Ukraine International

✅ Verified Review | Dubai to Prague via Kiev. All went wrong For my trip, I selected UIA due to both schedule and price. After purchasing my ticket at UIA website, I got email confirmation, which incl. 7 pages “Free baggage allowance”, 75 pages “Passenger and Baggage Carriage Rules” and 2 page “Passenger itinerary receipt”, which included my chosen seat arrangement. Altogether 84 pages – impressive. When I attempted on-line check in in Dubai, UIA websites returning error message “Communication problem, try later”. I tried many times and then noticed small print note in strange English, hinting there might not be on-line check in available from Dubai. Therefore, I had to do at the airport. At the UIA check in desk at Dubai, I was weirdly checked in only to Kiev, not for my UIA connection flight to the final destination. I was explained, they cannot do and I have to pick up my boarding card at Kiev. After 5+ hrs flight, I found myself queuing 25 min at International Transfer Desk in Kiev. When receiving boarding card, rather than chosen 10A seat I got 31E (middle seat, last row just right at toilets) and it is without a word of explanation. When asking as to why and demanded my original seating (or just any other reasonable seating), very angry lady at the International Transfer Desk asserted that this is my fault, because I came to check in only 58 min before my fly out time! She clearly did not make it, that I was attempting my check in already some 7 hrs before and 25 min. queuing at the Desk. Estimated arrival time in Prague was 10:40 with small delay against scheduled time 10:35. In the flight, we were updated that arrival time is 10:50 due to the traffic in Prague. Then we started our holding and landed as late as at 11:20, without getting any update and, of course, without any apology for almost one hour delay. Overall, absolutely hopeless airline.

✅ Verified Review | Flew Ukraine International from New York JFK to London Gatwick via Kiev Borispol. The service was speedy and professional, the airplane was clean but I could tell that the airplane was older. However, they made great use of the space and resources they have. I'd enjoy flying with this airline again, it was affordable, reliable and I felt safe. I've flown with them twice during this past summer while I was en route to London from NY, Kiev was a layover of 16+ hours however, the cost was unbeatable and I got to visit the Ukraine. I had fun.

✅ Verified Review | Gatwick to Kiev. Smooth checking from Gatwick train station, to checkin, through passport control/customs to airside in 25 minutes. Record timing! Looked like new aircraft, comfortable seat with good leg room. Blanket, pillows and amenities ready in the spare middle seat, annoys me having to ask for them. Very attentive staff, providing required amount of interaction. Great range of meals offered, definitely recommend the salmon main course, cheesecake with cup of tea afterwards was tasty.

✅ Verified Review | I was looking forward to flying UIA from Istanbul to London via Kiev. £74 for the flight with 23KG hold luggage, and with a pair of Classic 737's seemed too good to pass up. Flights booked and paid for in February to fly beginning of September, downloaded their own Check-Inn app a few weeks prior so i could check in without needing a Laptop/PC and printer or have to take time out of my holiday go to the Airport to check in there. That is where it all went wrong. Their App wouldn't let me book seats for our KBP-LGW portion, then, weirdly, also changed our already chosen seats for IST-KBP leg, to different ones on our boarding cards. (5A and 6A selected, and issued, but on the day had changed to 6A and 6B). On the date we was to fly to Kiev, we got to the Airport at mid-day for a 1540 flight, and went to their office at Istanbul Ataturk Airport, to hopefully clarify what our seating arrangements were. The very helpful lady there told us after a few minutes there was a long delay on the IST-KBP leg, and then re-booked us onto a British Airways flight to Heathrow leaving at 1735. We went then to UIA's check-in desk to cancel our check-in, to be greeted with a very angry looking bloke who didnt understand our request, and seemed to be getting quite angry before another member of staff appeared who sorted us out. UIA has the potential to be a very good airline, but they have a lot to work to do before they can get there.

✅ Verified Review | I flew Istanbul-Lviv-Istanbul and I am satisfied for what I paid for. The cheapest ticket I booked through online agency had check-in baggage for one-way, but not for a return. However, I could purchase a baggage allowance for 15USD through UIA phone line - that was cheap and convenient. The Boeing 737 was somewhat older, so no inflight entertainment. The check-in was smooth and staff was polite. My only downside is that AC was not running in the aircraft while the plane was parked. Boarding too some 20-30 minutes, so it was really hot to wait in Istanbul when outside is +35C. However, when the plane started taxiing for take-off, AC was turned on. I asked for a pillow, but I received an answer that pillows are reserved for business class passengers only. There was catering available for a fee, but water is free for economy passengers. The flight times to Lviv and return are not comfortable (3:30am and 0:30am), but I guess that's is why the tickets were cheap. It is simple normal airline.

Zurich to Tehran via Kiev. Disastrous Ukraine International flight from Zurich to Tehran. Things got strange when the Zurich airport personnel could not issue my boarding pass from Kiev to Tehran. I arrived in Kiev almost on time, but at transfer desk we were told the flight to Tehran is cancelled without giving any kind of justification. The good thing was that I did not have Visa for Ukraine, so they gave me another flight from Kiev to Istanbul and then from Istanbul to Tehran (the ones who could get into Kiev were actually forced to wait one day for the next flight!). The problem was that if I wanted to go through Istanbul, I would have chosen Turkish Airline in the first place, more importantly, the flights were so late I missed my next flight from Tehran to my hometown Mashhad. The staff there were so unhelpful. There was another flight from Kiev to Istanbul that same day earlier that if I had taken that one, I would have arrived in Tehran on time, but they did not even bother to get me that flight. They even managed to lose my original boarding pass along side with original luggage tags. I was given a new luggage tag saying that your luggage will arrive in Tehran with your new flight. Anyway, I arrived in Tehran with some delay. Plus, my luggage is lost now. It has been 3 days now and I my luggage is not in Tehran yet and no one is responding back to my emails or calls. In short. Never take this flight again.

✅ Verified Review | Lviv to Vilnius via Kiyv on 2nd August 2016. Checked in online through the mobile application, however, the ground staff is clearly unprepared to dealing with mobile passes. Luggage drop-off took seconds, and my bag was checked in to the final destination. The first leg (LWO-KBP) was flown on a new Embraer190. Boarding was fast. Although the aircraft was 2/3 filled, the cabin crew closely watched the passengers took their assigned seats. A passenger had taken a free emergency exit row seat, and the aircraft was already taxiing, when the crew drew him to his original seat, which I suppose is a breech of the safety rules. The other leg (KBP-VNO) was flown on an oldish B737. Boarding was rather messy and stressful (obviously, due to overbooking) and done by bus. We had to wait at least 10 min for some late passengers in a crowded bus. The cabin crew on both legs were nondescript, hardly ever smiling. Although UAI does not pose itself as a low-cost carrier, they try & make extra money on everything (drinks/meals onbord, seats, onboard sales) and do this with a firmer grip than Ryanair, for instance.

Vienna to Tehran via Kiev. I bought the tickets at a really low rate and the flight from Tehran to Vienna went flawlessly. Everything went smoothly and I landed on time and picked up my luggage without any problems. The return journey is a much different story. The flight from Vienna (there were two, one at 11:10 and another 15:40) on the 5th was a complete mess. First of all my boarding pass from Kiev to Tehran was not issued in Vienna. Then the two were merged into a single flight. I suffered a delay of over 2 hours but some people were at the airport from 8 am. By the time we arrived at the airport I rushed straight to the transfer desk praying for a delay but there was no one at the transfer desk. The terminal looked like it was closing down and after a few quick glances I saw on the information board that my flight was cancelled. Me and a few other passengers (they missed their connecting flight because of the delay) were taken reluctantly to the transit lounge where we were told to stay till the next flight which was 24 hours later. We were not offered any accommodation by the airline (we needed visas apparently but even then it their duty to provide us with one) which was a complete outrage and they managed to lose my Vienna boarding pass. On the next day I met some travellers who had their horror stories as well (non-existent tickets etc) and what really drew my ire was that they were informed before hand that the flight to Tehran had been cancelled and everything that I went through could have been avoided. The flight to Tehran took off after a small delay and we arrived at a sensible hour. At luggage pick-up I realised my luggage was missing and I did not have my boarding pass with the sticker to show the airport officials (they were kind enough to open a supporting case for me). This was an absolute nightmare of a flying experience. The terminal is a good one (free wifi, clean toilets) but the employees are terrible. The planes themselves look worn down and unbelievably warm inside with food which you have to buy. It's only a facade of modernity, nothing more.

✅ Verified Review | Kiev to Minsk. I often use Ukraine International for short hops up to 90 minutes. I also had chance to have longer flights from Paris CDG to Kiev and between Kiev and London. They offer good value for money since you can get a good deal from them by checking their website. Their web-site is simple both for purchase and check in. They have a separate app for mobile check in and you can get mobile b-pass. The airport experience it is on par with low cost carriers. Same onboard. Staff are polite. Their English is mediocre, but servicable. Food is for purchase only (take something onboard, don't bother youself trying to buy it!). Planes are never air conditioned before engine start. The aircraft are well used, but clean. Seat pitch and leg room hit and miss since there is no standard layout across the fleet. Punctuality is not their strong side, but normally they are 20 mins around schedule. Kiev Borispol is nice airport with moderate lines and clean toilets. Gate area is bright and easy to navigate. My recommendation is to find a good deal and being prepared to bring your own food.

✅ Verified Review | Munich to Tel Aviv via Kiev. A great airline for cheap travel. The planes are a bit old, but clean. Staff friendly and very helpful. Meals are to be bought on board, but you can pre-order online with a discount. UIA doesn't give you free meals onboard. All the flights (I had 4 of them) were on schedule. I will advise it to my colleagues and friends.