Summary
- SkyUp Airlines has received approval to operate flights in US airspace, allowing them to make the most of the massive aviation market through wet lease and charter flights.
- The approval required clearance from three US regulatory bodies – the Department of Transportation, Transportation Security Administration, and Federal Aviation Administration.
- The approved aircraft for US airspace are 4 Boeing 737-800s, previously owned by Malaysia Airlines and Sunwing.
SkyUp Airlines has been granted approval to operate flights in US airspace, with 4 of the Ukrainian carrier’s aircraft receiving clearance to fly to, from, and inside the US. The airline plans to make the most of the vast market by operating a series of wet lease and charter flights.
In an effort to fly in US airspace, SkyUp Airlines needed approval from three of the country’s regulatory bodies – the Department of Transportation (DoT), which granted permission for the airline to conduct business on US soil, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), which ensured that SkyUp Airlines complied with all vital security requirements, and lastly, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which granted the carrier with its FAR129 certificate.
Photo: Maksym Pasternak / Shutterstock
The aircraft which have been granted approval to fly in US airspace are 4 Boeing 737-800s, registered as UR-SQB, UR-SQC, UR-SQF, and UR-SQP. The primary three of those aircraft were previously owned by Malaysia Airlines, before transferring to SkyUp Airlines in 2018, while the latter belonged to the Canadian leisure carrier Sunwing.
No stranger to wet lease operations
SkyUp Airlines is already well-versed in wet lease operations. Shortly after Ukrainian airspace was shut at first of the conflict in February 2022, the carrier took all of its aircraft and crew out of Ukraine, and has since been operating a lot of wet lease and charter flights across Europe. Throughout that point, the carrier has also flown a series of humanitarian flights.
That said, plainly SkyUp Airlines’ aircraft have struggled to flee harm, as considered one of the carrier’s 737-800s was badly damaged in deadly clashes at Khartoum International Airport (KRT) in Sudan in April 2023, together with an Airbus A330-300 belonging to the Saudi Arabian flag carrier, Saudia.
Photo: kbp.spotter / Shutterstock
More recently, SkyUp Airlines was granted a Maltese AOC in May 2023, facilitating its operations across Europe. The carrier has stated, nevertheless, that it intends to return to Ukraine as soon as possible following the tip of the conflict.
A growing fleet of Boeing 737s
SkyUp began operations in May 2018, and, prior to the conflict, flew to a wide selection of destinations across Europe, North Africa, and the Middle East, including Barcelona (BCN), Dubai (DXB), and Sharm El Sheikh (SSH). The airline had three primary operating bases – Boryspil International Airport (KBP) in Kyiv, Kharkiv International Airport (HRK), and Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport (LWO).
Photo: kbp.spotter / Shutterstock
Data from ch-aviation.com shows that the airline’s fleet currently boasts nine aircraft – two Boeing 737-700s and 7 737-800s. The carrier also has a complete of seven 737 MAXs on order – two 737 MAX 7s, two 737 MAX 8s, and three 737 MAX 10s.
What do you think that of SkyUp Airlines being granted approval to fly in US airspace? What sort of flights and routes do you see the carrier operating in the long run? Share your thoughts by commenting below.