What’s On The Horizon For: Kyiv Boryspil International Airport

Even as Ukraine’s skies remain closed to commercial aviation, Kyiv Boryspil International Airport (KBP) is working behind the scenes to ensure it can reclaim its role as the country’s primary international gateway once peace returns.

“We have put a lot of effort and money in keeping our infrastructure operational,” Khyzhnyak said in an interview at Routes Europe 2025 in Seville. “We have maintained our infrastructure, both air side and terminals, to make sure that every elevator, every lift, and every piece of ground support equipment is operational and ready to serve when it's needed.”

Despite more than three years of airspace closure due to Russia’s invasion—and two years of pandemic-related disruption before that—the airport has preserved operational integrity and retained qualified staff. Khyzhnyak said that KBP could be ready to resume commercial operations within 30 days once Ukraine’s airspace has been reopened.

However, he added that in the absence of flying, the airport continues to build relationships with airlines to lay the groundwork for a strong restart once conditions allow. “Naturally, we talk to airlines which operated at our airport before the war,” Khyzhnyak said. “But we are also looking at both European markets and worldwide.”

A major priority is reconnecting with the Ukrainians currently displaced abroad. “We look at the refugees, because now we have 6.5 million Ukrainians seeking protection abroad—mostly in Europe, but also in North America and other parts of the world,” he said. “So, we are talking to airlines to create the possibility for these refugees to come back.”

Beyond humanitarian considerations, Khyzhnyak stressed that restoring air service is essential to revitalizing Ukraine’s economy. Before the war, Kyiv Boryspil handled 65% of Ukraine’s passenger traffic and more than 80% of its cargo.

“We are obviously talking to network carriers who can easily connect Ukraine via their hubs to the whole world,” Khyzhnyak said. “And then we are also looking at point-to-point traffic, mostly with low-cost carriers—big European airlines who can establish a lot of connections and connect Boryspil Airport with a lot of destinations in Europe.”

In June, Wizz Air CEO József Váradi said the ULCC sees Ukraine as a major long-term opportunity, saying that it could scale to 150 routes and 15 million seats within three years. Ryanair has also vowed to return once conditions allow—although has criticized a lack of incentives to stimulate traffic.

Speaking about the importance of attending Routes events, Khyzhnyak said it was a “brilliant opportunity” to meet with many carriers. “Every day we're talking to airlines, building insights, and providing the most up to date information… about the market potential of Kyiv Boryspil.”