Bmi has gained approval from the CAA to fly five times per week from Heathrow to Kiev, and will now go head-to-head with British Airways on the route.
BA already flies daily from Heathrow to the Ukranian capital, and had applied for the five extra flights that had been made available following a recent agreement between the UK and Ukraine governments. But Bmi has been granted the new frequencies, with CEO Nigel Turner saying:
“Now that we have clarification on our access to this route we can now focus in more detail about the introduction of services and will be making a further announcement in due course about our plans to serve this market.”
Wizzair also flies four times-weekly from London Luton to Kiev, while Ukraine International Airlines (majority-owned by the State Property Fund of Ukraine, with Austrian Airlines holding a 22.5 per cent share) serves the Ukraine capital from Gatwick nine times per week.
Kiev has seen several major hotel brands announcing projects in recent years. Hyatt opened a Regency property on Saint Sophia Square last year, while the Intercontinental Kiev is due to open this year, and a Radisson airport property is slated for late 2010.
For more information visit flybmi.com.
Report by Mark Caswell
