UAE budget carriers said on Sunday that their flights continue to operate normally to Ukraine, despite the rising political tension in the country.
"Air Arabia's non-stop services from our Sharjah hub to four airports in Ukraine are currently operating as usual," Air Arabia said in a statement to The National.
“We continue to closely monitor the situation in the country, and we have drawn up contingency plans which will be implemented should the need arise, ensuring that our passengers remain unaffected.”
Air Arabia operates seven flights a week to Kiev, the Ukrainian capital, and two flights a week to Donetsk, Kharkiv and Odessa.
At flydubai, a spokesman said: "We fly to four destinations in Ukraine and flights are operating as normal. We're assessing the situation as it develops."
Eastern Europe is considered one of the key markets for flydubai, as it operates 22 flights to Ukraine between Donetsk, Kiev, Karkiv, and Odessa. The flights are operated by Boeing 737-800 planes, with 189 seats in all economy flights.
The Ukrainian crisis started in November, when the now-deposed Viktor Yanukovich discarded a trade agreement with the European Union to enhance ties with Russia. The move sparked months of protests in the country that led to Mr Yanukovich fleeing to Russia.
The US state department has warned its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Ukraine.
The state department said: “US citizens in Ukraine, and those considering travel to Ukraine, should evaluate their personal security situation in light of political instability and the possibility of violence, particularly in Kiev and areas of eastern and southern Ukraine.”
The United Kingdom and Commonwealth Office has likewise advised against “all but essential travel to the city of Kiev”.
The American airline Delta said on its website that if flights are cancelled or significantly delayed, passengers are entitled to a refund. Also, passengers are allowed to make a one time change to their ticket without a fee.
selgazzar@thenational.ae
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