Kyiv Sikorsky International Airport has canceled all regular international passenger flights until 03:00 on June 17, 2020 due to the extension of the COVID-19 quarantine in the capital, the airport’s website reports.
The reason for the cancellation of flights at the airport is cabinet resolution No. 392 of May 20, 2020.
Passengers are advised to closely monitor the flight schedule and clarify information with the airline representatives.
As reported, on June 12 the Cabinet of Ministers lifted the temporary ban on entry to Ukraine for foreigners and resumed operation of 15 checkpoints for air traffic at international airports.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) resumes regular flights between Kyiv and Odesa on June 5.According to the company’s press service, flights from Kyiv will be carried out on June 5 and 6, and in the opposite direction on June 8 and June 9.
According to the data in the UIA reservation system, the cost of one ticket with baggage is from UAH 1,500.
The airline asks passengers to adhere to the quarantine rules, to carry personal protective equipment, masks, and also to remember the need to maintain a social distance at the airport.
As reported, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine decided to launch domestic flights from June 5, and international flights from June 15.
Irish Ryanair Holdings Plc, Europe’s largest air low-cost carrier, is intended to resume flights from Ukraine to Italy starting from July 6, Ryanair Ukraine reported on Telegram.
“The largest Europe’s low-cost Ryanair planned opening of the regular flights from Ukraine to Italy in July,” reads a report.
In particular, Ryanair will operate flights from Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Odesa.
Thus, starting from July 6, the airline plans to resume flights Kyiv-Rome, Kyiv-Milan (Bergamo), Lviv-Bologna, Kharkiv-Milan (Bergamo), Odesa-Bologna, Odesa-Milan (Bergamo).
Starting from July 7, Ryanair plans to launch flights on the route Kyiv-Bologna, Kyiv-Catania, Lviv-Milan (Bergamo).
From July 8, the resumption of flights Lviv-Rome and Odesa-Rome is expected.
It was reported that the prices started from EUR 40 for one-way ticket. The tickets for purchase are available in the reservation system on the carrier’s website.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA, Kyiv) intends to operate medium-haul international point-to-point flights capable of demonstrating substantial passenger load without transit feeding, the airline said in a Thursday press release.
The airline said that the airline expects to resume operations by referencing the best case scenario provided that the entry/exit restrictions for both Ukrainian and foreign nationals are lifted effective June 15, 2020.
UIA predicted that Ukraine International’s passenger traffic will decrease by approximately 46%, i.e., down to 1.9 million passengers (of which 0.986 million have already been carried before the lockdown).
At stage one – through April 2021 – the carrier intends to operate medium-haul international point-to-point flights capable of demonstrating substantial passenger load without transit feeding. Ukraine international expects to resume domestic operations. At stage two, as soon as passenger traffic is regenerated, the airline will restore minimal international route network.
UIA said that long-haul operations may be resumed after critical feeding flights are re-introduced to the schedule – in or about April 2021.
“Right after Ukraine International resumes operations, the airline plans to operate 14 aircraft, gradually increasing the number up to 28. The long-haul fleet will be optimized with due allowance for the necessities of stage one. Later on, based on the traffic and market landscape (namely drop in demand for long-haul aircraft), the carrier will decide on extending its widebody fleet,” the airline said.
To perform efficiently on the post-pandemic market, Ukraine International introduces changes to its base product.
“The airline plans to facilitate its fare policy, cut down business class capacity, increase the sales share via the website, and offer customers full-cycle service on the website providing passengers with an opportunity to make changes in their bookings. The airline is committed to increasing fleet operation and cutting costs while preserving substantial transit potential,” UIA said.
The Cabinet of Ministers will return to the issue of resuming air transportation after June 15, 2020, Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said.
“As for the operation of airports and the launch of scheduled flights, we will return to this issue, obviously, after June 15, when airlines can fly somewhere. So far, the airports of our partner countries are closed,” the prime minister said during a government meeting.
So far, there is no point in renewing scheduled flights, he said.
“The possibility of international transportation, both bus and rail, will resume through open checkpoints that will work after the adoption of amendments to resolution No. 288. We do not yet open interregional traffic,” Shmyhal said, adding that interregional transportation could renew in early June.
Hungarian low-cost airline Wizz Air and German Lufthansa plan to resume flights from Ukraine in late May or early June.
The relevant information is available in the booking systems of the airlines.
In particular, Wizz Air has opened booking tickets for flights from Kyiv, Zaporizhia, Lviv, Odesa and Kharkiv since May 23. Most flights will start to operate in June.
Lufthansa has opened booking flights from Kyiv to Berlin since June.
Earlier, the resumption of direct flights from Ukraine was announced by Czech national airline Czech Airlines, namely, from Prague to Kyiv and Odesa at the end of May 2020.
