Traffic in the airspace of Ukraine in August fell by 56.3% compared to August 2019, the press service of the Ukrainian State Air Traffic Services Enterprise (UkSATSE) has reported.
In general, last month UkSATSE serviced 16,690 flights, of which 2,519 were domestic (a decrease in the number by 15.7% compared to August 2019), 8,249 were international (50.4% less), and 5,922 were transit (68.2% less).
Ukrainian airlines performed 6,373 flights (45.5% less than in August last year), foreign airlines some 10,317 flights (61.1% less).
As reported, traffic in the airspace of Ukraine in July fell by 68.3% compared to July 2019, UkSATSE serviced 12,195 flights.
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air launches two new routes – from Lviv and Kyiv to Pardubice (the Czech Republic).
The press service of the airline reported on Tuesday that the Lviv-Pardubice flight will be operated from September 1 on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Flight Kyiv-Pardubice will be serviced from September 3 on Thursdays and Saturdays.
The cost of a one-way ticket without luggage starts from UAH 289 (CZK 269).
Wizz Air began operations in Ukraine in 2008 and has since transported more than 11 million passengers to/from Ukrainian airports.
Wizz Air currently offers passengers 86 destinations in 17 countries from five Ukrainian airports.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv) canceled flights on eight destinations, reduced their frequency on seven more destinations.
According to the airline’s website, as a result of such measures, UIA is forced to revise the flight schedule and significantly reduce them. Starting from September 14, the following flights will be completely canceled: Kyiv-Zaporizhia, Kyiv-Madrid, Kyiv-Barcelona, Kyiv-Geneva, Kyiv-Delhi, Kyiv-Berlin, Kyiv-Chisinau, and also Kyiv-Athens (except for two flights). Flights on the route Kyiv-Kherson will be canceled from September 20.
In addition, the airline reduced the frequency of flights on the following routes: Kyiv-Odesa, Kyiv-Paris, Kyiv-Dusseldorf, Kyiv-Brussels, Kyiv-Dubai, Kyiv-Istanbul, and Kyiv-Tel Aviv.
“We now have to make a decision on the airline’s plans for the coming days, without having enough time or enough information. Of course, we will wait for the publication of the Cabinet of Ministers resolution and make a decision to cancel flights, based on the content of the document. We are considering several options, including radical,” CEO of the airline Yevhen Dykhne said.
According to the airline, in the total current UIA passenger traffic, the percentage of foreigners transported is about 60%.
Irish low-cost airline Ryanair (Dublin) has announced the launch of two new flights from Kyiv to Cologne and from Odesa to Dusseldorf as part of its winter schedule.
According to the airline’s posting on Friday, both flights will be operated twice a week as part of the Ryanair Ukraine Winter 2020 schedule, which the airline continues to expand.
Flights from Kyiv to Cologne will be operated from October 26 to Mondays and Fridays in both directions.
Flights from Odesa to Dusseldorf will be operated from November 6 to Mondays and Fridays in both directions.
As of the middle of August, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) transported 113,345 passengers and 390,185 tonnes of cargo since the resumption of flights in the middle of June.
“Starting from mid-June until mid-August, we carried out around 1,238 regular and charter flights, of which 86% departed on schedule,” UIA President Yevhen Dykhne said on Facebook.
He also recalled that in the first half of the year the UIA transported around 1 million passengers, while last year this index reached almost 4 million.
“This means that aviation in fact has to start from zero, and the interest and persistence of employees alone are worthy of attention,” Dykhne said.
He also said that the airline has a range of plans for autumn, adding that he expects the company’s results would only grow.
As reported, earlier the UIA reduced its August flight schedule due to the extension of a ban on entering the Schengen zone for Ukrainian citizens by the EU.