British Airways has decided to increase the number of flights on the route between Kyiv and London. According to the airline's press service, planes flying under the British carrier's flag currently connect the two capitals seven days a week. Starting March 27, 2006, a flight to Gatwick will be added to the existing route (three times a week – Monday, Wednesday, and Friday).
From London to Kyiv, the Boeing-737-400 will depart at 14:15 and arrive in Boryspil at 19:30. From Kyiv to London, departure is scheduled at 20:20, so those interested can order excursions around Kyiv>. The arrival of this flight in Gatwick is 21:55 (local time).
As noted by British Airways' commercial director in Ukraine, Natalya Martynenko, the additional flights to Gatwick became possible after the adoption of a bilateral agreement between Ukraine and Great Britain to increase the weekly quota from 7 to 10 flights. “This indicates a growth in passenger traffic between our countries. On the Kyiv-London route it has grown by 25-30%,” added Martynenko.
British Airways is one of the world's largest airlines, whose services, according to the results of the financial year ended March 31, 2005, were used by about 36 million passengers in total. British Airways' fleet comprises 290 aircraft.
AeroSvit plans to increase its fleet
AeroSvit airline plans to increase its fleet from 12 to 17 aircraft in 2006 through one long-haul Boeing-767, two medium-haul Boeing-737s, and two regional An-148 aircraft. According to the company's press service, the arrival of the first Boeing-737 is expected as early as April.
AeroSvit's press secretary Sergey Kutsy said that thanks to the receipt of additional aircraft and the opening of new destinations, the company plans to ensure a 22% increase in the number of flights, 25% in passengers, and 30% in revenue in 2006. He also recalled that in 2005 AeroSvit increased its fleet by two Boeing 737 aircraft.
This year, flights are planned to begin on new international routes: Kyiv - Naples, Simferopol - Moscow, Donetsk - Tel Aviv, and to increase the number of flights on medium-haul routes to Budapest, Warsaw, Prague, St. Petersburg, Sofia, Istanbul, Stockholm, and long-haul routes to Toronto, New York, Bangkok, Delhi, and Beijing.
Ryanair passengers to get a discount on the train to the airport
Passengers of budget airline Ryanair flying from London's Stansted airport or arriving there will get the opportunity for discounted travel on the Stansted Express train, which connects the airport with London's Liverpool Street station.
A one-way ticket will cost airline passengers 10 pounds instead of the usual 15, and a round-trip ticket - 19.5 pounds instead of 25. Discounted tickets can be purchased on board Ryanair planes and on its website.
Vietnam Airlines reduces fares within Asia
Vietnam Airlines has lowered prices on some intra-Asian routes. For example, a one-way ticket between Hanoi and Singapore will now cost only $60.
Tickets from Ho Chi Minh City to Singapore, Thailand, and Malaysia have halved in price and will now cost $168 round-trip. On northern routes, which are not yet covered by budget carriers, prices are higher. A round-trip ticket from Ho Chi Minh City to Nagoya or Fukuoka costs $738, to Taiwan - $368, and to Hong Kong - $318.
Online check-in available for easyJet flights
European budget airline easyJet has introduced online check-in for its flights departing from London's Gatwick and Stansted airports, as well as from Edinburgh airport.
Passengers who check in in this way will be able to arrive at the boarding gate just 15 minutes before departure, if they have no checked baggage - though before that they will still have to go through the usual airport security check. In this way, by registering online in advance, one can ensure priority when boarding the plane: as is known, easyJet does not assign seats on the aircraft, but simply lets passengers onto the plane according to check-in order. The company also allows passengers to print their boarding pass right when booking a ticket online.
EasyJet intends to extend the British experience to most of its other airports. By April, the new service should be available to 90% of passengers flying on the company's flights from UK airports.
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