Ukrainian carrier Supernova Airlines is eyeing up long-haul services to the United States and China after receiving authorization from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) to operate flights within the EU. Additionally, the carrier has been granted permission to operate cargo flights from Ukraine, but will have to wait until the country’s airspace has been reopened.

Supernova Airlines receives EU flight authorization

Supernova – a subsidiary of Ukrainian courier company Nova Poshta – has received permission from the EU to launch international cargo flights from Ukraine within the EU. Specifically, it will be allowed to operate seven weekly flights between Kyiv-Prague and Lviv-Prague starting November 1st. However, the authorizations do not count for much at this stage, as Ukrainian airspace is still closed to all commercial flights.

supernova airlines

Photo: Soos Jozsef | Shutterstock

As reported by Aerotime, Timur Tkachenko, Deputy Minister of Development of Communities and Territories of Ukraine, said in a Telegram post,

“Some channels understood this news in their own way and began to announce the ‘partial opening of the sky.’ Currently, we all understand that the security situation does not allow civil aviation flights. Unfortunately, the sky over Ukraine is still closed.”

The airline will only be able to launch these flights once Ukraine’s airspace is once again allowed to host commercial flights. According to an Aviation Week report, Ukrainian authorities hope to partially reopen the country’s airspace in early 2025, although this is slated as the “most optimistic scenario.” This is the first time an airline has been granted permission to operate commercial flights within Ukrainian airspace since Russia launched its “special military operation” in early 2022.

Part-TCO certificate paves way for Europe flights

Additionally, Supernova has already received a Part-TCO (Third Country Operator) certificate, which gives it the right to perform charter flights within the EU – having been granted the certificate on October 17th, the airline has said it is currently finalizing its preparations to conduct commercial cargo flights in European airspace.

It will also be authorized to operate cargo flights for third parties with its Boeing 737-800SF freighter. This 17-year-old airframe was delivered to Supernova in August and previously flew as a passenger jet with Air Berlin. It is currently parked at Siauliai International Airport (SQQ) in Lithuania and is expected to enter service later this year.

US and China flights in the works

As reported by Interfax Ukraine, Supernova has expressed its intent to launch long-haul services from Ukraine to the US and China. At this stage, it hasn’t given any indication of which routes it is interested in. According to the carrier,

“Strategically, the airline aims to operate long-haul flights from the United States to Europe and from China to Europe.”

A closeup of an Antonov Airlines An-124-100 on an airport apron.

Photo: 2273945673 | Shutterstock

If and when Ukraine does reauthorize civilian flights in its airspace, Lviv Airport has been earmarked as a likely candidate to be the first airport to resume civil operations. Boryspil Airport has also been touted as a possible location – however, a lot of improvements need to be made regarding the security situation before this will happen.

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