Ukraine's State Property Fund (SPF) agrees a position on the privatization of a state stake in Kyiv-located International Airlines of Ukraine (UIA) with the Ukrainian Transport and Communications Ministry, according to the head of the fund in charge, Dmytro Parfenenko.

"There is an opinion that the withdrawal of the state will deprive the airline of the status of a national carrier, and it would waste certain benefits that will affect its future activities," he reported the press on Wednesday.

He noted that the fund helps in the privatization of UIA.

CJSC Ukraine International Airlines was founded in 1992. The company has 20 Boeing airplanes of different types: five Boeing 737-300s, six Boeing 737-400s, seven Boeing 737-500s, and two Boeing 737-800s. The company has main airport located in Boryspil - Boryspil International Airport.

In 2008, Ukrainian International Airlines boosted passenger transportation by 20%, to 1.75 million people.

UIA's net losses in the first six months of 2009 were estimated at UAH 19 million compared to a net benefit of UAH 2.5 million registered in the first half of 2008. The company's net revenues grew by 9%, to UAH 849 million in the first half of 2009.