KIEV, 12 November (BelTA) – The Belarusian air carrier Belavia and the Motor Sich airline (Ukraine) are working out commercial agreements in the run-up to the opening of the Minsk-Zaporizhia flight by Ukrainian air carriers, BelTA learned from Igor Cherginets, Deputy Director General for Marketing and Foreign Economic Affairs at OAO Belavia airline.
“The matter first concerned the opening of the Minsk-Zaporizhia flight starting from 30 November. We are currently working on commercial agreements with the Motor Sich airline to fill in the flight,” said Igor Cherginets. Thus, the Belarusian airline suggests relocating transit passengers coming from Zaporizhia along the Belavia flight network to Russia, Kazakhstan, and European cities.
According to Deputy Director General, the decision on the date of opening the Minsk Zaporizhia flight is totally up to the Motor Sich airline which is expected to perform it.
According to Igor Cherginets, the Belarusian aviation administration has already approved the corresponding request of the Ukrainian air carrier.
When asked on whether Belavia has ready decisions on the launch of flights to new cities of Ukraine, the deputy head of the airline noted: “If we talk about the airports of Ukraine that operate international flights, there are a lot of them. They include Dnepropetrovsk, Lvov, Ivano-Frankovsk, Kherson. Today I do not see the necessity in opening flights to all these cities.”
Igor Cherginets told BelTA earlier that Belavia was looking into the possibility of expanding the number of flights to Ukraine. Thus, since 25 October Belavia has operated three daily flights to Ukraine: two to Kiev and one to Odessa. A new flight to Kiev was added on 12 November. The airline also announced a new flight to Kharkov starting from 17 December. This city will become the third destination in Ukraine for the Belarusian airline.
At present Russia leads in the number of flights performed by the Belarusian airline. Ukraine ranks second.
In late September, Ukraine banned flights by Russian companies to Ukraine, and also banned, partially or completely, transit flights by Russian air carriers across the country. On 25 October Russia closed sky to Ukraine in response to the flight ban.
Belavia is the largest air carrier in Belarus by the number of passengers and cargoes it transports. In January 2014 the Belarusian airline acquired a legal status of an open joint stock company. Belavia operates 27 aircraft, and offers regulars flights to 46 destinations in Europe and Asia. Belavia joined the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in 1997 and the European Regions Airline Association (ERAA) in 2010. In January-September 2015 Belavia's passenger traffic increased by 4% over the same period last year.
