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Liverpool fans’ fury as flights to Champions League Final cancelled
Worldchoice Sports is blaming Kiev airport for the cancellation of three flights to the Champions League Final in Ukraine this weekend, which has left Liverpool supporters unable to reach the game.
The Widnes-based company said Kiev’s Boryspil Airport had refused to allocate landing slots for the flights, despite the intervention of Liverpool mayor Joe Anderson and Kiev mayor and former boxing champion Vitali Klitschko.
However, the firm has been given slots for an extra last-minute three-night trip.
Up to 1,000 Liverpool fans had paid up to £2000 each for the flights to watch their Merseyside team play Real Madrid in their first Champions League final in 11 years.
On its website, Worldchoice Sports said: "With deep regret, we have had to cancel three flights to Kiev.
"Due to so many flights going into Kiev, Kiev Borispyl has been unable to allocate times for aircraft.
"We have worked extremely hard over the last 48 hours trying to resolve these issues. We have had Liverpool football club, Police, UEFA and everyone at the highest levels of authority trying to resolve this.
"We have exhausted all avenues to try and get landing slots. We have had them from Liverpool airport and Manchester airport and we have applied for slots in the correct manner and time frame with the authorities.
"To reiterate this problem IS with Kiev.
"At this stage we can only make a huge apology and are very sorry let you down on this occasion."
Some fans have made alternative arrangements, including flying to Kiev via Italy or Turkey.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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