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Ryanair begins flights from Ukraine (PHOTOS)

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Fire trucks give a water salute to Ryanair Boeing 737-8AS plane as it lands at Boryspil International Airport, Kyiv Oblast on Sept. 3. It is a tradition to give a water salute to the first plane of a new airline landing at the airport.
Photo by Oleg Petrasiuk

Irish low-cost airline Ryanair launched its first flights from European cities to Ukraine on Sept. 3.

The carrier’s entrance to the Ukrainian market was tumultuous as the country’s main airport, Boryspil International Airport near Kyiv, was refusing to meet Ryanair’s demands for low tariffs. Finally, the airport and the airline reached agreement in March.

The Irish airline is Europe’s biggest low-cost carrier and has been long expected in Ukraine. Ryanair’s arrival is seen as a challenge to the monopoly of Ukraine’s main domestic carrier, Ukraine International Airlines.

The first Ryanair plane to fly from Boryspil on Sept. 3 took its passengers to Berlin.