I thought of flying Business Class from Kyiv back to Berlin. You see, Ukraine International Airlines (UIA) is a carrier that I haven’t used before. Therefore, I tested their services and saw if the class upgrade deserved the cost. There were actually two extra facts that motivated me to write this long Ukraine International Airlines Business Class Review. The first was that there was an amount of online negativity about the airline. The second reason was that I was impressed by their services on my inbound flight from Berlin to Kyiv: I have booked the premium economy ticket, and it offered more than I thought it would.
Before starting with the review about UIA, I would like to mention that this is not a sponsored post. I paid for my tickets, and all opinions are my own. Therefore, the airline has nothing to do with this post, and everything you are about to read is 100% my personal experience. That said, this is an honest Ukraine International Airlines Business Class review.
So, let’s see what I experienced in my flight with UIA.
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Ukraine International Airlines Business Class: A full review
At Boryspil International Airport (KBP)
The Boryspil International Airport is the main hub of UIA. The airport looks pretty new, and it feels pretty big. Ukraine International Airlines has several counters at Boryspil, and there are also dedicated ones for Business Class passengers. The day I traveled, the check-in counter didn’t have a queue, and the process was smooth and fast. The lady at the desk was professional, and she spoke English fluently (which is not the case in Ukraine).
As a Business Class passenger, you are, of course, entitled to enjoy the Lounge. I’ll write more about the Business Class Lounge at Boryspil Airport too, but here I want to mention something that felt nice at the UIA check-in desk. Usually, your boarding pass is your Lounge voucher -at least in Intra-European flights. But in UIA, you actually get a separate voucher, and guess what, it’s a handwritten one! The employee fills in a form with your name and surname, flight number and gives it to you. It was undoubtedly a nice treat -and a great start to the journey.
Fast-track lane at Boryspil International Airport
After receiving your boarding pass as well as your Business Class Lounge voucher, you can head to security control. There is a dedicated fast-track lane (subbed Fast Line), and it’s located on the very right of the security control. The fast-track lane proved to be fast, and I was through it after 1-2 minutes.
Passport check at Boryspil International Airport
Straight after security control, you have to go through a passport check. You will have your passport checked and stamped before you can reach the duty-free area of Boryspil Airport. There is also some fast-track lane here, too: again, on the very right, you will see the priority line for the Business Class travelers. The line here was also short, and it didn’t take more than 2-3 minutes to go through.
The Ukraine International Airlines Business Class Lounge in Kyiv Boryspil
After walking through the duty-free section of Boryspil Airport, you will see the departures gates. In order to reach the Business Class Lounge, you will have to follow the signs and take the escalators. The Business Class Lounge of UIA is on the first floor, and you’ll have to present the handwritten voucher you received earlier. Unfortunately, the ladies in the reception will keep the voucher, so if you are fond of such travel memorabilia, you’d better take a photo before handing it over.
The Lounge is rather big and has space for everyone. I flew around noon, and there were just a bunch of people there. The buffet seems relatively small, but there is a pretty wide variety of food and drinks. Scrambled eggs, sausages, and a selection of soups are available, as well as finger food and some desserts. Coffee and alcoholic beverages are also available, and in the stand next to the entrance, you can find a couple of magazines.
For the smokers among us, there is a separate room within the Business Class Lounge, and there you can have a cigarette before your flight. Something to mention also is that there’s a wide veranda attached to the Lounge, and you can also go there to smoke -or to get some fresh air. Unfortunately, the view of the airstrip is somehow limited. Desktop computers, as well as free wi-fi, are also available. Last but not least, there are also shower rooms -you can find them on the left side of the reception.
The Panorama Club of UIA
Ukraine International Airlines is not a member of the Star Alliance. However, they do have though their own Miles program called Panorama Club. If you are a frequent flyer to Ukraine, you should consider participating in the Panorama Club miles program. The program also has a corporate section called Panorama Club Corporate. You can gather more information about the Panorama Club here.
Ukraine International Airlines Business Class Review: On Board
UIA’s fleet consists of Boeings, and for my journey to Berlin, I embarked on a 737. I always liked Boeings mainly because they felt more comfortable. As it’s always the case with intra-European flights, one should never confuse the standards with long-haul flights. That said, I’m only comparing here the standards of intra-European flights. It’s pretty unfair to compare a 2-hours flight to a 10-hours one.
The Business Class cabin of Ukraine International Airlines was clean. As it’s always the case in flights within Europe, the middle seat is blocked and transformed into a table. There is enough legroom -and to be honest, that’s what I always appreciate the most when flying Business Class. What impressed me, though -and this I haven’t seen in a while- is that UIA offered pillows and blankets for every Business Class passenger. Kudos for that, UIA.
A tip: The business class ticket of Ukraine International Airlines is relatively expensive. For the route from Kyiv to Berlin, it costs approx. 400 euros. However, if your economy ticket is eligible for an upgrade (depends on the fare class), you can proceed to the counter and ask for an upgrade. Depending on the flight, you will have to pay some extra money. For my flight, it was 125 euros.
A welcome drink
Shortly after entering the airplane, a crew member will reach you with a selection of welcome drinks. I complained about Lufthansa’s lack of welcome drinks not that long ago, so this was a nice gesture. You can select orange juice, cranberry juice, still water, and sparkling water. I took the orange juice, and the portion was generous.
The crew won’t offer newspapers. If you ask, you might get one, but it seems that it’s not part of the Business Class experience. Instead, in the pocket of the seat in front of you, you will find Panorama magazine, the in-flight magazine of UIA.
After take-off
After take-off, a flight attendant will introduce herself and inform you about the menu. There’s no printed menu, but you can choose between two main dishes. On my flight, it was a selection between fish and meat. I chose the one with meat. Meanwhile, you will also order your drinks, and I must say that the red wine was excellent. The crew will serve the drinks first, together with a bowl of peanuts.
Ukraine International Airlines Business Class Menu
Well, I must say that I enjoyed the meal of UIA’s Business Class very much. The meat was delicious, and a significant portion of rice accompanied it. There was also a salad with vegetables and some extra pork -be careful, the paprikas are really spicy! There were also two bread rolls and a delicious chocolate dessert. Requesting additional wine is always a good idea while flying, but keep in mind that you might change your mind when you land. I don’t regret having two full glasses, but I started feeling slightly drunk when I landed in Berlin.
The crew is really attentive and always up to ask you if you’ll need something more. Before the meal, you will also get a warm towel for cleaning your hands. Overall, I found the food quality to be great, and I was very satisfied. After finishing your food, you can also ask for a cup of coffee or tea. I went for the espresso, and I got a really big mug of coffee! The espresso was okay, but nothing to remember, like the one I had in my Aegean Airlines flights, for example.
In-flight entertainment of UIA
Well, as it’s always the case in intra-European flights, the in-flight entertainment is inexistent. As I wrote in my previous Business Class reviews, it’s not something that I miss. However, it’s always a welcome addition, especially if we talk about Business Class flights. Airlines tend to forget that passengers pay 2-3 times the cost of an economy ticket for a seat upgrade. Sure, you have access to the Lounge, and of course, you get proper food. Is this really enough, though, to justify the price difference?
Ukraine International Airlines is not different from other airlines regarding flight entertainment. I’d actually say that it’s not performing that well at all. For example, in Aegean, you could get a newspaper, and there’s the Aegean app where you have access to the international press. On the other hand, in Lufthansa, you had the option to buy some MBs for using the Internet. So even if it was pricey, it was still an option.
However, in UIA, there was a total lack of in-flight entertainment. Apart from the in-flight magazine (which needs improvement and fewer ads), there was nothing else to occupy you during the flight. The delicious meal is a big plus, but there is definitely space for improvement.
Before landing & after landing
The 2-hours flight from Kyiv to Berlin went by really fast. It’s not a long flight anyway, but the food and the wine helped a lot. After collecting the food tray, I was offered a cup of espresso. I didn’t want more wine, but I’m sure that the crew wouldn’t deny one last glass. For the last 20-30 minutes of the flight, there was no service -in other airlines, you might be offered one more drink or beverage.
After landing, you are, of course, and the first to pick up your luggage. That’s no big surprise, and that’s always the case with Business Class flights. Sometimes though, we take some things for granted, and that’s why I’m mentioning this.
There’s no separate bus to the Terminal for Business Class travelers, though.
Ukraine International Airlines Business Class Review: The verdict
It was the first time I had traveled with Ukraine International Airlines, and the truth is that I felt impressed. The crew was very professional and attentive, the food was excellent, and the flight itself was smooth. I have nothing to complain about UIA. The fact that they offer you a welcome drink is a plus. I always like to highlight things that I don’t see on other airlines, and having a pillow and blanket for a 2-hours flight was a great addition. In intra-European flights, the Business Class standards are usually basic, so whatever improves the experience and justifies the extra money, it’s always good to be mentioned.
As I wrote elsewhere, flying Business Class is not a matter of status for me. I actually don’t care about such things. What I appreciate the most is the extra legroom because, due to my height, I tend to struggle even on one-hour flights. The Ukraine International Airlines Business Class had enough space to stretch anytime, and I didn’t arrive crumped in Berlin. The fact that the food was delicious made the flight even better.
Before telling you my honest opinion about UIA, I really need to mention something. The Internet is a beautiful place, but sometimes I really struggle to understand the negativity. Before taking my Business Class flight with UIA, I have seen a couple of reviews about the airline, portraying it as bad. Honestly, could someone explain to me what makes it bad? I didn’t travel with them before, and they didn’t pay me for this review; therefore, I don’t owe them praise, and they don’t owe anything to me either. Sure, a short or medium-haul flight can’t compare to the standards of a long-haul one, but it’s ridiculous to call this airline a bad one.
All that said, I had a wonderful flight with UIA. Their Business Class is easily comparable to the Business Class standards of the prestigious airlines that serve intra-European flights. However, the truth is that it is more expensive than their competitors, so this is something that they probably have to take care of. There were only two more passengers in the Business Class the day I flew. The food, however, is excellent, and the crew is smiling and willing to help.
Business Class flights within Europe never feel that special to some. For me, though, the extra legroom and the treatment sometimes deserve the extra cash. If I could afford the ticket’s cost, I would definitely fly Business Class with Ukraine International Airlines again.
You can book a ticket with Ukraine International Airlines via Kiwi.
Would you like to see more Business Class reviews? Please let me know in the comments below.
More Airline reviews: Aegean Airlines, Lufthansa
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Last Updated on December 3, 2021 by George Pavlopoulos