Aerosvit Airlines

Aerosvit Airlines
IATA ICAO Callsign
VV AEW AEROSVIT
Founded 25 March 1994 (1994-03-25)
Commenced operations April 1994 (1994-04)
Ceased operations February 2013 (2013-02)[1]
Hubs Boryspil International Airport
Focus cities
Frequent-flyer program Meridian loyalty program
Alliance Ukrainian Aviation Group
Subsidiaries Dniproavia
Donbassaero (defunct)
Fleet size 4
Destinations -
Parent company Privat Group[2]
Headquarters Boryspil International Airport, Kiev, Ukraine
Key people
  • Oleksandr Avdieiev (Acting Director General)
  • Gregory Gurtovoy (Co-Chairman of Supervisory Board)
Website web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.aerosvit.com/

AeroSvit Airlines private stock company (Ukrainian: Приватне акціонерне товариство «Авіакомпанія АероСвіт»), operating as AeroSvit — Ukrainian Airlines / АероСвіт, was a Ukrainian private airline. Its head office was on the grounds of the Boryspil International Airport in Boryspil.[3]

Aerosvit Airlines was a member of IATA and an IATA IOSA certified carrier. Its main base was the Boryspil Airport. The airline started operations in April 1994 with international flights from Kiev in co-operation with Air Ukraine.

Bankruptcy procedure began in December 2012[4] and in January 2013, AeroSvit ceased its operations.

History

Early years

One of Aerosvit's original Boeing 737-200 aircraft departs Boryspil International Airport in 2008.

The airline was established on 25 March 1994, and started operations in April that year with flights from Kiev to Athens, Larnaca, Tel Aviv, Odesa and Thessaloniki in co-operation with Air Ukraine. In October the same year, the carrier started dry-leasing some Boeing 737-200s in connection with the addition of Moscow into the route network.[5] In 1995, new scheduled flights from Kiev to Almaty, Ashgabad, and Riga were launched, laying the foundations for it to become a transit airline. In 1996, Yekaterinburg, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Simferopol were added to the airline's network. Also in 1996, the airline became a member of the International Air Transport Association (IATA).[6] By 1997 Aerosvit Airlines became a member of IATA Clearing House and purchased its first Boeing 737-200 aircraft. By 1999 Aerosvit had acquired a third Boeing 737-200 aircraft and scheduled flights to Budapest, Sofia and Istanbul were launched.

Post-millennium expansion and reorganisation

In 2000, two more Boeing 737-300 aircraft joined Aerosvit Airlines’ fleet. Scheduled flights to Prague and Warsaw were launched, and Aerosvit Airlines carried more passengers than any other Ukrainian airline (over the calendar year). In 2002, a further three Boeing 737-500 aircraft joined the fleet, as also did the first Boeing 767-300ER —a 350-seater machine that previously belonged to SAS— on a long-term lease from Boeing Capital,[7][8] aimed at starting operations to Bangkok.[9] The airliner became the first Western-built wide-body one to be operated by a Ukrainian carrier.[7] Also in 2002, Aerosvit took over the long-haul services previously operated by Air Ukraine.[10]

An Aerosvit Boeing 767-300ER is seen here on short final to Prague Ruzyne Airport in 2009. The first aircraft of the type entered the fleet in 2002,[9] and was put in service on the Kiev–Bangkok route.[8]

In 2003 Aerosvit opened its first transatlantic service with scheduled flights, based on Boeing 767 equipment, to New York; later in the year, flights to Toronto and Delhi began. In this year the airline also carried its second millionth passenger. Soon after JAR-145 certification for performing in house maintenance works in accordance with the European Joint Aviation Authorities’ requirements was received. With the onset of 2004 Aerosvit increased the number of weekly flights it operated to Bangkok to three and an additional Boeing 737-300 was added to the fleet. Route expansion continued as before, and over the course of the year the number of Aerosvit-operated domestic flights across Ukraine expanded to eleven destinations. However, expansion did not just take place on the domestic market, as Aerosvit introduced new routes from its base in Kiev, to Beijing, Baku, Chisinau, Cairo, and St. Petersburg. Finally, in 2004, Aerosvit Airlines became the official air carrier of the National Olympic team of Ukraine for the XXVIII Olympic Summer Games held in 2004 in Athens.

Aerosvit's ninth Boeing 737 mid-haul aircraft started operating in 2005, with a tenth being added to the fleet soon after. In the same year e-ticketing was launched on the route New York-Kiev and Aerosvit Airlines and Azerbaijan Airlines started code-sharing on the Kiev-Baku route.

In 2006, the carrier became the 85th worldwide in passing the IATA Operational Safety Audit.[11] In March that year, Naples was added to the route network,[12] and in June the Kiev–Vilnius and Simferopol–Vilnius routes were launched in codeshare agreement with Lithuania's national carrier flyLAL.[13] In September 2006, Aerosvit was the first airline to operate both inbound and outbund passenger flights at Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.[14][15] and in October, the airline celebrated the six-millionth passenger carried since it started operations.[16]

An Antonov An-148-100B departed from Gostomel Airport in 2010. The carrier started flying the type on domestic routes in June 2009.[17]

In 2007, due to cooperation with Delta Air Lines, the number of destinations in the United States increased, allowing onward travel from New York to cities such as Los Angeles and Portland. It was in the same year that Aerosvit Airlines and Donbassaero began to build (at the initiative of their joint main shareholder Privat Group) the strategic alliance Ukrainian Aviation Group. Also, in this year, the fleet was supplemented with a third long haul aircraft Boeing 767 and eleventh and twelfth mid-range Boeing 737s, whilst the start of code share flights with Belavia on the Kiev-Minsk route took place. In August 2007, it was announced that a contract was signed with Boeing for the acquisition of seven Boeing 737-800s and purchase rights for another seven;[18] in a deal valued at more than US$500 million, the operation marked the company's first direct purchase of aircraft since its foundation.[19][20] These new aircraft would replace the airline's 13-strong Boeing 737 Classic fleet;[21] the first of them was handed over by the manufacturer in March 2012.[22] In December 2007, the airline began the commercialisation of e-tickets on its website.[23]

At the beginning of 2008 flights from Kiev to Tbilisi and Almaty were launched by Aerosvit, E-ticketing was introduced on all Aerosvit scheduled flights, and Aerosvit Airlines again became the official air carrier of the Ukrainian National Olympic team for the XXIX Olympic Games held in Beijing. In March 2009, Aerosvit acquired a 70-seater Antonov An-148,[24] which was deployed on domestic routes in June;[17][25] the first international revenue flight for the type with the airline took place in December that year, covering the Odesa–Moscow route.[26] Also in April 2009, the carrier launched scheduled flights to Astana[27] and Riga.[28]

The Ukrainian Aviation Group and modern era

In 2011, Aerosvit adopted the new, standard Ukrainian Aviation Group livery. An Aerosvit Boeing 737-300 wearing this livery takes-off from Boryspil International Airport in 2011.

In 2010 Aerosvit added a second Antonov 148 aircraft to its fleet and new routes including Odesa-Kaliningrad, Simferopol-Kaliningrad, Donetsk-Saint Petersburg, Odesa-Riga, and Dnipropetrovsk-Berlin were opened (largely with the cooperation of its sister companies Dniproavia and Donbassaero) by the carrier. An Odesa-Milan code-share route was launched. Dniproavia, having come into the Privat Group's business portfolio, joined the Ukrainian Aviation Group.

During 2010, the airline opened 21 new international routes,[29] including Bucharest[30] and Yerevan,[31] and signed a codeshare agreement with Hainan Airlines that covered operations on the Kiev–Beijing route.[32] Ho Chi Minh City was added to the route network in December 2011, becoming the first direct air link between Ukraine and Vietnam.[33]

Additionally, Aerosvit signed a contract with Boeing for delivery of 4 Boeing 737-900ER in 2013-2014, and a fourth Boeing 767 was added to the fleet. In the first quarter of 2012 the airline received the first of its ordered Embraer 190 aircraft, with deliveries continuing into 2013 or 2014.

As of 25 March 2012, as a result of the Anti-monopoly committee of Ukraine's decision to allow the consolidation of the Ukrainian Aviation Group's physical and operational assets, Donbassaero and Dniproavia no longer operate flights with their own codes, but rather on behalf of their parent company Aerosvit.

By June 2012 the airline introduced their first Embraer 190. All Embraer 190 are ordered and operated by the partner-airline Dniproavia.

Financial difficulties and downfall

An AeroSvit Boeing 737-800 at Atatürk International Airport in 2012. The first aircraft of the type was delivered to the carrier in March that year.[34] As of January 2013, all Boeing 737s in the fleet were being returned to the lessors.[35]

Boryspil International Airport's suspension of Aerosvit flights in March 2012, and a clash over a RUB 95 million debt with Sheremetyevo International Airport late that year indicated Aerosvit's financial weakness.[36][37][38] As of 27 December 2012, debt was US$534 million (around €403 million), thrice the value of company assets (€138.7 million, as of 30 December 2012).[39][40] The airline had not reported the 2012 results, but losses mounted to ₴1,456 billion in 2011, a threefold increase year-on-year.[40] Aerosvit's last profitable year was 2007.[41]

On 29 December 2012, Aerosvit filed for bankruptcy but intended to restructure and continue to operate.[42][43] Large minority shareholders claimed they were not informed about the filing.[44] Days prior to initiating the legal procedure, Aerosvit disclosed plans to transfer a number of its international routes to Ukraine International Airlines.[39] After the bankruptcy proceedings were announced, the carrier's aircraft were detained at various airports,[45] leaving hundreds of passengers stranded.[40][46] In mid-January 2013, Rosaviatsia stated that it would ban the airline over a US$1.5 million debt;[47] late that month, Russia barred the airline from operating in its territory.[48] As of 31 January 2013, the company stated that all the Boeing 737s were being returned to the lessors, as well as one Boeing 767.[35] It was disclosed in mid-February 2013 that the company planned to cut about 1,800 jobs by March 2013, including all the Boeing 737-related staff that had already been dismissed.[49]

Despite indications in mid-January[50] that Aerosvit would continue to fly between Kiev and Bangkok, Beijing, Dnipropetrovsk, Ivano-Frankivsk and New York, the suspension of medium- and short-haul routes was announced, with plans to reestablish services to Bangkok, Beijing and New York in April 2013;[51] however, as of April 2013, the airline ceased long-haul services as well.[52] Part of Aerosvit's fleet was transferred to Ukraine International Airlines.[52]

Destinations

Aerosvit Airlines' destinations
  former destinations
Main article: Aerosvit destinations

Codeshare agreements

Aerosvit codeshared with the following airlines (as of December 2012):

Fleet

Last fleet of Aerosvit Ukrainian Airlines
An Airbus A320 on short final to Dubai International Airport in 2013.
An Aerosvit Boeing 767 at Kiev's Boryspil International Airport (2011)
A Boeing 737 in Aerosvit's older livery (2011)

As of June 2013, Aerosvit Airlines has no active aircraft in its fleet. The airline operated the following aircraft throughout its history:[54]

Domestic flights

Since 2002, AeroSvit Airlines executed the social priority program of domestic, intra-Ukrainian air carriage, operating scheduled flights that connect Dnipropetrovs’k, Odesa, and Simferopol’ with the capital of Ukraine. In 2003-2004, AeroSvit Airlines’ domestic network expanded to Donetsk, Kharkiv, Lviv, and Ivano-Frankivsk. With the domestic flights program, flight safety, high regularity of flights, and a high level of service all became priority areas. Special standards of domestic flights were developed, such as making special menus available on all flights. In 2004 establishment of close cooperation with other Ukrainian airlines supplemented AeroSvit Airlines’ own route network with such destinations as Uzhgorod, Chernivtsi, Luhansk, and Zaporizhzhia.

AeroSvit and its Ukrainian Aviation Group partners flew to the Ukrainian cities of Donetsk, Odesa, Simferopol, Dnipropetrovsk, Kharkiv, Ivano-Frankivsk, Uzhgorod, Chernivtsi, Luhansk, and Sevastopol.

Non-scheduled (charter) flights

Another area of focus for AeroSvit Airlines was non-scheduled or charter, air carriage. From 1994-2004, AeroSvit Airlines organized charter programs and performed single ad hoc flights for various customers.

Aerosvit's charter activities began with summer-only flights to the Greek island of Crete. Since 1998, AeroSvit Airlines had increased its charter flights offerings. In 1998, the first flights to Antalya (Turkey) began. In early 1999, AeroSvit Airlines opened a new charter route to Hurghada (Egypt). Since 1999, new charter flights to Bulgaria, Turkey, Egypt, Greece, Tunis, and other countries had been added.
AeroSvit Airlines increased its volume of charter air carriage considerably. In addition to flights to traditional summer resorts, AeroSvit Airlines flew to winter skiing resorts in Austria, France, Finland, Turkey, and Slovakia.

After AeroSvit Airlines added Boeing 767-300ER’s to its fleet, charter flights to the Maldives, Tenerife, the Dominican Republic, Indonesia and other locales were added.

Traffic and Statistics

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010
Passenger load factor (%) 72,9 67,9 72,9 65,7 69,4 70,0
Total flight time (fh) 39151 49054 57977 70743 42199 63890
Revenue passenger km (mill) 3265,4 3561,8 4551,3 5304,6 3373,6 3966,6
Available seat km (mill) 4424, 7 5042,3 6230,9 7624,8 4857,2 5591,9
Revenue tones km (mill) 366,6 396,1 504,4 583,6 379,5 452,1
Total employees 1575 1944 2282 2352 1832 2072
RPK per employee (mill) 2,07 1,83 1,99 2,26 1,84 1,91

Corporate affairs and identity

Subsidiaries

A Dniprovavia Embraer ERJ-145 at Berlin-Tegel Airport (2010), featuring the common livery of the Ukrainian Aviation Group.
A Donbassaero Airbus A320 in superseded livery at Munich Airport.

Liveries and logo

Aerosvit's last livery was a Euro-white scheme, comprising a white fuselage with the blue Aerosvit title and design. The tail was white with a blue bird wing inside the yellow circle and the small Ukrainian flag at the top. The wing became a symbol of the company and inspired the name of Aerosvit Airlines. In 2011, a common Alliance livery was unveiled.

Logo image Usage
1994–1999
1999–2003
2003–2013

International cooperation

AeroSvit was a member of the following international organizations:

Incidents and accidents

On 17 December 1997, Aerosvit Flight 241, a Yakovlev Yak-42, crashed near Thessaloniki, Greece; all 62 passengers and 8 crew members died.[56]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Ukraine International Airlines quickly fills the void left by Aerosvit". Centre for Aviation. 28 June 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013.
  2. ↑ "New Owner for Aerosvit". Airports International. 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  3. ↑ "Representative Office." (Select City: "Kyiv" : "Head office") Aerosvit Airlines. Retrieved on 21 June 2010. "Head office Ukraine Airport, 08307 Boryspil"
  4. ↑ "AeroSvit Airlines Files for Bankruptcy". Aviation Today. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 29 June 2013.
  5. ↑ "Directory: world airlines – Aerosvit Airlines". Flight International: 52. March 16–22, 2004. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013.
  6. ↑ "AeroSvit's new Boeing 737-800 makes maiden trip to Tel Aviv". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 10 April 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Marketplace". Flightglobal. Flight International. 26 November 2002. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013. Kiev-based Aerosvit Airlines has taken delivery of an ex-Scandinavian Airlines, Pratt & Whitney PW4000-powered Boeing 767-300ER leased from Boeing Capital. The aircraft will be the first Western-build widebody airliner to be operated in Ukraine. The 350-seater will be operated from Kiev to points in North America and South-East Asia.
  8. 1 2 "Big Boeing, big plans for Aerosvit". Kyiv Post. 7 November 2002. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  9. 1 2 "Aerosvit expands operations". Kyiv Post. 31 October 2002. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  10. ↑ Endres, Günter (1 June 2005). "Svit success". Kiev: Flightglobal. Airline Business. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. 
  11. ↑ "During the first six months of 2006, AeroSvit opened new routes and increased traffic" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 3 August 2006. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013.
  12. ↑ "AeroSvit starts regular flights to Naples, Italy" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 29 March 2006. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013.
  13. ↑ "AeroSvit and flyLAL start joint flights to the Lithuanian capital" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 21 June 2006. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013.
  14. ↑ Hofmann, Kurt (28 September 2006). "LH Cargo set to be first into Suvarnabhumi". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013.
  15. ↑ "First flight to new Bangkok airport arrived from Kyiv" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 28 September 2006. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013.
  16. ↑ "AeroSvit Airlines has carried 6 million passengers during its 12 years of activity" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 16 October 2006. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013.
  17. 1 2 "AeroSvit launches An-148 on Kyiv-Simferopol, Kyiv-Odesa routes". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 3 July 2009. Archived from the original on 10 June 2013.
  18. ↑ "Aerosvit, Boeing ink plane deal". Kyiv Post. 9 August 2007. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  19. ↑ "All-Boeing Operator AeroSvit Renews Fleet with Next-Generation 737 Order" (Press release). Boeing. 2 August 2007. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  20. ↑ Gunsalus, James (2 August 2007). "Boeing Wins $523 Million Ukrainian Airline Contract (Update3)". Bloomberg.com. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013.
  21. ↑ "Boeing Delivers First 737-800 for Aerosvit" (Press release). Boeing. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  22. ↑ "Аэросвит получил первый Boeing 737-800" [Aerosvit Airlines took delivery of its first Boeing 737-800] (in Ukrainian). Ukrinform. 28 March 2012. Archived from the original on 6 July 2013.
  23. ↑ "AeroSvit launches e-ticket sale on its website" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 24 December 2007. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  24. ↑ Zaitsev, Tom (23 March 2009). "AeroSvit to start commercial flights with early An-148". Moscow: Flightglobal. Flight International. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013.
  25. ↑ "Antonov Design Bureau developing new aircraft on base of An-148, industrial ministry says". Interfax-Ukraine. 9 June 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  26. ↑ "Ukraine's new An-148 regional jet makes first international commercial flight". Interfax-Ukraine. 14 December 2009. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  27. ↑ "AeroSvit Opens Kyiv-Astana Flight". The Financial. 27 April 2009. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013.
  28. ↑ "AeroSvit launches Kyiv-Riga flight". Interfax-Ukraine. 20 April 2010. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  29. ↑ Dron, Alan (9 February 2011). "Ukraine's AeroSvit to begin London Gatwick service". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013.
  30. ↑ "AeroSvit launches Kyiv-Bucharest flight". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 1 May 2010. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013.
  31. ↑ "AeroSvit Commenced Flights to Armenia" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 29 October 2010. Archived from the original on 15 June 2013.
  32. ↑ Zaitsev, Tom (23 September 2010). "AeroSvit opening Milan and Copenhagen routes". Moscow: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. AeroSvit has also concluded a codeshare agreement with Chinese operator Hainan Ailrlines, covering the Kiev-Beijing route. 
  33. ↑ Blanco, Isabelle (23 December 2011). "Aerosvit atterrit à Hô Chi Minh-Ville" [Aerosvit arrives in Hô Chi Minh City] (in French). Air Journal. Archived from the original on 8 June 2013.
  34. ↑ "Boeing Delivers First 737-800 for Aerosvit" (Press release). Boeing. 27 March 2012. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  35. 1 2 "AeroSvit prepares its flight program for summer season and gradually opens ticket sale for long-haul flights" (Press release). Aerosvit Airlines. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013.
  36. ↑ Borodina, Polina (17 December 2012). "AeroSvit resumes Moscow flights". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013.
  37. ↑ Borodina, Polina (12 December 2012). "Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport bans AeroSvit". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013.
  38. ↑ Borodina, Polina (6 December 2012). "AeroSvit, Moscow Sheremetyevo Airport tussle over debt". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 8 February 2013.
  39. 1 2 "Ukraine International to double international network as Aerosvit restructures". Centre for Aviation. 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013.
  40. 1 2 3 "Ukraine's Largest Airline Grounds Most Flights". Airwise News. Reuters. 22 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013.
  41. ↑ "Expert: Ukrainian airlines trapped between pressure of competition and monopoly". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 18 March 2013. Archived from the original on 18 June 2013.
  42. ↑ Moores, Victoria (4 January 2013). "AeroSvit files for bankruptcy". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  43. ↑ "AeroSvit continues operations, fulfilling current liabilities to contractors". Kyiv Post. 4 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  44. ↑ "The state and Pinchuk's company do not participate in AeroSvit bankruptcy process". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 14 January 2013. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013.
  45. ↑ Kaminski-Morrow, David (7 January 2013). "Debt-ridden AeroSvit's aircraft detained at various airports". London: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  46. ↑ "Some 2,500 passengers of AeroSvit come from/to 9 cities on additional flights". Kyiv Post. Interfax-Ukraine. 17 January 2013. Archived from the original on 5 February 2013.
  47. ↑ Borodina, Polina (11 January 2013). "Russia to ban AeroSvit". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  48. ↑ Borodina, Polina (29 January 2013). "AeroSvit banned from Russian airspace". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  49. ↑ "AeroSvit's wage arrears come to UAH 80 million, say trade unions". Interfax-Ukraine. 18 February 2013. Archived from the original on 18 February 2013.
  50. ↑ Shevchenko, Daryna (18 January 2013). "AeroSvit continues its steep descent". Kyiv Post. Archived from the original on 4 February 2013.
  51. ↑ "AeroSvit suspends flights on medium-haul and domestic routes". Kyiv Post. 31 January 2013. Archived from the original on 3 February 2013.
  52. 1 2 Borodina, Polina (26 April 2013). "Embraer negotiates to deliver three AeroSvit E-190s". Air Transport World. Archived from the original on 6 June 2013.
  53. ↑ "AeroSvit, UIA sign code sharing agreement". Kyivpost.com. Retrieved 2012-10-25.
  54. ↑ "Profile for: Aero Svit Airlines". AeroTransport Data Bank. 7 June 2013. Archived from the original on 7 June 2013.
  55. ↑ Zaitsev, Tom (15 March 2011). "Ukraine's Aerosvit to lease additional 767s". Moscow: Flightglobal. Archived from the original on 14 July 2015. 
  56. ↑ Aviation Safety Network (1997). "ASN Aircraft accident description Yakovlev 42 UR-42334 - Thessaloniki". ASN. Retrieved 2007-01-07.

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