newstodate.aero
Nov 25, 2014 (newstodate): Ukraine has taken steps to limit the activities of foreign airlines.
Under new rules announced by the country's civil aviation administration, airlines with over 49 percent of foreign ownership may lose their rights to be appointed to carry out international routes and international charter flights.
This will immediate harm the activities of Wizz Air and UTAir Ukraine that are registered in Ukraine but majority-owned by Hungarian and Russian companies, respectively.
The move is widely seen as efforts to bolster the position of the country's own carriers, notably Ukraine Airlines International.
From now, carriers will be appointed for each individual route, and after one year an evaluation will be made to ascertain whether the carrier lives up to certain criteria. If not, the carrier may lose its rights to operate in the country.
Wizz Air Ukraine was the country's first low-cost carrier, starting operations from July 18, 2008 with Airbus A320 aircraft.
UTAir Ukraine was set up in September 2008 and received its Ukrainian AOC in October 2009, performing its first flight in December 2009.
According to statistics for 2013, Wizz Air Ukraine's traffic grew by 58.1 percent, UTair Ukraine saw its passenger volumes up by 130 percent, and UIA's passenger traffic increased by 69.5 percent.
Under new rules announced by the country's civil aviation administration, airlines with over 49 percent of foreign ownership may lose their rights to be appointed to carry out international routes and international charter flights.
This will immediate harm the activities of Wizz Air and UTAir Ukraine that are registered in Ukraine but majority-owned by Hungarian and Russian companies, respectively.
The move is widely seen as efforts to bolster the position of the country's own carriers, notably Ukraine Airlines International.
From now, carriers will be appointed for each individual route, and after one year an evaluation will be made to ascertain whether the carrier lives up to certain criteria. If not, the carrier may lose its rights to operate in the country.
Wizz Air Ukraine was the country's first low-cost carrier, starting operations from July 18, 2008 with Airbus A320 aircraft.
UTAir Ukraine was set up in September 2008 and received its Ukrainian AOC in October 2009, performing its first flight in December 2009.
According to statistics for 2013, Wizz Air Ukraine's traffic grew by 58.1 percent, UTair Ukraine saw its passenger volumes up by 130 percent, and UIA's passenger traffic increased by 69.5 percent.