Europe’s largest low-cost carriers — Wizz Air, Ryanair, and easyJet (the latter appearing as a new entrant to the Ukrainian market) — are already lining up at the starting line. The companies’ CEOs compare the expected demand to the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, anticipating a massive travel boom immediately after the airspace reopens. The CEO of Wizz Air announced that within two years of peace, they would station 15 aircraft in Ukraine, increasing to 50 within seven years, effectively turning Kyiv into a key Eastern hub. Ryanair aims to transport 4 million passengers annually, which is three times its pre-war volume. The company promises to start selling tickets just two weeks after safety clearance is granted. EasyJet currently views the country as potentially its largest European project, primarily banking on returning travelers. While the industry openly discusses the phenomenon of “dark tourism,” the backbone of traffic is expected to consist of returning refugees, family visits, as well as professionals and humanitarian workers involved in reconstruction. The airports (especially Kyiv-Boryspil and Lviv) have survived the war in surprisingly good condition. According to government plans, a gradual reopening could begin within 30 to 90 days following a lasting ceasefire, likely starting in the western part of the country. Although insurance costs will initially be high, the competition among the three airlines is expected to keep ticket prices low (tourism-review.com).
