Ernest Airlines opens representative office in Kyiv

Italian budget airline Ernest Airlines opened its representative office in Kyiv’s central district of Podil on Oct. 18.

“In October 2017, Ernest Airlines launched its first flights from Milan to Lviv, and today we are celebrating the opening of our representative office in Ukraine,” said Shadi El Tannir, Ernest Airlines President, according to the company’s press release.

Podil’s office will also be a main ticket office of Ernest Airlines, a service center for clients and a 30-person, all-Ukrainian call center for the company.

Since 2017, shortly after the European Union’s visa-free agreement with Ukraine came into effect back in June that year, Ernest Airlines has already carried over 500,000 passengers between the two countries from airports in Ukraine’s busiest cities, Kyiv, Lviv, Kharkiv and Odesa.

Currently, planes from the low-cost airline fly from Kyiv’s Zhulyany Airport to Milan, Naples, Rome, Genoa, Bergamo and Bologna, while Milan and Rome are two destinations from Kharkiv Airport.

From Ukraine’s western city of Lviv, Ernest Airlines flies to Rome, Venice, Naples and Bergamo. From Odesa, the discount airlines currently flies to Rome.

“Ernest Airlines gained its success thanks to Italy, the most beautiful and most requested place in the world for travelers who wish to visit the country at any time of the year,” said Tannir.

In total, Ernest airline has launched 13 routes from Ukraine over the past two years, while in 2017 the airline had only five routes between the two countries.

New jet base in Ukraine

Next April, Ernest Airlines plans to base two jets at Sikorsky Airport in Kyiv and to launch five new routes between Ukraine and Italy, according to Tannir.

From left: Chady El Tannir, president of Ernest Airlines, Oleksandra Klitina, deputy infrastructure minister for European integration and Davide La Cecilia, the Italian ambassador to Ukraine, cut the ribbon on Oct. 18, 2019, during the opening ceremony of Ernest Airlines headquarters in Kyiv.
Photo by Volodymyr Petrov

A model of an Ernest Airlines plane is seen in the company’s new Kyiv office during its opening on Oct. 18, 2019, at the opening ceremony of Ernest Airlines headquarters in Kyiv. Italian low-cost carrier Ernest Airlines must halt its flights starting Jan. 13 after Italy’s National Civil Aviation Authority (ENAC) suspended its license. The ENAC’s decision threatens some of the most affordable flights connecting Ukraine and Italy.
Photo by Volodymyr Petrov

Representatives of the Ernest Airlines attend on Oct. 18, 2019, the opening ceremony of Ernest Airlines headquarters in Kyiv.
Photo by Volodymyr Petrov

From left: Chady El Tannir, president of Ernest Airlines, Oleksandra Klitina, deputy infrastructure minister for European integration and Davide La Cecilia, the Italian ambassador to Ukraine, talk on Oct. 18, 2019, during the opening ceremony of Ernest Airlines headquarters in Kyiv.
Photo by Volodymyr Petrov

Chady El Tannir, president of Ernest Airlines, speaks on Oct. 18, 2019, during the opening ceremony of Ernest Airlines headquarters in Kyiv.
Photo by Volodymyr Petrov

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From Kyiv, passengers will be able to get to another three destinations – Venice, Bari and Trieste. From Lviv, there will be an added flight to Bologna and an additional flight from Odesa to Milan.

“Today’s opening marks a priceless moment for consolidation of this significant Italian investment in Ukraine, once again confirming that it’s as a country of great potential, especially for young and dynamic people,” said Davide La Cecilia, Italy’s ambassador to Ukraine.