Odessa VIP Airport Service

[Brad and Vika 129]

While planning this last trip to Ukraine to see my intended, I asked for some advice about the VIP airport pickup services in general, and in Odessa in particular. As I said in my posts, I get hassled by customs officers as a matter of routine, and wondered if the VIP service would help. It does.

I landed in Odessa yesterday with one suitcase, one carry on, and a box with 4 liters of whiskey (among other things) in it. Yes I know it is more than the allowed amount. I was carrying a fair amount of currency and an valuable engagement ring on me. Needless to say, I was a little nervous about moving through customs expeditiously.

Short story - I cleared customs in about 10 minutes. No line, no questions, no wanding. I was told to limit my alcohol delivery to 1 liter next time - that's it. I would recommend this sort of service to anybody who is navigating "the system", on their own. Upon the recommendation of several VJers, I will also use VIP service in Kiev.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Brad:

I have mixed feelings about this. As you know it is merely a bribe, something that is pervasive in Ukraine in doing any sort of business with any sort of government agency. You can get VIP service on nearly everything for a fee. Read my wifes review of her travel to the USA and you will see she gives the cost of certain documents as "$XX (without a bribe)" I mean, it is as if it is the Ukrainian version of the phrase "$29.99 plus tax".

My mixed feelings? I worked in Odessa for two years. I think the Ukrainian people are great, I think the country will always be crippled by this practice until someone, somewhere breaks the cycle. Government employees are way underpaid...WAY underpaid. They have to eat, so everyone that can solicits bribes. Postmen charge a fee to deliver pension checks, licenses of all sorts are "bought", safety issues for workers are overlooked for a fee. Hundreds of mine workers die in the Donetsk every year because safety regulations are overlooked, for a bribe. Really, Brad, in two years in construction there, I never saw any sort of buidling code, safety regulation, or professional qualification requirement actually enforced. I noticed that on construction sites in Kiev, near the city center, they actually have most of the visible safety precautions in place. It is not that way in Odessa, or even the outskirts of Kiev.

I cannot say I never played the game. Alla played it quite a bit in order to get the documents she needed for her animals to leave with her. She played it to get a corrected version of her divorce certificate in time to send in our original petition. "3 weeks" was the estimated time. With a $10 bribe we had it in 20 minutes. I sometimes wonder about all the mis-spellings in documents, is it all just a co-incidence? Anyway, I try to avoid it when I can. On my last trip to Kiev I was offered the VIP service for $40, but declined it. They have recently added inspector booths at Borispol, but when I was last there, they hadn't added any inspectors. But now there are more empty booths than before!!!!!! Anyway, I passed the VIP service and I have never had any trouble at all at customs in Ukraine. Do you have flashing arrows pointing at you or something? Really, I have never even been asked a question in Kiev, Donetsk or Odessa.

I have talked to many Ukrainians about this. Ukrainians are, if nothing else, a very practical and realistic people and painfully honest and direct. They believe, simply, all people must have enough to eat. They know government workers are way underpaid, usually $150-200 per month, and cannot feed their families for this money and so play the game. They also appreciate getting things quicker. I doubt it will ever happen, but if the government were to pay "living wages" to their employees I think the Ukrainian people would be much less likely to be sympathetic to bribery. Maybe I live in a bit of a fantasy world too.

Well, my opinion on the matter anyway.

[payxibka 10,045]

While planning this last trip to Ukraine to see my intended, I asked for some advice about the VIP airport pickup services in general, and in Odessa in particular. As I said in my posts, I get hassled by customs officers as a matter of routine, and wondered if the VIP service would help. It does.

I landed in Odessa yesterday with one suitcase, one carry on, and a box with 4 liters of whiskey (among other things) in it. Yes I know it is more than the allowed amount. I was carrying a fair amount of currency and an valuable engagement ring on me. Needless to say, I was a little nervous about moving through customs expeditiously.

Short story - I cleared customs in about 10 minutes. No line, no questions, no wanding. I was told to limit my alcohol delivery to 1 liter next time - that's it. I would recommend this sort of service to anybody who is navigating "the system", on their own. Upon the recommendation of several VJers, I will also use VIP service in Kiev.

I don't want to say "I told you so"... so I will refrain..

[Brad and Vika 129]

While planning this last trip to Ukraine to see my intended, I asked for some advice about the VIP airport pickup services in general, and in Odessa in particular. As I said in my posts, I get hassled by customs officers as a matter of routine, and wondered if the VIP service would help. It does.

I landed in Odessa yesterday with one suitcase, one carry on, and a box with 4 liters of whiskey (among other things) in it. Yes I know it is more than the allowed amount. I was carrying a fair amount of currency and an valuable engagement ring on me. Needless to say, I was a little nervous about moving through customs expeditiously.

Short story - I cleared customs in about 10 minutes. No line, no questions, no wanding. I was told to limit my alcohol delivery to 1 liter next time - that's it. I would recommend this sort of service to anybody who is navigating "the system", on their own. Upon the recommendation of several VJers, I will also use VIP service in Kiev.

I don't want to say "I told you so"... so I will refrain..

I always find your advice useful. As you may recall, some of my anxiety was around how to make the transaction without getting into more trouble. The VIP service took away that choice by fixing the amount of the "fix".

[Brad and Vika 129]

Brad:

I have mixed feelings about this. As you know it is merely a bribe, something that is pervasive in Ukraine in doing any sort of business with any sort of government agency. You can get VIP service on nearly everything for a fee. Read my wifes review of her travel to the USA and you will see she gives the cost of certain documents as "$XX (without a bribe)" I mean, it is as if it is the Ukrainian version of the phrase "$29.99 plus tax".

My mixed feelings? I worked in Odessa for two years. I think the Ukrainian people are great, I think the country will always be crippled by this practice until someone, somewhere breaks the cycle. Government employees are way underpaid...WAY underpaid. They have to eat, so everyone that can solicits bribes. Postmen charge a fee to deliver pension checks, licenses of all sorts are "bought", safety issues for workers are overlooked for a fee. Hundreds of mine workers die in the Donetsk every year because safety regulations are overlooked, for a bribe. Really, Brad, in two years in construction there, I never saw any sort of buidling code, safety regulation, or professional qualification requirement actually enforced. I noticed that on construction sites in Kiev, near the city center, they actually have most of the visible safety precautions in place. It is not that way in Odessa, or even the outskirts of Kiev.

I cannot say I never played the game. Alla played it quite a bit in order to get the documents she needed for her animals to leave with her. She played it to get a corrected version of her divorce certificate in time to send in our original petition. "3 weeks" was the estimated time. With a $10 bribe we had it in 20 minutes. I sometimes wonder about all the mis-spellings in documents, is it all just a co-incidence? Anyway, I try to avoid it when I can. On my last trip to Kiev I was offered the VIP service for $40, but declined it. They have recently added inspector booths at Borispol, but when I was last there, they hadn't added any inspectors. But now there are more empty booths than before!!!!!! Anyway, I passed the VIP service and I have never had any trouble at all at customs in Ukraine. Do you have flashing arrows pointing at you or something? Really, I have never even been asked a question in Kiev, Donetsk or Odessa.

I have talked to many Ukrainians about this. Ukrainians are, if nothing else, a very practical and realistic people and painfully honest and direct. They believe, simply, all people must have enough to eat. They know government workers are way underpaid, usually $150-200 per month, and cannot feed their families for this money and so play the game. They also appreciate getting things quicker. I doubt it will ever happen, but if the government were to pay "living wages" to their employees I think the Ukrainian people would be much less likely to be sympathetic to bribery. Maybe I live in a bit of a fantasy world too.

Well, my opinion on the matter anyway.

Gary - I hear you. If you have seen my previous posts about this, you know that I have never done anything like VIP entry in Eastern Europe or anywhere else. I think there are big, flashing, neon arrows pointing at me , and so didn't feel like I had many options. In all seriousness there were times when all American/Western European men were pulled aside and given special attention. Early on, I was probably singled out because my passport had no Ukraine stamps in it. That is the concensus from the Ukrainians who know the system. I thought the VIP money was a good investment, given the value of what I was bringing, and the punitive penalty if it was disclosed.

In addition to your points above, I am told that the customs officers in Ukraine usually pay a pretty steep bribe to get a job like that. Again, the Ukrainian concensus is that this motivates much of the entrepenurial spirit.

Thanks for your opinion.

[Brad and Vika 129]

A quick update now that I am safely home. I decided to use the VIP service to leave Ukraine as well. Vika called and made arrangements hours before my flight. I was over the limit for liquor transport again, and without my declaration form (filled out at entry). I was told to "be more careful next time", and packed off to the lounge. They even ran to the terminal next door to get my boarding passes generated. It seemed to me a small price to pay to avoid the hassle, and I think without the customs form I would have had hours of trouble. Again, no one asked any questions about currency, etc.

[payxibka 10,045]

A quick update now that I am safely home. I decided to use the VIP service to leave Ukraine as well. Vika called and made arrangements hours before my flight. I was over the limit for liquor transport again, and without my declaration form (filled out at entry). I was told to "be more careful next time", and packed off to the lounge. They even ran to the terminal next door to get my boarding passes generated. It seemed to me a small price to pay to avoid the hassle, and I think without the customs form I would have had hours of trouble. Again, no one asked any questions about currency, etc.

what is the cost nowadays? when I did it it was I think $50

[Brad and Vika 129]

A quick update now that I am safely home. I decided to use the VIP service to leave Ukraine as well. Vika called and made arrangements hours before my flight. I was over the limit for liquor transport again, and without my declaration form (filled out at entry). I was told to "be more careful next time", and packed off to the lounge. They even ran to the terminal next door to get my boarding passes generated. It seemed to me a small price to pay to avoid the hassle, and I think without the customs form I would have had hours of trouble. Again, no one asked any questions about currency, etc.

what is the cost nowadays? when I did it it was I think $50

It was $115 done through the rental company, $80 self serve. Also, the Hrvna exchange rate was between 5.1 and 5.4 the whole time I was there.

[1HappyGuy 45]

Brad, this is a little of this subject, but I hope you are right about the Hrivna exchange rate. My wife told me yesterday it was about 4.9 in Kyiv. So, maybe it is better now. I will be sending money to my mother in law next week and any increase will help a lot.

[Brad and Vika 129]

Brad, this is a little of this subject, but I hope you are right about the Hrivna exchange rate. My wife told me yesterday it was about 4.9 in Kyiv. So, maybe it is better now. I will be sending money to my mother in law next week and any increase will help a lot.

The exchange rate swings were pretty crazy, driven I think by frequent market closures. When it was 5.4 to 1 there a fair number of "obmin valyooti" that actually ran out of hrvna. The next day the rate went back to 5.0.

[payxibka 10,045]

www.privatbank.com.ua has there exchange rate listed online... from what I can tell it is fairly representative what you see on the street...

[Brad and Vika 129]

www.privatbank.com.ua has there exchange rate listed online... from what I can tell it is fairly representative what you see on the street...

Approachin 6 hrvna to the dollar now!

[Brad and Vika 129]

Two things to update:

1) The exchange rate for Hrvna is in fact approaching twice what it was a year ago. Vika and I have had several discussions about why this is good if you are spending dollars. Althought she is correct in pointing out that pricies have increased sharply too, it is the relationship between the rate of increase that is relevant. So if a bowl of soup increased from say, 3 to 4 hrvna (25%), but the exchange rate for dollars increased 75%, you are still way better off. Of course many services charge dollars, so they make out, we don't.

2) I used VIP pickup service in Kiev at the airport, and found it expensive compared to Odessa, but still well worth the money. I will explain more in a detailed post later.

Cheers!