The closed sky: what to do to passengers

"I flied to Russia nearly an every month, sometimes two times a month. Now I manage to fly at the beginning of October. The following business trip to Russia planned for the first of November – while it was necessary to freeze these plans", – Yury Nikolaev, the head of management of sales of the Allbiz company tells.

The company has five branches in Russia therefore Nikolaev flied often.

After the Ministry forbade the Russian airlines to fly to Ukraine, Moscow answered with a mirror step and closed the space for all Ukrainian companies.

In a situation similar to Yury Nikolaev there will be hundreds thousands people.

As told the Air Force Ukraine in State aviaservice, only for the first half of the year 2015 Ukrainian airlines transported more than 187 thousand passengers, Russian – 469 thousand.

"Family relations anywhere will not get to"

What now to do to passengers? In the Ministry of infrastructure answer: transit flights it is reoriented on hubs of other countries, and those passengers who flied to the Russian cities, will fly with change through other airports.

According to the director of the company "Style of the Avia" Evgenia Haynatskogo, Minsk, Riga, Warsaw or Istanbul can become the transit cities instead of the Russian.

"The market will adjust itself, but the market very big and all requirements to satisfy in short-term prospect it will be impossible", – the expert speaks.

For the blogger and photographer Alexander Cheban flights with changes remain the unique alternative to the forbidden direct flights. Cheban has the popular blog devoted to travel in LJ, and often flied from Kiev to Moscow on affairs, and also transit through Moscow to many countries of the world.

"Business, family and friendly relations anywhere will not get to, expenses will simply grow and the quantity of inconveniences for those who needs to fly" will increase, – the blogger considers.

The shepherd says that because of a ban of direct flights the prices for tickets first of all will grow and time which to people should be spent for the road will increase.

The prices also will grow by transit flights through Moscow.

"First of all it is Asia and the USA "Aeroflot". Tariffs for these directions very often were the lowest for Ukrainians", – the blogger tells.

Yury Nikolaev from Allbiz hopes that at least one air carrier remains on Kiev-Moscow-Kiev route. Otherwise it should reduce quantity of trips to Russia.

The Russian airline Utair which carries out such flights and which was not in the Ukrainian sanktsionny list, already declared that considers possibility of increase in number of direct flights to Ukraine.

The Belarusian air carrier of "Belavia" declared that can increase number of flights from Minsk to Moscow and from Minsk to Kiev, and also provide planes of bigger capacity. Now on a route of Kiev-Minsk-Kiev of 27 flights to week.

One more Ukrainian airline – Yanair – planned to begin since October 26 flights from Kiev to Moscow, but after introduction of a ban decided to freeze opening of a regular flight to Russia.

"The alternative always is"

According to experts, after a ban on flights the part of passengers will change on trains and cars.

However, in the Ministry of infrastructure could not answer a question Air Force, whether the quantity of trains between Kiev and Moscow will increase.

"Always there are alternatives, a train or a car… To us to difficulties not to get used", – inhabitant of Kiev Igor Skripnik who bought for January the air ticket from Moscow to Hong Kong speaks and planned to fly too to Moscow from Ukraine by plane, but now is compelled to change the plans.

In that "transport streams will find the way out", the minister of transport of the Russian Federation Maxim Sokolov is sure. It reminds of railway communication between the countries which still remains, and assumes that from now on Russians to Kiev should reach through Belarus, Moldova and Turkey.

However such options suit not to all. "A train or the car it is too tiresome", – tells Nikolaev from Allbiz.

The journalist and TV host Pavel Sheremet who at least twice a month travels from Ukraine to Russia, predicts that after a ban on the flights of a train plying between Kiev and Moscow, will be overflowed.

"Now the prices for tickets for trains were practically made even to an avia. As to highways, that, the good road between Kiev and Moscow is not present. It is necessary to reach through Kharkov, or through Bryansk. But it takes the whole day, hours 12 without border. Therefore the situation not simple", – lists Sheremet minuses of alternative options of routes.

Million losses

Meanwhile airlines and the airports count up losses from the closed sky between Ukraine and Russia.

The largest airline of Ukraine of MAU already received the message from Rosaviatsiiya about a ban of flights and is going to return to passengers money for not rendered services.

In MAU considered that net losses of the company will make about 10 million dollars a year, reported TASS the press secretary of the company of Evgeny Satskaya. According to her, sanctions will also essentially reduce transit volume at the Borispol airport.

In MAU say that "the aviabranch became the hostage of a situation" and predict reduction of workplaces in the company.

The largest Russian air carrier "Aeroflot" already too suspended booking of tickets to Ukraine after October 25.

"Certainly, it threatens with economic losses and certain inconveniences for citizens of Ukraine. Also to additional expenses will lead that the Ukrainian airlines should fly about the territory of the Russian Federation. But, if we want to achieve a victory in this war, we should start with safety, instead of economic criteria", – the expert of the Center Razumkova Alexey Melnik considers.

The expert considers that the decision on a ban of flights should be accepted even earlier: "In a question that for us is a priority – trade or war, it seems to me, the answer that is defense and protection of national security" should be obvious.