Georgiy, could you please tell us about the successes achieved by Boryspil airport in 2017?
2017 was a record year for the airport. We have reasons to be proud: we recorded record-high passenger traffic, profitability of income and fiscal charges, the largest in the company's history. I would like to note an increase in the number of airlines. In 2017, we welcomed six new airlines, which resulted in the increased frequency of flights and expanded geography of routes.
In 2017, Boryspil airport posted a record income of more than 4bn hryvnyas. In addition, its pre-tax profit amounted to 2,114m hryvnyas, which is also a record sum.
– There were reports in the press that Boryspil had boosted traffic up to 10 million passengers over the past two years. How have you achieved this and what is in store for this year?

Photo: The commercial director of Boryspil International Airport, Georgiy Zubko
Several years ago, the Cabinet of Ministers approved a hub development strategy for Boryspil airport. What is important in this model is that when a passenger changes flights in Boryspil, it is not a Ukrainian passenger. To date, this model accounts for one third of our passenger traffic. We pay a lot of attention to transfer passengers: we are building a transfer zone, lounge zones and recreation areas to ensure that foreign air travelers feel cozy and comfortable with us, even if only for a few hours.
Next year, we will certainly raise the bar and aim at a 20% increase in financial performance.
In 2017, Boryspil International Airport strengthened its position on the ACI Europe ranking. Boryspil climbed the third seat, having boosted passenger traffic by 22.1%, in the group of European airports which serve 5 to 10 million passengers. According to the annual rating, Boryspil is in the lead together with Keflavik International Airport in Reykjavik (28.3%) and Naples Airport (26.6%).
– Activities such as photo exhibitions, gigs and dance performances in Terminal D, as well as the Wedding in Boryspil event, did not go unnoticed. Could you please share any interesting plans with us?
Thanks to our activities, Boryspil airport is turning into a cultural hub of Ukraine. We come up with many projects that reveal the potential of our country. For example, now we are running a joint project with the Ukrainian postal service Ukrposhta: every departing passenger can send a postcard anywhere in the world (Terminal D, Level 3, near the main information desk). This campaign is very popular with our air travelers. For several years now we have been holding a contest together with our partner, the Heavenly Swallows airline.
This year, we selected the top 10 Ukrainian designers who designed and made the "uniforms of the future" for flight attendants. The winner of this project, Mariya Barmina, received a prize and a contract with Boryspil airport to produce uniforms for our employees. This spring we have planned a number of cultural events, but we will not spill the beans just yet. I am sure that every person who finds themselves in our space will only get the positive vibes.
Photos provided by distributors, shutterstock.com.