Aerosvit to restructure medium and long-haul network

Aerosvit announced (10-Jan-2013) plans to restructure its operations which will see its current route network significantly reduced. Aerosvit said it will continue to operate long-haul routes from Kiev Boryspil to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Beijing, Goa, Ho Chi Minh City and New York JFK. The airline will also continue to operate medium-haul services from Kiev Boryspil to Moscow Sheremetyevo, Saint Petersburg, Istanbul Ataturk, and Tashkent. Aerosvit will also serve Istanbul Ataturk from Odessa. The rest of the airline's medium-haul services will be suspended from 11-Jan-2013 to 15-Jan-2013 by which time a new network schedule will be released. Aerosvit said it will transport passengers on cancelled or suspended services with partner airlines or provide them with refunds. The restructuring programme comes as the airline attempts to reduce expenses and withdraw from unprofitable routes and improve operational efficiency. Meanwhile Interfax-Ukraine reported the Ukrainian Government will finance the lease of aircraft to transport passengers left stranded by the airline's service cancellations. The Ukrainian Government is drafting a plan to deal with the situation. [more - original PR - Ukrainian]