Ukraerorukh confident of positive revision of Eurocontrol's forecast for reopening Ukrainian airspace

MOSCOW. April 12 (Interfax) - The Ukrainian airspace will open when the crisis is over, and the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) will make positive adjustments to its forecast as the situation develops, the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (Ukraerorukh) said on Tuesday.

"Eurocontrol specialists have drafted an outlook for the planning horizon of 2029 on the basis of available information. Once new objective factors emerge, such as the end of the crisis and reconfiguration of routes, Eurocontrol will update its forecast, using the new data," the Ukrainian media said, quoting the Ukraerorukh commentary on the Eurocontrol forecast, according to which flight routes will go back to normal after 2029.

Ukraerorukh noted that Eurocontrol's STARFOR releases and updates seven-year air traffic outlooks for all (41) members of the organization and Europe as a whole twice a year. Members use the outlooks in annual calculations of air traffic control fees. The outlook is based on the current situation in the aviation industry and the configuration of flight routes, Ukraerorukh said.

Ukraine is making full-scale preparations for resuming flights in its airspace, Ukraerorukh said. For instance, a plan of the resumption of air control services in the national airspace has been drafted together with Eurocontrol.

The plan addresses every element of the process, including infrastructure recovery, operational procedures, aviation security, personnel training, certification, interaction with international partners, and financing.

Ukraine fully closed its airspace to civilian aircraft on February 24, 2022.