The Ministry of Infrastructure informed avianews.com that equal approach and aerodrome control charges were imposed for Boryspil Airport and Kyiv (Zhulyany) Airport.

Order of the Ministry of Justice under the number 258 dd. May 17th, 2021 stipulates the charge equalization. The order came into force on June 1st.

If earlier the amount of charge for Boryspil Airport was 210 euros, and for Kyiv Airport – 411 euros, now there is a single rate for both air gates of the capital – 290 euros. At regional airports of Ukraine, the previous charge of 411 euros is applied.

“The order takes into account the recommendations of the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine,” said the press service of the Ministry of Infrastructure.

The order was supported by Kyiv Airport. “Creation of equal competitive conditions in Kyiv air hub is a fair decision necessary for the development of airlines’ activities,” said Olga Tovkes, General Director of MASTER-AVIA, a company which manages Kyiv Airport.

Why were the charges different?

By Order under the number 415 dd. June 4th, 2019, the Ministry of Infrastructure imposed a charge for Boryspil Airport in the amount of 210 euros, while this charge for all other airports amounted to 411 euros.

The main beneficiaries of this differentiation were the Boryspil-based airlines or airlines serving flights to this airport.

Other airports protested against this initiative and urged the Antimonopoly Committee of Ukraine (AMCU) to address this problem and take immediate actions.

In December 2019, the AMCU recognized the illegality of the two-fold reduction in the approach and aerodrome control charges for Boryspil Airport as compared to other airports.

The regulator concluded that the order in its previous wording granted a privileged position to Ukraine’s largest airport in relation to other air gates, which could lead to restriction of competition.

In this regard, AMCU obliged the Ministry of Infrastructure to amend the order and remove the discriminatory conditions. This process lasted for 1.5 years.