You're reading: Kolesnikov: Number of low-cost passengers depends on introduction of visa free regime with EU

Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine Borys Kolesnikov has stated that any increase in the number of low-cost passengers depends on the introduction of a visa free regime with the EU.

"Ukraine has repeatedly stated that an agreement on open skies will be signed at the moment when visa free travel is set up," he said in the Shuster Live talk show on June 1.

According to Kolesnikov, one of the low-cost components is the open sky.

"Flying to the EU, one must obtain a visa. Western companies fly here and no visa is required. So there is an imbalance," he said.

He stressed that low-cost terms exist only on flights performed over short distances.

In addition, according to Kolesnikov, low-cost terms require "cheap airport services, cheap fuel and cheap access to the purchase of new aircraft, i.e. loans."

He said that over the past year-and-a-half the number of low-cost passengers in Ukraine doubled from 300,000 to 600,000. However, he said "in my opinion, this is negligible."