The Boryspil airport has suspended the operations of AIRO Catering Services Ukraine, a company that provides in-flight catering services at the airport. According to a press release by the airport, AIRO Catering Services Ukraine, which is a company with foreign investment, does not have sufficient legal grounds to access the airport’s infrastructure.
According to the airport, the agreement with the company on lease of real estate dated February 25, 1997, expired a few years ago, as confirmed by an inspection performed by the Kiev regional prosecutor’s office. The company leased the building for production of in-flight meals at the airport.
The airport said that it repeatedly asked AIRO Catering Services Ukraine to vacate the building and bring the lease relations in accordance with the legislation, which stipulates that lease agreements should now be concluded through the State Property Fund and not directly with the airport.
The management of the Boryspil airport has twice postponed imposition of restrictions on the company’s access to the airport’s infrastructure since late 2013, but it has now decided to take this step from February 1. The restrictions will remain in effect until the catering company concludes a new contract for use of the airport’s property.
Boryspil has also appealed to the Ministry of Infrastructure and the State Property Fund to resume the procedure for leasing the real estate that is used to provide in-flight catering services. AIRO Catering Services Ukraine may also be involved in this. In general, according to the press release, seven new companies have entered the in-flight catering services market at the Boryspil airport in the past four years.
Three operators currently provide passenger (passenger handling) services at the Boryspil airport. Apron handling (baggage handling and all the working involving entire range of aircraft maintenance services at hangars) services are performed by three operators. Five companies have general agreements with the airport to provide packages of services involving delivery and storage of aviation fuel and refueling of aircraft. More than 10 companies perform ground administration services at the Boryspil airport.
