Azernews.Az

Ukraine International Airlines will operate direct Kiev-Baku-Kiev flights starting February 13, the CEO of the company, Yuri Miroshnikov, said at a presentation of the airline in Azerbaijan on Thursday, Trend news agency reported.

"Flights will be operated three times a week. The aircraft will fly to Baku on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (07.05 local time)," Miroshnikov said.

Previously, direct flights to Baku were undertaken by the other Ukrainian airline, Aerosvit, but due to financial difficulties the airline had to abandon this route. The Economic Court of Kyiv region ordered commencement of Aerosvit's bankruptcy proceedings on December 29, 2012. This means flights are cancelled worldwide.

Aerosvit Airlines failed to meet the requirements at a high level and had to leave the market, the Ambassador of Ukraine to Azerbaijan, Alexander Mishchenko, said during the presentation, adding that the airline company was replaced on the market by another Ukrainian air carrier with a very strong position.

"I believe, Azerbaijani passengers will very soon feel the difference in the quality of services provided by this airline company," Mishchenko said.

Alongside, during the presentation, the Ukrainian ambassador noted that the level of cooperation with Azerbaijan is very high and constantly evolving. In particular, the preliminary works for a regular session of the intergovernmental commission on trade and economic cooperation which is expected to take place in the near future in Kiev, are being conducted.

Ukraine International Airlines is the first national air carrier in Ukraine with a share of private capital. The company is owned by UIA Beteiligungsgesellschaft mbH (59 per cent), UIA Holding (26 per cent) (both companies are part of Lufthansa) and Capital Investment Project (15 per cent).

Its base airports are Kyiv Borispol International airport and Lviv Danylo Halytskyi International Airport. The main long haul routes are Ukraine-Western Europe, Ukraine - Middle East, Ukraine - CIS, Ukraine - Asia.

From the outset, Ukraine International Airlines carried out flights using planes of the Boeing 737 family, thus becoming the first operator of the aircraft of this type in the CIS.