The State Aviation Administration of Ukraine (SAAU) has barred Turkmenistan Airlines (T5, Ashgabat) from plying flights between Turkmenistan and Ukraine with effect from August 16.
The SAAU said in a statement that while it had allocated the Turkmenistani carrier traffic rights to serve Ukraine as per a May 27 cooperation, Ashgabat had failed to reciprocate in kind leading to the revocation of Turkmenistan Airlines' rights.
"As the Turkmenistani airline operates on the Kiev-Ashgabat route unopposed which is contrary to Paragraph 1 of Article 11 of the agreement between the governments of Ukraine and Turkmenistan on cooperation in the field of air service, the SAAU is forced to resort to measures of control and, exercising its right, from August 16, 2015, to cancel permits for Kiev-Ashgabat flights issued to Turkmenistan Airlines," it said.
This is Ukraine's third such dispute with a fellow former Soviet state following those with Belarus (subsequently resolved) and Uzbekistan (still outstanding).
"The State hopes to resolve the conflict and to allow airlines of both parties to carry out regular services between states," the SAAU said in a communique.
Earlier this year, Ukraine International Airlines (PS, Kyiv Boryspil) majority shareholder Aron Mayberg told the Interfax news agency in an interview that Turkmenistan's unwillingness to allow UIA to serve the country stemmed from concerns they would undercut the Turkmen national carrier.
