Air Ukraine, Uzbekistan Airways agree to begin joint service

by Irene Jarosewich

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Air Ukraine and Uzbekistan Airways have signed an agreement to share air routes, including Air Ukraine's traditional New York to Kyiv route. Kyiv-bound flights now continue to Uzbekistan's capital Tashkent. The two airlines will provide joint service for the entire route.

For several weeks in late March and early April service to Ukraine was curtailed as the transition to a joint service was made, however, the regular Tuesday, Friday schedule to Kyiv has been fully resumed and additional flights on Sunday begin this month.

According to Mykola Kravets, general manager for Air Ukraine USA, the agreement signed on April 2 is very beneficial financially to the Ukrainian air carrier. Air Ukraine has air rights to fly to JFK International Airport in New York, but does not have the appropriate planes to fly into New York from Kyiv. In turn, Uzbekistan Airways owns aircraft, but does not have air rights for flights into JFK. With the joint service agreement Air Ukraine now leases space on Uzbekistan Airway's Boeing 767-300, while Uzbekistan Airways pays royalties to fly into New York.

Air Ukraine, which until recently had been flying older Soviet-made Iliushyn jets to New York, decided to pull them from its New York route. According to Mr. Kravets, the planes are technically solid and still very good, and will continue to be used on other Air Ukraine routes. However, the older Iliushyn planes consume much more fuel than newer aircraft, therefore their use is not advantageous, environmentally and economically, for long-distance commercial flights.

Mr. Kravets noted that Air Ukraine plans to obtain its own aircraft, also Boeing, by next spring, at which point, he says, the number of direct flights each week to Kyiv will increase.

Joint service between air carriers is common in the airline industry; several U.S. and European carriers have such agreements. However, the switch to joint service to New York is only part of the agreement between Air Ukraine and Uzbekistan Airways. While Uzbekistan Airways gains access to New York through Air Ukraine, Mr. Kravets notes that the real advantage for Air Ukraine is the foothold into the Central Asian and Far Eastern market that this agreement will give the airline.

"This agreement is a long-term, strategic move for us," he explained, "since Air Ukraine wants to fly to the Far East. We plan to eventually service such destinations as Korea, Bangkok, Singapore and even Australia, which can be done through Tashkent. It is less expensive to do this jointly."

Ticket reservations for New York-Kyiv can be made through Air Ukraine or Uzbekistan Airways; ticket prices are the same and the two airlines split the number of seats each flight. Each airline sells tickets directly from its block of seats or through authorized travel agencies. To order tickets directly from Air Ukraine, call (718) 632-6909 or (212) 599-0395, or fax requests to (718) 995-0270.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, June 13, 1999, No. 24, Vol. LXVII

| Home Page |