of international airports, presented a roadmap for reopening Ukraine's airspace during wartime.
• Flights to one of Ukraine's airports – Lviv or Boryspil (Kyiv) – could restart by the end of January 2025.

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