On the morning of 19 December, a Boeing 777-300 aircraft took off from Boryspil International Airport for a technical flight, the press service of the international airport has said on Facebook.
The aircraft of the Ukrainian airline Skyline Express headed to an airport in Europe.
"The flight met the highest standards of aviation safety and security in accordance with the directives in force at the time of the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, and, it should be noted, without passengers or cargo on board. Since the closure of the Ukrainian airspace on 24 February 2022, Skyline Express aircraft have been parked at Boryspil Airport, undergoing ongoing technical support and maintenance," the airport said.
The airport noted that this is the fourth successful transfer of the aircraft from Boryspil since the beginning of the war. The airport remains "focused on ensuring operational readiness and financial sustainability, in particular in terms of infrastructure maintenance and maintaining staff certification". The flights not only help to test the recovery policy, but are also "a strategic step for Ukrainian airlines, helping them to reduce costs and improve their chances of survival in a difficult aviation environment".
"This strategic initiative paves the way for the resumption of regular operations as soon as an appropriate risk assessment allows it," Boryspil's press service said.
What is known about the possible reopening of Ukrainian airports
· Last month, the head of the presidential office, Andriy Yermak, said in a speech at the Hudson Institute that one of Ukraine's civilian airports might be opened by the end of the war.
· Subsequently, a deputy head of the presidential office, Andriy Sybiha, said that Boryspil was the first airport to be closed due to the outbreak of war, but it would be the first airport to be reopened as soon as the security situation allows.