Barciur

Hello,

I am looking at flights for ~June 6 till late August. I normally leave out of PHL, but it's not always easy to get a decent deal. So, I noticed there is a very good price for both Aeroflot and UIA - $770 to Warsaw, while western airlines offer $1090 at their lowest and PHL is $1250 at the lowest. Adding price of a hotel in Kyiv and trip to JFK as opposed to PHL (around $80 more), I can be saving around $300 at least.

Now, I've read a bit of scare stories about lost luggage and how they do not deliver lost luggage to an address but rather you have to pick it up at the airport. Also read scare stories about overbooking and people having checked in online with boarding passes in hand but system at the airport saying they are not checked in and couldn't be boarded.

Does anybody have any experience with this airline, particularly their long-haul flights and the scare stories? Is $300 RT on this worth the risk? At least with western European airlines, there are EU laws which govern compensation and other things which will theoretically protect me. UIA - not so much.

The reason I am not considering Aeroflot for the same price is that Russian visa is expensive and the flights hours don't really allow for a decent overnight, whereas UIA does. So it's either spend the 10 hours at the airport or try to get a hotel room for a lot of money and sleep maybe 5-6 hours to be forced to show up there again...

Any and all help is appreciated!

Romanianflyer

I enjoyed my flight ATH-KBP-BKK-KBP-MUC with UIA; not any issue whatsoever. On board soft product in eco is equal to UA if you ask me. (Although I admit that isn't a too high of a bar to compare!). Good thing though is that apparently on almost all long haul flights the load is low, what I heard. On my flight no problem having both the window and aisle seat to lounge, only to move to 4 empty middle seats on the 767 to sleep!

In my case it also saved at least that amount of money. As I rather spend on an additional travel or some more luxury on the ground during the trip, I would say it's worth it.

For horror stories, you can easily find them as well for all western European airlines (just only google Alitalia + luggage!).

Barciur

I suppose fair enough about horror stories. And regarding lost luggage, I guess EU laws doesn't do much - it's the Montreal convention which Ukraine is party to. So maybe not as much of a worry. I just never had lost luggage and I've heard it happens a lot on UIA so maybe false sense of worry. I don't know.

Just a question - when is the last time you flew them? Because from the comments online that I read they are fully booked 100% on those transatlantic flights and often overbooked which is why my comment about many people being left stranded and having issues with them. I'm curious which one is closer to the truth!

Romanianflyer

Admittedly, it's a bit more than a year ago, based on a talk with cabin crew on their long haul operations. Of course, with the situation back then in Ukraine a bit more instable, this could have changed.

Still, for flights in/out of the US the DOT would cover you, as would they be subject to EU law for the leg to Warsaw.

Romanianflyer

If Aeroflot is pricing the same, I would personally go for that. Slightly better service. And being part of an alliance I guess in a better place to help in case of delays/cancellations.

And the news of today of an armed extremist volunteer battalion (although aligned to the Ukrainian government) being able to walk airside at KBP is well... a bit quirky.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/dec/02/ukrainian-billionaire-cancels-trip-home-after-threat-of-arrest

CPH-Flyer

Having been to KBP, that picture looks very much to be taken land side. So at least here they are not doing anything the could not do in say ATL as well...

Romanianflyer

According to a picturefrom the correspondent of the Guardian in Russia, they clearly were airside.

I have also been to KBP numerous times, and wouldn't hesitate doing so again. But having read it minutes before this post, I felt inclined to share it to the OP.

CPH-Flyer

That one is indeed airside. Still, I would also not worry too much about passing through KBP again.

Barciur

Thanks a lot for the help, guys. I guess I'll just wait and see what happens with fares and if nothing better shows up I will probably be willing to try them or Aeroflot indeed. Depends on the timing etc.

TomMM

From their webpage: http://www.flyuia.com/eng/informatio...formation.html

Palal

I've only done one short-haul segment on them this year and it was perfectly fine, comparable to SN or IB as far as service (with much cuter flight attendants). Bags came out quick.

The biggest advantage that you have - if there are delays and you need to go landside, you probably won't need a visa to enter Ukraine if you have a passport from a western country, whereas you would if you were going to Russia.

Things are (and have been) calm in Kiev for a long while.

The picture above, btw, is in front of a disused terminal. Most things operate out of terminal D.

SU, of course has the advantage of miles, but their cheapest fares only earn 25% on DL