| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
attitudetravel
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Posts: 397
Location: London, UK
|
 Posted: Sat Sep 27, 2008 11:10 pm Post subject: Budget carriers target Ukraine... |
  |
|
Following the entry of Central European budget airline Wizz Air into Ukrainian airspace earlier this summer, a number of rival low cost airlines are now preparing to extend their route networks further into Eastern Europe, making Ukraine more accessible as a low cost travel destination.
Kyiv Post staff writer, Alina Pastukhova, reports on a number of international low cost carriers which may soon be flying to Ukraine, including Germania and easyJet, (in addition to germanwings, and Air Arabia, which are currently finalising regulatory approval).
The first European no-frills airline to fly to Ukrainian airports, Wizz Air, commenced operations within Ukraine at the start of summer 2008. The carrier is now seeking to establish low cost routes into Ukraine from Western Europe.
| Quote: | | The company hopes to soon launch flights between Kyiv and three European cities: London, Dortmund and Milan. |
Source: More low-cost airlines expected in October |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
MHG
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Age: 43
Posts: 29
Location: Schwetzingen (Heidelberg), Germany
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 2:33 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Accidently i found on the Germania website (perfectly hidden, though - you won´t find it but by accident) details for the route they obviously plan to operate:
Dusseldorf (DUS)-Kharkiv (HRK) vv. 175,-EUR one-way incl. all tax and charges ! 
DUS-HRK-DUS 9.00-13.00/13.50-15.55 every saturday starting march 6 ! 
Just check their booking engine ... 
Still, these flights are not yet bookable - hence the seat availlability set to 0  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
attitudetravel
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Posts: 397
Location: London, UK
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 5:24 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Good find, MHG.
I can see Dusseldorf - Kharkiv flights listed on the Germania website starting from December 12 and then operating once a week every Friday from then on.
I'll wait for confirmation from Germania that the airline has been granted regulatory approval to operate its fixed-fare flights to Kharkiv and then I'll add a new entry to the Ukraine Low Cost Airlines Guide. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Alsky
Joined: 02 Jun 2008
Posts: 5
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 7:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| These Germania Kharkov-Dusseldorf flights -they're all very well, but the only prices I can find seem to be 350 Euros return. Or am I misreading the site? |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MHG
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Age: 43
Posts: 29
Location: Schwetzingen (Heidelberg), Germany
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 8:05 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Alsky wrote: | | These Germania Kharkov-Dusseldorf flights -they're all very well, but the only prices I can find seem to be 350 Euros return. Or am I misreading the site? |
That´s correct !
The GEXX philosophy is same fare always whenever you book (regardless if you book 3 months ahead or one day before departure)
Also fares shown are always inclusive of all taxes and charges (no hidden baggage fee/fuel surcharge/booking fee/etc. ! ! ! )
Schedules are shown until march 27th.
So, summer schedule 2009 is not yet listed ...
(no wonder since even for the winter schedule traffic rights are not yet granted)  |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
attitudetravel
Joined: 15 Nov 2007
Posts: 397
Location: London, UK
|
| Posted: Sun Sep 28, 2008 10:35 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: | | the only prices I can find seem to be 350 Euros return. |
Fair point. On the face of it, that does look fairly pricey. But a guaranteed fare of EUR 175 one day or one week before flying one-way between Western Germany and Northern Ukraine is the perfect proposition for independent travellers who don't want to commit to booking until the last minute.
Assuming that Wizz Air eventually starts flying:
Dortmund - Kyiv + Kyiv - Kharkiv
there will come a point when enough passengers are booked onto both the first and the second legs, that the combined one-way fare including taxes comes to more than EUR 175 - at this point Germania becomes the lowest fare airline available to book with.
The trick for Germania is to reduce its costs to the point where the fixed, direct, one-way fare it charges is less than Wizz Air's variable, combined, one-way fare for more than half the time.
Time will tell if Germania can pull off this trick successfully - let's not forget that the Swiss airline helvetic eventually gave up on fixed fares. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
MHG
Joined: 23 Feb 2008
Age: 43
Posts: 29
Location: Schwetzingen (Heidelberg), Germany
|
| Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:38 pm Post subject: |
|
|
Well, Germania did that before already ...
And they also "failed" somehow ...
But it seems they now distinguish between peak and off-peak times as they offer two different prices on each route depending on the expected demand.
This "flexibility" is not yet valid for the DUS-HRK route because it´s not bookable.
So, they just put a fixed price ("peak" i suppose) into the system. I would expect that may change as soon as it is clear they will operate the route. Beforehand it makes no sense to show different prices.
The airline certainly has looked very closely at the demand at various dates so they will implement peak/off peak prices when sales for the route start ! |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Log in
Blogs
