Ukraine International Airlines is the largest airline in Ukraine, founded in 1992. It operates domestic and international flights to Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North America from its hub in Kiev. The airline has a fleet of 41 aircraft and flies to over 75 destinations worldwide. Ukraine International Airlines is a joint venture between Ukrainian and foreign investors including Austrian Airlines and Swissair.
2. Overview
• Flag carrier and largest airline of Ukraine, based in Kiev (Kyiv) at Boryspil
Airport.
• Operates scheduled domestic and international passenger flights and cargo
services to Europe, the Middle East, the U.S., and Asia.
3. Facts
• Founded 1 October 1992
• Hubs Boryspil International Airport
• Frequent-flyer program Panorama Club
• Alliance Ukrainian Aviation Group
• Fleet size 41
• Destinations 75
• Parent company Privat Group, Austrian Airlines
• Headquarters Kiev, Ukraine
• Key people Yuriy Myroshnikov – President, Sergiy Fomenko – Executive Vice President (Commerce)
• Website www.flyuia.com
5. History
• Ukraine International Airlines was founded on 1 October 1992; it began operations on 25 November
1992 with a Kyiv-London flight.
• It was one of the first “joint ventures with foreign capital” in Ukraine; it was also the first airline in an ex-
Soviet republic to produce new Boeing 737 aircraft.
• The Ukrainian Association of Civil Aviation and Guinness Peat Aviation (GPA), an Irish aircraft-leasing
corporation, were the founding stockholders.
• Austrian Airlines and Swissair became stockholders in 1996, and financed US$9 million in new parity.
• On 13 November 1994, the airline started cargo operations with an IL-86 aircraft to London and
Amsterdam; today it operates a Boeing 737-800Fas a dedicated aircraft for cargo operations.
• The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, in 2000, became an investor by financing $5.4
million; six years later, it assumed a new grouping for cargo operations which permitted the airline to
transport a larger range of goods, ranging from animals to fresh food and prized objects.
• An express service was also introduced to meet the needs of consumers who wanted to make use of
advanced cargo delivery services.
• The Ukrainian government, in February 2011, sold its 61.6% stake in UIA to three current minority
investors for Hr.287 million ($36.2 million).
• As of 26 July 2013, Ukraine-based Capital Investment Project LLC owns 74% of UIA; the other 26% is
owned by Cyprus-based Ontobet Promotions Limited.
• The airline’s traffic increased by 60% to 2,200,000 passengers in the first half of 2013; according to UIA
President Yuriy Myroshnikov, the airline has plans to accomplish the 2013 annual results (i.e., to
accomplish annual traffic of 4,400,000 passengers).
• On 25 April 2014, UIA launched non-stop flights from Kyiv to New York-JFK.
6. Destinations
• UIA provides flights to more than forty capitals and important cities of Europe, Asia, and the Middle
East, as well as to New York City, from its hub at Boryspil Airport; it also operates domestic flights (Kyiv,
Lviv, Kharkiv, Dnipropetrovsk, Odessa, Simferopol, and Ivano-Frankivsk).
• UIA serves more than 700 flights every week, providing connections with its international partners’
flights to over 3,000 other destinations worldwide.
7. Recent Developments
• In 2013, the airline began its new services to these destinations: Baku,Yerevan, Larnaca, Munich,Warsaw,Vilnius, Prague, Athens, Batumi,
Sheremetyevo,Yekaterinburg,Saint Petersburg, Kaliningrad, Nizhnevartovsk, Rostov-on-Don, Sochi, and Bishkek.
8. CodeshareAgreements
• As of September 2013, Ukraine International Airlines has codeshare agreements with these airlines:
• airBaltic
• Air France (SkyTeam)
• Alitalia (SkyTeam)
• Austrian Airlines (Star Alliance)
• Azerbaijan Airlines
• Brussels Airlines (Star Alliance)
• Iberia (Oneworld)
• KLM (SkyTeam)
• S7 Airlines (Oneworld)
• Swiss International Air Lines (Star Alliance)
• TAP Portugal (Star Alliance)
• Turkish Airlines (Star Alliance)
9. Frequent-flyer program
• Ukraine International Airlines’ frequent-flyer program, the “Panorama Club”, offers its customers miles for taking flights; it also provides miles for hotel says, car rentals, shopping,
mobile communications, or banking services.
• Members may exchange miles for discounts and class upgrades, and are entitled to additional free checked baggage allowance, as well as other Classic or Premium membership
advantages and benefits.
10. Distinctions and special projects
• UIA enables the yearly Hasids pilgrimage to the city of Uman by providing recurrent charter flights via Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport to Vinnytsia Havryshivka Airport and special offers for travelers from
somewhere else in the world.
• UIA was Pope John Paul II’s official carrier during his 2001 state visit to Ukraine.
• It was additionally a carrier for Patriarch Bartholomew I in 2008.
11. The End
• YouTube links:
• Ukraine International Airlines – Unravel Travel TV:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LcuF05OhM2o
• Ukraine International Airlines (UIA):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4fEsNIpj0I