We stay in the sky thanks to you
Those like you who put faith in us and choose our services, support and understanding from our partners have become a pillar that has helped us to adapt to the new reality and continue our lifetime project — to help Ukrainians discover the world, and openUkraine to the world.
In 2020, we performed 8,745 flights, and carried 1,250,792 passengers. Starting a year with a fleet twice as large as the previous one (2019 we started with 5 aircraft and only in December received the 10th aircraft), due to the pandemic and lockdown, we did not reach even half of the passenger traffic planned for 2020.
In addition, during the global lockdown, we launched a new area of SkyUp activity — cargo transportation. At first, for these purposes, we reconfigured 7 passenger aircraft, later, when passenger traffic began to recover, we began to carry cargo in cargo compartments on regular flights.
Over the entire period from April to the end of 2020, we transported 1,624 tons of cargo on cargo and passenger flights, which is comparable to the weight of 10 Boeing 747-200 aircraft or about 350 Rolls-Royce engines for Boeing 747s.
The pandemic has united our team. Repatriation flights from Wuhan, China, and Treviso, Italy, optimization of internal work processes, the launch of cargo transportation and new products for passengers — all those would be difficult to implement if it were not for the deep involvement of employees, their initiative, and proactivity.
In addition, our aircraft spent almost the entire 2020 in the sky. All 11 aircraft in our fleet, one of which we received in February 2020, were engaged in flights — passenger and cargo, although not at full capacity. Only at the end of the year we decided to store several aircraft.
Rethinking travel in new realities
The world has changed, and travel has changed with it too. This is not only about tightening safety rules to protect health, which, of course, we have also implemented and even put together a short reminderfor passengers. It's time to revise the very concept of this integral part of our life.
Our mission is to make Ukrainians fall in love with travel and help to form the habit of traveling remains unchanged. The new reality pushed us to create new travel formats, thanks to which the traveler would feel more comfortable.
In July, we launched a new format of travel in Ukraine for 2-3 days CityBreak (tickets + hotel), and in October — Weekend for U. short trips with like-minded people up to 14 persons in a group lasting 4 days with an excursion and entertainment programme.
We have big plans for summer 2021. In addition to the already familiar SkyUp destinations such as France, Italy, Greece, Czech Republic, Georgia, Spain, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Armenia, Albania, Israel, Portugal, Slovakia, and Turkey, we are preparing to start flying from Kyiv and regions to Poland, Germany, Denmark, Jordan, Sweden, Serbia, and the Netherlands.
We also started planning the seasonal navigation in a new way with an emphasis on the opportunity to travel around the country you want to visit. Therefore, in addition to the variety of destinations, we are making more varied routes for most of them. This means the opportunity not only to choose a departure from Kyiv or regions, but also to start a trip around the country by arriving in one city, and end it with a return flight from another.
Separate focus on services for passengers
The crisis significantly limited our operational activities, but gave us time to focus on improving customer services. In 2020, we launched online check-in for SkyUp flights.
Therefore, in the cities of departure in Ukraine and abroad, where the service is already operating, check-in at the airport has become paid. Our own handling has started operating at Boryspil, which allows us to control the quality of passenger service from buying a ticket to getting off the aircraft.
For more convenience in using the services of the airline, we launched a passenger’s balance.
With its help, in their personal account on the website, our passengers can not only receive a promotional code for discounts, gifts, and promotional bonuses, but also conveniently manage funds returned for canceled flights — book new flights for themselves and loved ones or withdraw them to a bank card.
Also in 2020, we launched the purchase of air tickets by installments up to 12 payments.
We are constantly working on improving the onboard menu. The restoration of flights last summer was celebrated with the renewal of skyboxes in constant partnership with DO&CO Kyiv and attracted another partner Mr.Pops, Ukrainian craft dessert manufacturer.
To encourage traveling with pets the weight allowed for transportation in the cabin with a container has been increased from 8 to 10 kg. We also joined the Happy Paw charity fund's campaign for the adoption of animals from shelters: everyone who adopts a cat or dog from one of the Happy Paw partner shelters by the end of 2021 will be able to transport them for free for their lifetime on SkyUp Airlines flights.
And for those who often travel with a lot of stuff, we launched the Upgrade baggage service which allows you to increase the weight of your luggage from 23 to 32 kg.
Looking to the future with optimism
2020 is by far one of the most difficult times in airline history. We will have to cope with the consequences of the crisis caused by the pandemic for years. Now we can only carefully make forecasts for the next year and focus on solving current issues to maintain the business.
At the same time, in the longer term — the next 5 years — we plan to increase the SkyUp share in Ukrainian market up to 50%, get at least 5-7 more aircraft, open new bases, and expand the list of services.
“Our company faced the crisis at the age of only 1 year and 7 months. We’re dealing with these challenges under the “new changes” slogan. No matter what we do, we remain innovative, progressive, welcoming — exactly the way we resonate in your hearts. We will continue to improve, surprise, and grow with you. Because we are more than a low-cost airline. We do our best to provide you with the opportunity to receive the service of a classic air carrier at a more affordable price”,
— Dmytro Seroukhov, CEO of SkyUp Airlines.