Ukraine's SuperNova completes first commercial flight amid closed airspace

Viacheslav Klymov, co-founder of the NOVA group, expressed his pride on LinkedIn: "I’m incredibly proud to see our aircraft flying over Europe—under the Ukrainian flag, with Ukrainian call signs, and crewed by Ukrainian pilots." He emphasized the significance of this flight for maintaining pilot skills and refining charter flight processes.

The Nova Posta group has continued delivering mail throughout the conflict and played a crucial role in transporting supplies across Ukraine. It took two years to register the new airline, which previously operated using wet-leased ATR Aircraft.

The newly converted Boeing 737-800SF first flew in 2007 with Air Berlin and later Royal Flight before undergoing cargo conversion earlier this year. The aircraft now bears a Ukrainian registration number and displays the Ukrainian flag on its wingtips.

SuperNova Airlines plans long-haul cargo flights to destinations such as the United States and China. Klymov highlighted their journey: "We have come a long way: from finding lessors who do not want to cooperate with a company in a country at war to certifying commercial flights under the conditions of closed Ukrainian skies."

The airline aims to start regular operations this winter season and plans future routes from Lviv and Kyiv once airspace reopens.