Ukraine International reduces its flight schedule in response to Coronavirus

Passengers may leave Italy on UIA flights from Rome and Milan, services that will be operated mainly to bring Ukrainians back home (UIA)

In response to the emergency quarantine measures being introduced by the governments of some countries following the recommendations of the World Health Organization (WHO), Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) has been forced to adjust its flight schedule on several routes.

The airline’s management actually initiated flight optimisation and capacity reduction programme last autumn, well before Covid-19 outbreak, in an effort to turn the financially troubled company around.

Ukraine’s flag carrier has taken the decision to suspend Kyiv-Venice flights between March 12 and April 12. Passengers may leave Italy on UIA flights from Rome and Milan, services that will be operated mainly to bring Ukrainians back home.

In response to the new entry rules introduced by Israel, Ukraine International has adjusted its schedule of flights connecting the cities of Ukraine and Tel Aviv. Within the period of March 12-April 08, the airline is cancelling flights between Odessa and Tel Aviv (except March 18 and 25) and Dnipro and Tel Aviv. Kharkiv-Tel Aviv flights will not be operated between March 15 and April 08. UIA will continue to operate Kyiv-Tel Aviv flights twice daily.

Up to May 22, Ukraine International is suspending its Kyiv-Izmir flights. Passengers holding tickets for flights to/from Izmir will be offered travel via Istanbul. Flights between Odessa and Istanbul will be suspended until April 1.

Elsewhere, from March 13 through April 7, UIA will be operating reduced frequency flights – once a day — between Kyiv and London Gatwick (LGW).

The airline’s domestic flight schedule is also affected, whereby up to April 8, UIA is stopping its flights between Kyiv and Kherson, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk and Zaporizhzhia, and is cutting the second frequency of flights between Kyiv and Lviv, and Kyiv and Kharkiv.

“In response to lower demand, many international carriers are cutting frequencies or suspending flights altogether to some countries,” notes Evgeniya Satska, Ukraine International’s communications director. “Ukraine International is no exception. We are staying attuned to our passengers’ ever-increasing anxieties regarding trips to the regions under quarantine. Therefore, we are adjusting our schedule so that the demand for traveling by air is fully met and the safety of our passengers and crews remains ensured.”

To ensure health and safety, Ukraine International is performing complete disinfections of all aircraft arriving from Italy, until the epidemiologic level returns to normal.