Senor industry figures head to Donetsk as third Routes CIS event opens in Ukraine

18thJuly 2013

It has never been more important to understand the Ukraine market with negotiations on the EU-Ukraine open skies agreement in its final stage. Ukraine is a huge market opportunity but for many carriers there have been some restrictions to the many prospects which should soon become available. The market potential is enormous with a population of over 45 million and a growing economy and these opportunities will be available to all carriers attending this year’s Routes CIS event where a strong attendee list includes not only the major carriers from the region and beyond but also the real decision makers and political figures from Ukraine.

Routes CIS is the only route development forum for the entire CIS region and the 2013 event, which will take place on 21-23 July, will be hosted by International Airport Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev. Taking place at the Shakhtar Plaza Hotel, the largest hotel in Donetsk, the event is expected to attract around 250 air service decision makers from across the CIS region.

“Route development is one of the main priorities, not only in the development strategy of our airport but also for regional and state policy of the aviation segment modernisation,” says Kirill Osypov, Director General of

International Airport Donetsk Sergey Prokofiev continuing: “I am sure that hosting Routes CIS 2013 will be one of the steps in our development strategy realisation. We appreciate the trust expressed in us by the organisers of the event and we consider it a big honour and responsibility to host Routes CIS and welcome the aviation industry as a whole.”

Nigel Mayes, VP Commercial-Routes, UBM Live commented: “As the negotiations on the EU-Ukraine Joint Aviation Area are in the final stages there has been no better time to attend Routes CIS and visit Ukraine. Once confirmed the Joint Aviation Area will open up a massive new target market of almost 50 million people as the population of Ukraine enters the EU marketplace. Routes CIS provides the perfect opportunity for International Airport Donetsk to showcase their city and region to the aviation community as we expect to welcome a record number of delegates to the event.”

Routes CIS, which is now in its third year, will see attendance from senior representatives of the Ukrainian aviation industry including Volodymyr Kozak, Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Konstantin Yefimenko, First Deputy of Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Dmytro Dimidovich, Deputy of Minister of Infrastructure of Ukraine, Anatoliy Kolesnik, Head of Civil Aviation of Ukraine and Oleksandr Grechko, First Deputy Head of Civil Aviation of Ukraine.

Furthermore, over 30 carriers have already registered to attend including the top four major Russian carriers (Aeroflot, S7 Airlines, Rossiya and Transaero Airlines) along with VIM Airlines, JSC RusLine, Ukraine International Airlines, Wizz Air Ukraine and Etihad. Carriers registered most recently for the CIS event are Vueling, Adria Airways, MeridianaFly, Volotea, Air Onix, Dniproavia, Turkish Airlines Cargo and AK Bars Aero.

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Notes to Editors

About Routes

• Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and CIS respectively. www.routesonline.com

• Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK‐based ASM Ltd., a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports. www.asm‐global.com

• Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in August 2010. From 1stAugust 2012 Routes, ASM and the Airport Cities Conference and Exhibition become part of the UBM Live division of UBM plc.

• UBM Live connects people and creates opportunities for companies across five continents to develop new business, meet customers, launch new products, promote their brands and expand their markets. Through premiere brands such as MD&M, CPhI, IFSEC, TFM&A, Cruise Shipping Miami, the Concrete Show, the Routes portfolio of events, Airport Cities and many others, UBM Live exhibitions, conferences, awards programs, publications, websites and training and certification programs are an integral part of the marketing plans of companies across more than 20 industry sectors. www.ubmlive.com

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Victoria Jones

PR Executive

Routes

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