Ryanair expects to start flying in Ukraine within two weeks when fighting eventually ends and plans to become the country's largest airline, group chief executive Michael O'Leary has said.
140 Staff And 30 Routes
O'Leary, whose airline is Europe's largest by passenger numbers, said he had hired around 60 Ukrainian pilots and around 80 cabin crew and his aim was to fly 30 routes from four Ukrainian airports back into the European Union within weeks of the conflict ending.
Three Or Four Large Bases
The airline would then plan to open up three or four large bases in the country within 6-12 months. He said he had no insight into when the conflict, triggered by Russia's invasion in February last year, might end.
"Back In There Hopefully Within Two Weeks"
"We would be back in there hopefully within two weeks after someone tells us it's safe to fly back into Kyiv, Lviv, Odesa. Kherson will be a lot longer because the airport has been destroyed," O'Leary told the Bloomberg New Economy Gateway conference near Dublin. "We will be Ukraine's biggest airline."
Ryanair CEO Says European Aircraft Capacity Will Be Challenging In Medium Term
The above news follows news that short-haul aircraft capacity in Europe is going to continue to be challenging over the medium term, Ryanair chief executive officer Michael O'Leary said on Wednesday 19 April.
Read More: Ryanair CEO Says European Aircraft Capacity Will Be Challenging In Medium Term
News by Reuters, edited by Hospitality Ireland. Click subscribe to sign up for the Hospitality Ireland print edition.
