UIA appeals to government asking to issue stabilization loan of $100 mln

Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv), the country's largest air carrier, has appealed to the government to issue it a stabilization loan of $100 million for 10 years.
Ukraine's Ministry of Infrastructure told Interfax-Ukraine the matter concerns a letter from the airline to Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk, the copy of which is available at the ministry.
According to the source, UIA also requested timely VAT refunds and noted the need to develop a program to support the aviation industry.
The airline has not commented on this information.
As reported, UIA in January-June 2014 reduced passenger carriage by 2% compared to the same period in 2013, to 1.672 million people, and in the second half of the year the company, according to preliminary estimates, intends to carry about 2 million people.
Given these figures, UIA plans in 2014 to transport about 3.7 million passengers, which is 18% less than in 2013.