Future cooperation and the current situation in the Georgian airline market were discussed in a meeting between Georgian Economy Minister Levan Davitashvili and Robert Carey, the President of the Hungarian budget airline Wizz Air, the Economy Ministry said on Friday.

The Ministry said Davitashvili, who is on a working visit to Hungary, briefed Carey on infrastructural updates planned at western Georgia's Kutaisi International Airport, and noted the project of the new 3.5-kilometre runway, the construction of which should take 18 months, would enable to receive all types of aircraft, both passenger and cargo.

• Gov’t to spend $32 mln on infrastructure upgrades at Kutaisi Airport - Economy Minister

The Minister emphasised the number of direct flights and destinations with European Union countries were the Government’s “priority direction”.

The parties also discussed and agreed on the joint development of programmes to promote the employment of Georgian citizens in Wizz Air, which also will advance the development of professional education in Georgia’s airline industry and will give the citizens the opportunity to be employed in Wizz Air. 

The meeting “positively assessed” the airline activity in Georgia, with the airline management noting the Kutaisi route was one of the most successful for Wizz Air, with the passenger flow exceeding the 2019 figure. The airline planned to station its fourth jet at the Kutaisi Airport on December 1 and add direct flights to Copenhagen.

• Kutaisi Airport hits record-high passenger flow in July

The airline operates 28 destinations from the facility, among which 20 destinations will be operated by a stationed jet.

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