Turkey’s Atlasjet bets on growth in Ukranian skies

LVIV - Dogan News Agency

Atlasjet Ukraine flight crew pose during the presentation ceremony in Lviv.

Turkish low-cost air carrier Atlasjet readies to launch Kyiv-based flights as of May with its new company founded in Ukraine, anticipating the country to bounce back from the ongoing severe economic and political crisis.

“The condition that Ukraine is in now doesn’t scare us,” Atlasjet Chairman Murat Ersoy said during a press meeting held to present the company’s new investment: Atlasjet Ukraine.

“We believe this will be temporary and the economy will recover much earlier than expected due to European and Russian interests in the region, promising great economic interests,“ Ersoy said at the meeting.

He said they have to prove themselves at a tough time for Ukraine, but remained optimistic, comparing Ukraine to the Turkey of 10 years ago, where “high growth potentials existed.”

“People don’t have the opportunity to travel by plane often. We will first cut the costs and then make them get used to flying after taking necessary measures. We think growth will be achieved in a short period of time, as it was in Turkey,” he said.

Atlasjet has invested $15 million at the first stage and will employ 200 personnel operating with three planes, Ersoy stated, adding the firm’s next investment will be in technical maintenance.
He noted Atlasjet also plans investing into a hangar as the plane fleet expands.

“We have plans to increase [the fleet] up to 10 planes after observing the feedback as flights begin in May. We think the market will expand up to 25 planes,” he said.