Ukraine's flag carrier, based at Kyiv before the suspension and linking Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Because Ukrainian airspace is closed to civil aviation, UIA has suspended all flights since 24 February 2022; the airline is described factually here together with alternative routings.
Chinese-language service provider: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, handling booking, customs declaration and end-to-end logistics for international air freight, on routes from China to the United States and all major continents.
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA; IATA two-letter code:PS, ICAO three-letter code:AUIradio call sign UKRAINE INTERNATIONAL) is Ukraine's flag carrier and largest airline. Founded on 1 October 1992, it began operations on 25 November 1992 with a Kyiv to London first flight, becoming one of the first airlines in the CIS region to bring in Western capital and a modern Boeing 737 fleet. UIA is headquartered in Kyiv and based at Kyiv Boryspil International Airport (KBP), with Panorama Club as its frequent flyer program. In 2011 the Ukrainian government completed UIA's privatization and Capital Investment Project LLC took about 74%, beginning the privately owned phase.
Before the suspension UIA was one of the representative hub carriers of Eastern Europe: from Kyiv Boryspil it linked Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, with a network that at its peak covered more than 80 destinations, including Beijing in China, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Amsterdam in Europe, Dubai and Tel Aviv in the Middle East, Bangkok and New Delhi in Asia, and New York and Toronto in North America. UIA flew Kyiv to Beijing nonstop many times and was the most important air link between the two countries, with the Beijing route at one point daily before 2019, flown with Boeing 767 or Boeing 777 widebodies.
One point needs emphasis: because Ukrainian airspace closed to civil aviation on 24 February 2022, UIA suspended all scheduled and charter flights from that date and has not operated since. Most aircraft are parked at Kyiv Boryspil, some are abroad, and others have been repossessed by lessors or offered for ACMI lease. In 2023 UIA entered insolvency proceedings under the supervision of a Ukrainian court. Operations had not resumed at the time of compilation, and a restart depends on the reopening of Ukrainian airspace and later reconstruction arrangements. The background is set out together with the current status, and alternatives are given for shippers with cargo to move.
| Airline | Ukraine International Airlines UIA |
| Company type | Ukraine's flag carrier (passenger and cargo) |
| Country | Ukraine |
| Global headquarters | Kyiv |
| Founded | 1 October 1992 (first flight 25 November 1992) |
| Operating base | Kyiv Boryspil International Airport KBP |
| IATA two-letter code | PS |
| ICAO three-letter code | AUI |
| Air waybill prefix | 566(AWB 566-XXXXXXXX) |
| Official website | flyuia.com |
| Frequent flyer program | Panorama Club |
| China routes | Flew Kyiv to Beijing before suspension; stopped from November 2019 |
| Current status | All flights suspendedSuspended from February 2022 |
Before the suspension cargo was carried in the belly holds of Boeing 737s and widebodies, with 767 and 777 aircraft on long sectors such as Kyiv to Beijing offering substantial belly payload.
Kyiv Boryspil served as the transfer hub linking Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, making it one of the important air cargo channels in Eastern Europe.
Before the suspension the nonstop Kyiv to Beijing service was the main air channel between China and Ukraine, carrying frequent trade and industrial cargo.
UIA has suspended all flightsand can offer no air cargo space; cargo for Ukraine or transiting Ukraine should move on alternative routings.
UIA was the most direct air bridge between China and Ukraine, and its cargo service is suspended because Ukrainian airspace is closed. Shippers with cargo to move need alternative routings, set out below.
Historical UIA schedules and space offers may still appear online, but they are pre-suspension data and cannot be used for booking. The reliable way to establish whether an airline is operating is its own notices and industry information, or verification by a professional forwarder; Goodhope confirms the operating status of the carrier for every shipment before booking, removing the risk at source.
| Aircraft type | Number (approx.) | Role and cargo characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-800 | About 14 aircraft | Main short and medium haul type, cargo in the passenger belly, covering European and Middle East trunk routes |
| Embraer E190 | About 5 aircraft | Regional jet for thinner routes and domestic feeders, with limited belly capacity |
| Boeing 737-900ER | About 4 aircraft | Stretched version of the 737 family with more seats and belly volume |
| Embraer E195 | About 2 aircraft | Stretched regional jet in the E series |
| Boeing 767-300ER | Previously operated | Long-haul widebody used on sectors such as Kyiv to Beijing with strong belly payload; returned to lessors when operations stopped |
| Boeing 777-200ER | Previously leased | Long-haul type used on sectors such as Beijing; returned to lessors when operations stopped |
UIA operated no freighters of its own.
| Main aircraft type | Boeing 737-800 / 737-900ER |
| Regional aircraft type | Embraer E190 / E195 |
| Long-haul types | Previously operated Boeing 767-300ER and 777-200ER |
| Freighter | None (belly capacity on passenger aircraft) |
| Fleet size | About 30-40 aircraft at peak, including leased and parked airframes |
| Current status | All flights suspended; fleet parked or partly leased out |
Before the suspension, around 2019, UIA's network covered about 80 destinations; since Ukrainian airspace closed in February 2022 the number served is 0. A restart depends on the airspace reopening and later reconstruction arrangements.
Before the suspension UIA served only Beijing in China; the Beijing route stopped in November 2019 and there are no China routes today.
Status:Stopped from November 2019Suspended
Historic schedule:At one point daily with Boeing 767/777 aircraft; specific schedules as published by the airline at the time
Reason:The airline's notice at the time cited unresolved overflight rights for Ukrainian carriers flying east through Russian airspace
Before the suspension UIA did not operate scheduled services to Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen or other Chinese pointsNo serviceBeijing was the only Chinese destination.
There is no timetableAll flights suspendedSince 24 February 2022 UIA has operated no scheduled or charter flights; do not book space against historical schedules.
Before the suspension UIA connected China, through Beijing, with the following markets from its Kyiv hub:
Current alternatives:There are no nonstop flights between China and Ukraine. Cargo for Ukraine can fly to a European hub such as Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul or Frankfurt and move to a country bordering Ukraine, then enter Ukraine by rail or road under transit. Air freight from China to the United States and other European countries is unaffected, and Goodhope can book space with Delta, United, British Airways and others as usual.
Cargo between China and Ukraine currently moves mainly through European hubs, taking one to three days longer than a nonstop but on a stable and workable routing; larger consignments can also be assessed for rail such as the China-Europe block trains, and Goodhope can compare air and rail on cost and transit time.
Before the suspension the nonstop Kyiv to Beijing route was the most direct air channel between China and Ukraine, convenient for trade, industrial and exhibition cargo, at one point daily, and widely used by China-Ukraine traders.
Kyiv sits at the junction of Europe and Asia and was an important air transfer point between them; UIA used that position to join its European, Middle Eastern, Asian and North American networks, with convenient connections.
UIA had no freighters and relied entirely on the belly holds of Boeing 737, 767 and 777 passenger aircraft; widebody bellies offered volume and steady schedules, suited to small and medium consignments and to regular movement of perishables and industrial parts.
Before the suspension the network covered more than 80 destinations worldwide, connecting with major markets in China, Europe, the Middle East and North America.
Cargo can fly to a European hub such as Warsaw, Budapest or Istanbul and move to the countries bordering Ukraine, then enter Ukraine by rail or road under transit; Goodhope coordinates the air and surface legs as one plan.
Air freight from China to the United States is unaffected: Goodhope books space with major carriers such as Delta, United and British Airways and provides booking, export declaration, clearance and delivery as one service, with controllable transit and cost.
In short, UIA's past cargo capability is worth knowing, but the airline is suspended and cannot take new business. Alternative routings and space cover Ukraine, the United States and other markets.
Airline suspensions and restarts are fluid. Goodhope follows the status of Ukrainian airspace and airline operations and will update clients as soon as usable capacity returns; until then, plan cargo on the alternative routings rather than waiting and losing trade deadlines.
| China office | None at present (there was no published China office before the suspension either)None available Booking channel unavailable while flights are suspended |
| Official website | flyuia.com |
| Air waybill prefix | 566 (AWB 566-XXXXXXXX) |
| Current customer service status | Limited response during the suspension; do not book its flights or space |
When UIA was founded in 1992 it was one of the first airlines in the CIS region to bring in Western capital and a modern Boeing 737 fleet, benchmarked to international standards from the start. From the first Kyiv to London flight it built Kyiv into an air hub between east and west, and its modern operating approach was pioneering for Eastern European civil aviation.
The nonstop Kyiv to Beijing route was one of UIA's most important Asian services, flown for many years and at one point daily. During the active period of China-Ukraine trade it carried a large share of business travel, exhibition cargo and industrial freight, a signature channel for people and goods between the two countries, and a direct window for Chinese clients on Ukrainian air service. Trade between the two countries has deep roots, with industrial equipment, agricultural products and consumer goods dominating in recent years, and air cargo was once the main channel for the time-sensitive share.
In 2011 the Ukrainian government completed UIA's privatization and Capital Investment Project LLC took about 74%, making it a private airline. UIA continued to modernize, launching a fleet renewal plan in 2018 to retire older types and bring in new fuel-efficient aircraft, and at one point operated Boeing 777-200ER widebodies on long-haul routes.
Since Ukrainian airspace closed in February 2022 UIA has suspended all flights; in 2023 it entered insolvency proceedings, with most aircraft parked at Kyiv Boryspil and elsewhere and some offered for ACMI lease. A restart depends on the airspace reopening and post-war reconstruction arrangements, and there is no firm timetable. Shippers with cargo to move should plan on alternatives, and Goodhope will pass on new information as it arrives.
At the time of compilation UIA remains fully suspended, with Ukrainian airspace closed to civil aviation since 24 February 2022, and has been in insolvency proceedings since 2023, with no restart date known. Its flights and cargo space cannot be booked.
Before the suspension UIA served only Beijing in China; the Beijing route stopped in November 2019 over overflight rights through Russian airspace. Since February 2022 all flights have been suspended, there are no China routes now and no restart date is set.
There are no nonstop flights between China and Ukraine. Cargo can fly to a European hub such as Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul or Frankfurt and then move to a country bordering Ukraine, entering by rail or road under transit. Goodhope provides combined air and surface plans with tracking throughout.
No, UIA has suspended all flights. Use major China-US carriers such as Delta and United for air freight; Goodhope provides booking, export declaration, clearance and delivery as one service, with steady schedules and reliable transit.
After the suspension most aircraft are parked at Kyiv Boryspil, some abroad, and others have been repossessed by lessors or offered for ACMI lease. Their eventual fate depends on the airspace reopening, insolvency restructuring and lease arrangements, and no return-to-service plan has been published.
Refunds, reimbursements and claims from before the suspension have to go through the issuing agent or the carrier's agent, and UIA customer service currently responds only to a limited extent. Cargo should be re-routed to other carriers as soon as possible, and Goodhope can help with the transfer and the connections.
Cargo leaves China by air to a European hub such as Warsaw, Budapest, Istanbul or Frankfurt, clears customs and then moves by rail or road to the Ukrainian border and on to the consignee. Goodhope handles booking, export declaration and transit connections and reports status at the key points of loading, transfer and entry. Actual schedules change with the season and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking.
Standard export cargo needs commodity, pieces, weight and dimensions, origin and destination, plus the commercial invoice, packing list and export declaration documents; cargo for Ukraine also needs the import permits and clearance documents the consignee requires. Goodhope lists the documents item by item at booking and checks them, avoiding delay at the transit airport for missing papers.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, based in Shenzhen, focuses on international air freight from China to the United States and major markets worldwide. Destinations cover the United States, Europe and other markets, with space and multimodal options plus booking, export declaration, clearance and delivery. For Ukraine, Goodhope checks the connection capability at transit points such as Warsaw, Budapest and Istanbul at booking and coordinates export declaration and the European surface leg, and helps with re-routing and document re-issue; routings and stops change with the season and are confirmed by the carrier on the day of booking. Plans and quotations are available on request.
Disclaimer:Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners, and our company has no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with the airlines described. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent at the time of booking.