newstodate.aero
Feb 20, 2018 (newstodate): In Ukraine, deputies of the Ivano-Frankivsk city council are fighting to take back control of the region's airport from its current owner, Igor Kolomoyski - a name ringing a bell in the aviation industry.
Through his company Skorzonera-Zakarpattya, Mr Kolomoyski gained ownership for a period of 30 years of the Ivano Frankivsk International Airport in 2010, but since then the condition of the airport has deteriorated, and passenger volumes have declined from 116,000 in 2011 to 98,000 in 2016.
The outcome of the renewed efforts by the regional council to abrogate the contract with Mr Kolomoyski is, however, in doubt as earlier attempts proved futile.
Mr Kolomoyski is owner of Ukraine International Airlines, but came under investigation already in 2016 for alleged bribery of the head of Ukraine's National Aviation Administration to obstruct the operations of another Ukrainian carrier, UM Airlines.
In 2011, Mr Kolomoyski acquired 70 percent of shares in the Danish carrier Cimber Sterling through his Cyprus-based investment company Mansvell, injecting 165 mio Danish Kroner into the debt-ridden carrier that had flown on the brink of bankruptcy - and under this new ownership Cimber Sterling received its last blow forcing it to fold its wings in May 2012.
The name of Mr Kolomoyski will also ring familiar at the HQs of Swissport that from June 1, 2006, operated a airport handling JV with Ukraine International Airlines, Swissport Ukraine.
After several twists and turns, Swissport eventually lost all shares in the JV after a prolonged series of trials and court hearings, leaving the JV company renamed Interavia in the hands of Mr Kolomoyski and UIA.
Through his company Skorzonera-Zakarpattya, Mr Kolomoyski gained ownership for a period of 30 years of the Ivano Frankivsk International Airport in 2010, but since then the condition of the airport has deteriorated, and passenger volumes have declined from 116,000 in 2011 to 98,000 in 2016.
The outcome of the renewed efforts by the regional council to abrogate the contract with Mr Kolomoyski is, however, in doubt as earlier attempts proved futile.
Mr Kolomoyski is owner of Ukraine International Airlines, but came under investigation already in 2016 for alleged bribery of the head of Ukraine's National Aviation Administration to obstruct the operations of another Ukrainian carrier, UM Airlines.
In 2011, Mr Kolomoyski acquired 70 percent of shares in the Danish carrier Cimber Sterling through his Cyprus-based investment company Mansvell, injecting 165 mio Danish Kroner into the debt-ridden carrier that had flown on the brink of bankruptcy - and under this new ownership Cimber Sterling received its last blow forcing it to fold its wings in May 2012.
The name of Mr Kolomoyski will also ring familiar at the HQs of Swissport that from June 1, 2006, operated a airport handling JV with Ukraine International Airlines, Swissport Ukraine.
After several twists and turns, Swissport eventually lost all shares in the JV after a prolonged series of trials and court hearings, leaving the JV company renamed Interavia in the hands of Mr Kolomoyski and UIA.