Major European low-cost carriers Ryanair and Wizz Air are poised to begin flights from Ukrainian Black Sea port city Odesa in summer 2019, according to Ukrainian Infrastructure Minister Volodymyr Omelyan.
The arrival of two of the continent’s leading budget airlines in southern Ukraine will be made possible by the expected completion of a major upgrade of Odesa International Airport. The airport already has a new terminal building in place while work continues on improvements to the runway, with an estimated completion date of mid-2019.
Odesa has enjoyed a major tourism industry boom in recent years, due in part to the Russian occupation of traditional Ukrainian vacation destination Crimea. The launch of international budget flights is a vital next step towards opening the resort city up to European holidaymakers.