Ukraine’s budget airline SkyUp said on Sunday that its flight from Portugal to Kyiv was forced to land in Moldova because the plane’s Irish leasing company had revoked permission for it to cross into Ukraine.
Ukrainian SkyUp Airlines released a statement, announcing that its passenger flight originally bound for Borispol Airport in Kiev, Ukraine was forced to land in Moldova’s capital, Chisinau, instead.
The carrier had to divert its flight from Portugal to the Ukrainian capital, after the aircraft’s Ireland-based owner forbade the plane to enter Ukrainian airspace.
According to SkyUp, the owner of the plane, which leases it to the airline, notified the Ukrainian company when the aircraft was already in midair that it “categorically” prohibited the plane from entering Ukrainian airspace.
“We hope to understand the uniqueness of the situation on the part of passengers and make every effort to bring everyone to Ukraine,” SkyUp Airlines said in a statement.
The flight diversion happened amid fears of an imminent air blockade of Ukraine in anticipation of a possible Russian invasion.