Ukraine International Airlines compensation: what you can still claim
Ukraine International Airlines (UIA), the Kyiv carrier that flew from Boryspil airport, has not operated a single flight since 24 February 2022, when Ukrainian airspace closed following the Russian invasion. In November 2023 the Commercial Court in Kyiv opened bankruptcy proceedings against it. If your UIA flight was delayed or cancelled before the shutdown, the right to compensation does not simply vanish: we still take on claims against airlines that have stopped flying.
UIA is a Ukrainian airline, so a non-EU carrier. Under Regulation (EC) 261/2004 it was only bound on flights departing from an airport in the EU, Iceland, Norway or Switzerland. Paris–Kyiv was covered; Kyiv–Paris was not.
Delay
A UIA flight from Europe reached its final destination 3 hours or more behind schedule.
Departures from Europe onlyCancellation
A departure from a European airport was scrapped with less than 14 days' notice.
Short noticeDenied boarding
You were bumped from an oversold flight in Europe despite a valid ticket and arriving at the gate on time.
Owed on the spotNot covered
Flights from Kyiv to Europe, and cancellations caused by the airspace closure in February 2022.
ExcludedStill have the booking? Enter the airports and date of your UIA flight and we will check it free of charge.
How much UIA owed on flights from Europe
The amount is fixed per passenger and depends on the distance to the final destination, not on the fare you paid.
| Distance | Examples of UIA flights from Europe | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | Vienna–Kyiv | €250 |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | Paris–Kyiv, Amsterdam–Kyiv, Rome–Kyiv, Barcelona–Kyiv | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | Amsterdam–Kyiv–New York on one booking | €600 |
Each traveller, children with their own seat included, has a separate claim: two parents and a child on a Paris–Kyiv flight that landed three and a half hours late add up to €1,200.
Delayed UIA flight: the evidence that matters years later
What counts is the moment the aircraft doors opened at arrival. Gather what you still have:
- Your UIA e-ticket showing the booking reference and the PS flight number.
- Boarding passes, including the onward leg out of Boryspil.
- Emails from the airline announcing the delay or a new departure time.
- Receipts for meals, taxis or a hotel you paid for while waiting.
- Your Panorama Club statement if you were a member of the loyalty scheme: it lists the flights you took.
Care at the airport
On departures from the EU the airline had to provide meals, drinks and, for an overnight wait, a hotel and transfers:
| Flight | Care after |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | 2 hours |
| 1,500 to 3,500 km | 3 hours |
| Over 3,500 km | 4 hours |
| Delay of 5 hours or more | Refund if you chose not to travel |
Missed connection in Kyiv
From Boryspil UIA carried passengers on to Baku, Yerevan, Bangkok and New York. On a single booking that started in Europe, the delay at the final destination is what counts. More on the page about a delayed UIA flight.
Cancelled Ukraine International Airlines flight
Due for every cancelled flight, including those dropped from 24 February 2022 onwards.
Added only when notice came late and the cause lay with the airline.
| Notice given | Compensation |
|---|---|
| 14 days or more | No, only a refund or another flight |
| 7 to 13 days | Yes, if the replacement left more than 2 hours earlier or arrived 4 hours or more later |
| Under 7 days | Yes, if the replacement left more than 1 hour earlier or arrived 2 hours or more later |
War and closed airspace. Flights cancelled because Ukrainian skies were shut depend on an outside event: compensation is generally not due, but the fare refund is. Details on the page about a cancelled UIA flight.
UIA overbooking on departures from Europe
If you were refused boarding at Paris, Amsterdam or another European airport because more seats had been sold than existed, compensation was owed straight away, together with a new flight or a refund. See the guide on UIA overbooking.
Strikes by UIA staff
When the airline's own pilots or cabin crew walked out, the Court of Justice of the EU treats that as part of normal business, not an extraordinary circumstance (case C-28/20). An air traffic control strike in France or Italy, on the other hand, is outside the airline's control.
UIA turned your claim down: the usual answers
Problems found during routine maintenance are part of running an airline.
Court of Justice of the EU, case C-549/07If the trip began in Europe on one booking, the final arrival counts; if it began in Ukraine, the Regulation does not apply.
That was a decision by the authorities. The price of the unused ticket is still owed.
UIA's bankruptcy: what it means for your claim
In 2023 the brand and several subsidiaries were auctioned and the Kyiv court opened bankruptcy proceedings, freezing payments to creditors. Unpaid compensation therefore becomes a claim in the insolvency: it takes time and payment is not guaranteed. That is why we first check, at no cost, whether your case is worth pursuing.
Claiming from UIA: on your own or with us
The airline's customer service no longer operates: you would have to lodge the debt in Ukraine yourself.
Fill in the form and sign online; we handle the rest. You only pay if money comes in: 25% + VAT. If we recover nothing, you pay nothing.
Useful documents
- Ticket or boarding passAn old confirmation email is fine.
- IDFor each passenger, children included.
- Correspondence with UIANotices, replies to complaints, expense receipts.
Time limits
The Regulation sets no deadline: the rules of the country where you bring the claim apply (Court of Justice of the EU, case C-139/11). UIA flights date from early 2022 at the latest, so in some countries the limit may already have passed. Enter the date and we will tell you.
How long payment takes
An airline that accepts a claim usually pays within a few weeks; a formal demand or court action adds a few months. With UIA the timing depends on the Kyiv bankruptcy, and we update you by email.
Lost luggage on a UIA flight
Lost or damaged bags fall under the Montreal Convention, not the delay rules. You needed a Property Irregularity Report (PIR) at the airport and a written complaint within 7 days for damage or 21 days for late delivery.
About the airline
- Company
- Ukraine International Airlines, Kyiv, Ukraine (in bankruptcy proceedings)
- Hub
- Kyiv Boryspil International Airport
- Flights
- None operated since 24 February 2022
- If refused
- The national enforcement body of the country where the flight departed, or the civil courts
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