Why is Uzhgorod airport not working? (DOCUMENT)

"Why is the International Airport "Uzhgorod" not working? Not because nobody wants to fly to Transcarpathia.

And not even because the term of the agreement with Slovakia, which allows our aircrafts to enter their airspace during takeoff and landing in Uzhgorod. The truth is much more banal. 

But first things first."

The information was shared by Victor Baloha on his page. Here is what he wrote:

"The first myth is that nobody wants to fly to Transcarpathia.

In fact, the claim that flights to Transcarpathia are not profitable does not hold water. Transcarpathia has always been attractive to tourists, and after the annexation of the Crimea, the demand for summer vacation in the Carpathian Mountains has been increasing every year. The proof of the commercial attractiveness is the official statement of the MAU about the readiness to resume flights between Kyiv and Uzhgorod.

The second myth is that the reason for the idleness is the absence of the mentioned agreement between Ukraine and Slovakia.

The agreement indeed has expirated, but it can not be a reason not to take flight. The Ministry of Infrastructure claim that they have reached an agreement with the Slovaks, under which flights can be carried out under visual flight rules with at least 30 minutes prior approval.

In this regard, the airport "Uzhgorod" was ordered to amend the flight regulations accordingly. But in 2 months, the Airport administration has not informed the Ministry of Infrastructure on the fulfillment of this order.

The owner of the Airport is the Transcarpathian regional public utility company "International airport Uzhgorod", which is subject to the Transcarpathian Regional Council. So we have to ask the leadership of the Regional Council, why the airport has not fulfilled the formality related to the amendment of the regulations.

I do not know what must happen to make them at least lift a finger to have the single flight from Kyiv resumed. Because that’s all they can do."