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Research: foreign low-costs break Ukrainian air transportation rules

For eight months already foreign low-costs have been breaking new air transportation rules, which became effective in Ukraine on January 25, 2013.

According to avianews.com, the updated air legislation contains a mandatory requirement to bring the rules of foreign air carriers at their routes to Ukraine to compliance with the Ukrainian passenger and freight air transportation regulations.

In particular, the edition of the Rules, adopted at the end of 2012 by the order of the Ministry of Infrastructure No 735, provides for the mandatory free-of-charge luggage norm for all passengers.

It must be 23 kg minimum under the piece concept and 15 kg minimum under the weight concept. However, after 8 months of validity of new rules no foreign low-cost carrier, previously charging for luggage transportation, has introduced a free-of-charge norm of its transportation.

The luggage fee is currently charged by a number of low-costs, including Wizz Air Hungary, Vueling, Norwegian Air Shuttle, and Air Arabia, as well as the Latvian airBaltic.

In autumn 2010 the Ukrainian office of Wizz Air had to introduce a free-of-charge norm of luggage transportation (one piece of luggage with the weight up to 32 kg) after the updated air transportation rules came into effect. However, the norm on the mandatory introduction of the free-of-charge luggage transportation in that edition did not cover foreign airlines.