Champions League: High prices, cancelled flights mar final

KYIV, UKRAINE— Price hikes and cancelled flights are ruining the Champions League final for some fans two days before Real Madrid and Liverpool even kick off.

Some owners of hotels and hostels in Kyiv have raised prices by more than 10 times for Saturday’s game, while the city’s two airports have been unable to accommodate a rush of extra charter flights.

That led to British travel operator World Choice Sports cancelling three flights on Thursday, leaving hundreds of Liverpool fans stranded.

“We have had Liverpool football club, police, UEFA and everyone at the highest levels of authority trying to resolve this,” the company said in a statement. “We have exhausted all avenues to try and get landing slots.”

Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said he was in talks with his Kyiv counterpart Vitali Klitschko — the former heavyweight boxing champion — and said “fan flights hopefully sorted soon.”

Fans who arrived early were happy with Ukraine’s cheap food and drinks — a beer can be bought in the centre of the city for 50 hryvnyas ($2.45) — but some were frustrated by travel and accommodation.

Davy Ryan and Mikey O’Leary, Liverpool fans from Ireland relaxing in town, said they spent 800 euros ($1,200) and 1,100 euros ($1,660), respectively, on travel. They booked a hotel in Kyiv but it was cancelled and the owner hiked the price, they said.

“They had a stupid excuse, like they had no electricity for the weekend,” Ryan said. “Once they cancelled it, we went back online and the price was up to, like, 6,000 euros ($9,000).”

It worked out for Ryan and O’Leary, however, because they found another place to stay for 240 euros ($360) for four nights.

There were signs that some Kyiv hotels and apartment owners were dropping prices closer to the game, indicating that astronomical prices hadn’t found takers.

Liverpool fans Jay Fowler and Charlie MacInnes said they hadn’t found a flight home, but arrived in Kyiv anyway.

“We’ll probably take it easy,” MacInnes said. “Depends on the result. We might stay for a party.”