General Department of Civil Aviation: Pobeda plans to increase number of flights from Gyumri

ArmInfo. Russian low cost Pobeda  airline company (subsidiary of Aeroflot) is satisfied with the  flights carried out from Shirak airport and currently is discussing  the issue of increasing frequency of flights with the General  Department of Civil Aviation, head of the Department Sergey Avetisyan  stated after the government's session on January 26. 

According to Avetisyan Pobeda company ensures almost 100% occupancy  of the aircrafts, and this demonstrates its success. Considering this  the company plans to increase the number of flights from Gyumri  airport. 

At the same time Sergey Avetisyan does not see any dumping elements  by the Russian low cost company on the Armenian aviation market,  particularly related to "Armenia" airline carrier.  "There is no  dumping on the market. We have harsh competitive environment and the  companies operate in quite rough conditions", he stated. As for the  servicing tariff set by the Zvartnots international airport, with  which a lot of Armenian airline companies were and currently  "Armenia" company is dissatisfied, according to Avetisyan they are  quite competitive on the regional level and in some directions even  lower compared to neighbor Georgia. 

To recall, Pobeda low-cost air carrier launched the sale of tickets  from Moscow (Vnukovo airport) to Gyumri, the second largest city of  Armenia on November 21, 2016. The company reports that within the  framework of Fly&Bus service, Pobeda offers the new flight passengers  to make use of transfer services to Yerevan. Until the end of the  winter schedule, no fewer than 10,000 tickets are sale at the price  of 999 Russian rubles, including all taxes and fees. Pobeda started  to carry out flights to Gyumri starting from December 15, thrice a  week - on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. The departure from Moscow  (Vnukovo airport) will presumably be at 8.00 am, and the arrival in  Gyumri will be at 11.50 am. The departure from Gyumri will be  scheduled for 12.25 pm, and the arrival in Moscow will be at 2.25   pm.  On Sundays, the flight hours will be made an hour earlier.  Pobeda  uses a Boeing 737-800. 

To recall, the national air carrier of Armenia - Armavia - suspended  its flights on 1 April 2013 and launched the bankruptcy procedure. In  2014 the same happened to Air Armenia. On October 23, 2013, the  Armenian government approved the programme implying provision of  competitive and long-term air transportation services in the country.   The program is based on a joint study of McKinsey & Company and  National Competitiveness Foundation of Armenia.  The "open sky"  policy that was announced in the country in 2013 sparked a large-  scale exodus of foreign companies from the Armenian market. As of   today the following companies carryout flights to Armenia: "Armenia",  Aegean Airways, Georgian Airways, Iraqi Airways, Al Naser, Mahan Air,  Middle East airways, S7 Airlines, Czech, LOT, Russian ''Saratov  Airlines'' and '' Ural Airlines'', ". Nordwind Airlines'', "PEGAS  FLY'',  UTair", "Pobeda'' Russian low-cost company.