Five million passengers a year: how Wizz Air wants to return to Ukraine
25 March 16:50
Wizz Air has an ambitious plan to return to Ukraine as soon as the skies are reopened. According to the company’s CEO Jozsef Varadi, the low-cost airline is ready to launch about 400 air routes within the first six months after the resumption of flights, which will allow it to serve up to 5 million passengers a year, Komersant ukrainskyi reports citing Interfax-Ukraine news agency.
“As soon as Ukraine is ready, we will be ready,” Varadi said during the conference “Logistics as a Driver of Economic Growth” organized by the We Build Ukraine think tank.
According to him, Wizz Air plans not only to operate flights to Ukraine, but also to open bases in the country, i.e. to organize full-fledged operations from Ukrainian airports. The company has already negotiated with Ukrainian airports and is at the final stage of concluding agreements.
It also became known that Wizz Air representatives have already met with the management of Boryspil Airport in Budapest. They discussed the rapid resumption of air transportation immediately after the official opening of the airspace over Ukraine.
What we know about Wizz Air in Ukraine
Wizz Air’s Ukrainian network is currently mothballed, but not eliminated – aircraft with Ukrainian registration are temporarily based in other countries. The company notes that the resumption of operations in Ukraine will be quick after the official opening of the skies.
Wizz Air has been operating in Ukraine since 2008, with a separate subsidiary, Wizz Air Ukraine, which operated until 2015, and permanent bases in Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv, and Odesa. Prior to the full-scale invasion, the low-cost airline operated dozens of international flights daily.
After the war, the company plans a large-scale comeback, with an expanded network of flights to the EU and the UK. Wizz Air is also ready to invest in infrastructure, launch new destinations, and create jobs in Ukraine.
Read also: Wizz Air will resume flights from Ukraine as soon as the war stops
Which carriers are considering returning to the Ukrainian market after the opening of the skies
Ryanair (Ireland)
Strategy: The most aggressive player with concrete plans.
What we know: The company’s CEO Michael O’Leary has repeatedly publicly stated that Ryanair will be one of the first companies to return to Ukraine immediately after the airspace is reopened.
Plans:
- resumption of flights from Kyiv, Lviv, and Odesa;
- potentially launching domestic flights in Ukraine;
- intention to base up to 30 aircraft in Ukraine, which means large volumes of traffic.
Investment statements: In 2023, Ryanair announced that it plans to invest $3 billion in Ukrainian aviation after the war.
LOT Polish Airlines (Poland)
Strategy: cautious comeback, focusing on interstate flights and transit.
What we know: Poland’s national carrier remained one of Ukraine’s key partners during the war, through ground handling, evacuation assistance, and humanitarian transportation.
Plans:
- resumption of flights to Kyiv, Lviv, and Kharkiv;
- maintaining the function of a transit hub in Warsaw for passengers from Ukraine;
- joint projects with UIA after the market stabilizes.
Risks: LOT is waiting for final signals from NATO/ICAO on the safety of flights over Ukraine.
SkyUp Airlines (Ukraine)
Strategy: Survival and adaptation – with a focus on charters and European expansion.
What we know: SkyUp has not ceased operations – the company has re-registered part of its fleet abroad, and operates as an ACMI operator (provides aircraft for charter with crew).
Plans:
- full return to Ukraine after the airspace is reopened;
- expanding its own route network, including outside Ukraine (bases in Moldova, Romania, and Poland);
- readiness to operate domestic and international flights as a national brand.
