Ukraine's foreign affairs ministry has disclosed that aircraft operated by AeroSvit have been detained at various airports, in the wake of bankruptcy proceedings being initiated against the troubled carrier.

It says an aircraft, whose passengers included 30 Ukrainians, was held back at Warsaw on 4 January while another was impounded at Stockholm the following day.

The ministry says a "similar situation" with the airline occurred at Tel Aviv on 6 January, adding that rival carrier Ukraine International Airlines - as well as other operators - stepped in to return passengers to Kiev.

Alternative flights have also been arranged for passengers travelling to Kiev from the Uzbek capital Tashkent.

AeroSvit's long-haul services have been similarly affected, says the ministry, with passengers stranded in the Vietnamese airport of Ho Chi Minh City as a result of the carrier's debts.

The airline has been struggling to maintain services after a Kiev commercial court highlighted, on 29 December, the extent of AeroSvit's debts and agreed to commence bankruptcy proceedings.

Kiev-based AeroSvit operates a fleet primarily comprising Boeing 737s and 767s, but the carrier has also leased Airbus A320s and Embraer 190s.

Source: Air Transport Intelligence news