General Department of Civil Aviation: Low prices of "Pobeda" tickets do not mean low safety level of flights

ArmInfo. By setting tariff of 10  thousand drams on Gyumri- Moscow flights Russian Pobeda company  demonstrates its adherence to policy of low-cost carrier, which no  matter affects the security level of passenger transportation, Head  of Flight Regulation Division of General Department of Civil Aviation  Anna Chobanyan stated at the press conference today. 

According to Chobanyan programs related to attracting low-coster  carriers on Armenian market launched back in the end of 2013 when  Armenia joined "Open Skies" policy. The representative of the GDCA  admitted that for a long time they did not manage to reach success  and now there is finally an opportunity to work with Russian "Pobeda"  company, which agreed to carry out flights from Shirak airport in  Gyumri starting from late November. "As of now it is informed that  flights will be carried out to Moscow 3 times a week. However, the  package is subject to revision as there is no final application from  the air carrier. We hope that the number of flights will be increased  and new routes will be added", Chobanyan stated. 

The prices starting from 999 Rubles relate to several percents of  tickets on each flight, Chobanyan noted stressing that it is not a  fixed price. At the same time the highest price threshold should not  be too high as it is a low-coster company. The company will instead  save on food, luggage, and the level of service but no way on  security level. "No company can receive a certificate without  ensuring due level of security", Chobanyan stated. 

The Russian Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) has given a  permit to Pobeda low-cost carrier (member of Aeroflot Group) to make  flights from Moscow to Gyumri, the second largest city of Armenia.  According to the permit the flights will be carried out 7 times a  week. To recall, no flights have been conducted from Shirak airport  in Gyumri for a long period of time. The only flight Gyumri-Moscow  was suspended in the beginning of this year. To note, "Shirak"  airport is part of  "Armenia" International Airports" CJS,  established by the famous Argentinean businessman of Armenian descent  Eduardo Eurnekian.  The airport "Shirak" of Gyumri was built in 1961  and with its indices it is the second in the Republic of Armenia. The  airport is located 5 km far from Gyumri and 120 km far from Yerevan.  The building and the runway of the present functioning airport have  been put into operation in 1982. The airport "Shirak" of Gyumri can  be considered the second international alternate airport of Armenia.

On October 20, while presenting the government program for the next  three years, Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan stated in Parliament  that the Armenian government intends to re-launch the airport in  Gyumri, the second largest city of Armenia. According to him the  government will hold negotiations with a number of low-cost companies  for this purpose.