Emirates and flydubai pursue rapid expansion in Ukraine and broader CIS region

flydubai is continuing to rapidly expand its extensive network in the CIS region with nine new destinations being launched in 2013. flydubai's rapid growth in the CIS market will be followed by sister carrier Emirates, which recently unveiled plans to also serve Kiev from Jan-2014.

Dubai-Kiev Boryspil will be Emirates' first service to the Ukraine and third overall in the CIS along with Moscow Domoededovo and Saint Petersburg. Further CIS network expansion by Emirates is likely to come as low-cost narrowbody operator flydubai continues to develop the Dubai-CIS market, growing routes to the point they can also support widebody service from Emirates.

Emirates announced on 11-Jul-2013 plans to launch daily Dubai-Kiev Boryspil service on 16-Jan-2014, using three-class, 258-seat A340-500s. Emirates' service will be only the second carrier providing first class seats into Ukraine, following Uzbekistan Airways' weekly Boeing 767-300 service.