by Art Saborio
[I:http://phila-airport-parking.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2009/03/ArtSaborio0.jpg] If you are traveling to Kiev, Ukraine for the very first time, it will be an experience. Break through the clouds and you will notice a land of abundance nature and beauty. A landscape of trees covers the countryside. The abundance of rainfall and annual snow makes Kiev a wonder of forests, lakes, rivers and pristine landscapes.
Boryspil International Airport is the main airport for all of Ukraine. It services not only international flights, but also all domestic flights. Boryspil has one of the largest runways in the Ukraine and can service any type of aircraft. When the Ukraine was still part of the Soviet Union, Boryspil was used strictly as a military airfield. Later after independence was declared, the airport was converted into a civilian airfield. Prior to Boryspil, Lugansk airport was the main international airfield.
There are only a few carriers that are allowed to use the tarmacs. All other planes must park away from the terminals. Buses are provide to take passengers from their plane to the main international terminal B.
When you get to the terminal, you are greeted with a very old Russian style passport control center. Be prepared for long waits. During peak hours it can take up to two hours to get through passport control. Customer service is not a priority here so ensure you have all your paperwork filled out and ready to go. The last thing you need is to get back in line for a missed document or unanswered question. In the seven times I have been to Ukraine, I have only waited two hours one time. After that bad experience I always booked my flight to arrive very early in the morning or late at night. 9 am to 2 pm are peak hours at Boryspil Airport.
When in the passport control line be polite and patient. Joke around with the Ukrainian passport officers is not appreciated. Be respectful and answer all questions fully. Officers will speak to you in English if you do not speak Ukrainian or Russian.
Once you make it through passport control, you will see the baggage claim area. Digital readouts will tell you where your baggage is located. It is a small area and impossible to lose track of your baggage. Boryspil is like all airports. There is not much difference in their baggage claim area.
If the airline loses your baggage, there is a lost baggage office that will assist you in tracking down your bags. I have traveled seven times to the Ukraine and only had to use the service once. It was a surprise to me, but the people that worked there were very helpful and spoke very good English. They were immediately able to track down my luggage. The representative called New York for me and found my baggage still there. Apparently my luggage never made the flight.
I had my luggage the next morning after being lost the day before. I had to pay a nice tip to the person that retrieved my baggage. For your information, everything in the Ukraine functions on tips. Hand out a tip that is too small and Ukrainians have no problem in showing you your mistake. Normal tip fair for getting your baggage reclaimed $6.00. Taxi trip to get back to the airport to retrieve your baggage $55.00. Knowing that you paid the right tip and avoiding the embarrassment of getting screamed at for failing to understand the tip policy, priceless.
Out of baggage claim and ready for the next adventure? Ok great, now let us take a walk up a small incline in the busy heart of the Boryspil Airport! The only thing between you and a hundred or so impatiently waiting family members, friends and taxi drivers is a set of automatic sliding doors. As the swoosh of doors slide open you are immediately impacted with the excitement of the waiting crowd in front of you. Make your way past them and you reach the second level of excitement. Yes, you guessed it, the Ukrainian Taxi Car Drivers! Stay calm and just shake your head back n forth with every question of “Taxi?” No need to say “No” just shake your head back n forth.
Stay away from these taxi drivers. Go find one of the many kiosks in the airport that can aid you with a taxi to anywhere you want to go for a fair price. Taxi kiosks are easy to find, they have the word “TAXI” written across them.
If you are exchanging money, there are four different money exchange booths available. The rate at the airport is the worst, if you can wait until you get into the city, then you will get a much better rate. When I travel I tend to only exchange $200.00 USD for a taxi and food. It is very easy to find these exchange booths in the center of the city with much better exchange rates. The US Dollar, Euro and Russian Ruble are accepted everywhere.
Take only new money with you. Exchange booths will not accept old or money that has been wet. Since it is impossible to know if a dollar bill has ever been wet, it is important to only take new bills. All exchange booths will put your money under an ultraviolet light. Money that shows wet spots will not be accepted.
Traveling to another part of Ukraine? Then it is just a short two minute walk to Terminal A. This terminal controls all domestic flights. There are two booths in this airport that will sell you a ticket to almost anywhere with a landing strip in the Ukraine. Digital readouts help you find your gate in English, but pay close attention to boarding announcements because they are only broadcasted in Ukrainian or Russian. If in doubt ask one of the airport attendants and they will be happy to point you to your boarding area.
Not fond of the airport crowds and long waits? Then the airport VIP service is what you want. Terminal C will take you by the hand and guide you through everything. They provide a personal shuttle for all arrivals and departures. They provide a 15 minute passport control service and personal baggage claim assistance. They do this for the a starting price of $150.00 USD. You also get access to the lounge where wireless internet, fax and phone is provided. Google Boryspil Airport to find contact information for this service. All VIP representatives speak English.
Enjoy your stay in the Ukraine!