Amstelveen, the Netherlands and Kiev, Ukraine,  20 March 2012 — KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and Ukraine International Airlines are taking new steps to strengthen a working relationship which goes back 12 years. In their enhanced cooperation, entering the next phase in the collaboration both airlines are increasing capacity between Amsterdam and Kiev and expanding their codeshare agreement considerably. With the 2012 UEFA European Football Championship on the horizon, the two carriers are offering passengers a greater choice of flights to the Ukraine so they may watch the matches all around the country.

“This serves to strengthen Schiphol's position as a mainport, optimizing connections with the Eastern Europe growth market,” said KLM’s COO Pieter Elbers. “What is more, KLM and Ukraine International Airlines’ destinations connect very well.”

“We are very pleased to be further developing our long term relationship with KLM” said UIA’s President Yuri Miroshnikov. “This is an excellent step in expanding access to each others markets, for both airlines, and for UIA in implementing its strategy for greater European integration”

Together, the airlines fly 28 times a week between Amsterdam and Kiev. In June, a fourth daily frequency will be added to the route.

In addition, KLM and Ukraine International Airlines will expand their codeshare agreement on Ukrainian domestic flights originating in Kiev operated by Ukraine International Airlines to five destinations in Ukraine — Donetsk (DOK), Dnipropetrovsk (DNK), Lviv (LWO), Odessa (ODS) and Simferopol (SIP). The same will be the case on flights originating in Amsterdam, operated by KLM, to Birmingham (BHX), Edinburgh (EDI), Manchester (MAN) and London Heathrow (LHR).

Starting 25 March, KLM and UIA will jointly start the new, high frequency, code share operations. The enhanced cooperation will be implemented in its full scope upon receipt of the necessary approvals from the relevant authorities.